Weddingbee boards

@nursestace - I can probably help.  I'm not sure if I can be of help with finding an officiant, but I can give you some advice for the rest if you have specific questions...I've done lots of research into venues and can recommend certain vendors.  About the officiant, France is a majoritarily Catholic country, however it is intensely secular.  It is mandatory for anyone marrying legally in France to do so at town hall (and only of the town where you or your parents reside).  Many people chose to also get married in a Catholic church, but this cannot be done until you have already been legally married.  In any case, Cheerful is right, you cannot be legally married in France unless at least one person in the couple has been a legal resident for the past 6 months (I'm pretty sure it's 6).  Anyway, you say you are interested in a symbolic ceremony so I guess you will be legally marrying first in Canada?  Rather than continuing to ramble on about French marriage laws, I'll let you fire away with questions and I'll do my best to answer and help you out!

@nursestace - Good, a symbolic ceremony with just the two of you will be much easier to plan from abroad!  I was a little worried for you for a minute there...So here we go:

Coordinator - I do not think you need one.  I don't have one and I'm planning a full out wedding for 100+ people...Wedding planners / coordinators are a relatively new concept here anyway.

Flowers - I think you can easily find a bouquet at a florist without necessarily planning in advance.  I imagine you will be arriving before the ceremony, I suggest finding the nearest Monceau Fleurs (a chain florist all over the city) and explaining what you want and what day you need it.  If you do not want a chain florist, I can recommend my florist but he may not be as close to where you are staying (where are you staying btw?).

Hair - I am terrible at making hair appointments and have always just walked in, but for your wedding hair, I would not suggest this (especially if it on a Saturday).  I would make an appointment as soon as you arrive or even before leaving if possible.  Most hair dressers that I know of don't do make-up, but there are a few places that do like Jacques Dessange (several salons, not sure which do both), Jacques Dumont, Sabrina Coiffure, Murielle Palace...I'm sure there are many more, but I don't have time to do a real search right now (I'm at work).  Anyway, most places will probably charge between 100 - 200€ for hair and make-up.  If you don't speak French look for 'forfait mariage' rates on their websites.  (coiffure/chignon = hair / up do, maquillage = make-up).  Another option would be to get your hair done at Galeries Lafayette or Printemps (the two major department stores) after which you could get your make-up done at one of the many make-up counters.

Photographer - I heart my photographer, she's young, laid-back, completely professional, bilingual and takes lovely pictures.  Plus her 'forfait' (it means package) is very moderately priced.  You can check her out at www.iphotographie.com  If her style isn't what you were going for, I can ask some friends who they used and get back to you.

The American Church in Paris - I have been to a wedding there before, it is lovely, centrally located and the pastor was an American lady who translated the whole service (it was a Franco-American wedding).  I don't know how much the donation is though...It is definitely worth calling.  I do think that it is one of your better options for finding an officiant since most of the churches here are Catholic and they will not marry you unless you are Catholic and a parishoner...There are a few other protestant churches in the city but I really don't anything about them or how flexible they are with performing marriages of foreigners. 

Good luck and let me know if you have more questions!

Miss Paris seems to have covered most of the bases, but I wanted to chime in with a church if you are Catholic. When I was living in Paris, I attended St. Joseph's (http://www.stjoeparis.org/), the English speaking Catholic community in Paris. I think they, more than others, would be flexible.

I also second her opinion that flowers should be easy, especially if it's just you, and hair you would probably want to schedule in advance.

@EBS, just curious what St Joe's is like on the inside?  When I first started planning I wanted to get married there, I thought it would be really nice for my family to have mass in English (I figure the French side could deal with it since we are getting married in their country afterall).  Anyway, I went to visit it and was so put off by the exterior that I never actually went in!  Did I sell it short?

@RSaxer - I'm interested in the name of the restaurant you recommend, I'm always looking for new places to go with Mr. Paris!  We love to try new restaurants.

@nursestace - Rue Henri Bocquillon is at metro Boucicault, so you will be in the residential 15th.  It's calm, nice and not at all touristic and a little far from the center.  No big deal but you will be taking the metro / bus alot. 

There is definitely a Monoprix and a Franprix pretty close to there...And there are several street markets within walking distance where you can get food, here is a list with the days of operation:

Marché Cervantes
Between rue Bargue et rue de la Procession.
Wednesday, 7h à 14h30 et Saturday, 7h à 15h
Métro : Volontaires

Marché Convention
Rue Convention Between les rues Al. Chartier and l’Abbé Groult.
Tuesday, Thursday, 7h à 14h30 et Sunday, 7h à 15h
Métro : Convention
 
Marché Grenelle
Bd de Grenelle, Between la rue Lourmel and la rue du Commerce.
Wednesday, 7h à 14h30 and Sunday, 7h à 15h
Métro : La Motte-Piquet Grenelle

<p align="justify">Marché Lecourbe
Rue Lecourbe between rues Vasco de Gama and Leblanc.
Wednesday, 7h à 14h30 and Saturday, 7h à 15h
Métro : Balard, Lourmel
<p align="justify">Food is relatively expensive in Paris, with prices varying from neighborhood to neighborhood...This is one advantage to staying in a residential area as opposed to a touristic one.  I'm not sure if this helps but Mr. Paris and I usually spend about 50€ per week on groceries, I like to cook and make pretty varied menus, our weekly food expense covers 5 dinners and my lunch at work (which is sometimes left overs from dinner). 
<p align="justify">I have a list of restaurants and other suggestions that I sent to another bee who wanted Paris info, I'll forward it to you...
<p align="justify"> 

PS - one important tip, especially if you are staying in a residential area... Spend the money on a real street map, do not attempt to get by with the free maps that they give you in the metro and at other touristic sites.  These maps do not cover the whole city and only have some of the streets for the areas they do cover...If you want to get lost, they're perfect! :)

@ Miss Paris - it is quite nice on the inside. It looks like a lot of post-Vatican II churches here in the States, with the more open atmosphere and positioning of the altar. I can see why you'd have been put off by the mediocre facade, but the church is actually down 1 level from the entrance, giving it enough room to have higher ceilings and a full church-like space.Sorry to respond a bit late, but I thought I'd answer :)

@Rsaxer - cool, I'll check it out sometime when I'm in the Marais.

@Ebs - thanks for the info, I will have to go to mass there and see for myself now :)