Getting married in Corsica from abroad

Corsica follows French law. A civil marriage must be celebrated in the commune where one of you, or one of your parents, has had their home or residence for at least a month. If neither of you lives in Corsica or has close family there, you cannot hold the legal ceremony on the island — only the symbolic one.

This is not a Corsican rule, it is standard French law. It is simply what surprises couples most when they first write to us.

The legal marriage takes place at home — at your local registry office or town hall, sometimes weeks before, often with just two witnesses. Then comes the ceremony in Corsica, symbolic or religious, with all your guests. For nearly all our couples, that is the real moment of the day, and the one we photograph and film first.

Keeping the two apart has a real advantage: the legal part stays simple, and your Corsican day is entirely dedicated to the ceremony you have imagined.

When one of you lives in France, the file is submitted to the town hall that will celebrate the marriage, usually several months ahead. The banns are then published for at least ten days before the marriage can take place. Always check the exact list with the town hall — details vary from one commune to another.

June and September are the best months to marry in Corsica: long days, warm evening light, bearable heat for guests in suits, and an island that is not yet — or no longer — saturated. July and August are spectacular but demanding: intense midday heat, busy roads and accommodation at peak prices.

May is greener and quieter, with a higher chance of a passing shower. October is beautiful and much calmer, with shorter days.

Bank holidays let guests travelling from abroad or from mainland France stay several days. In 2027 the calendar is generous in spring and much less so in summer.

Corsica has four airports — Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Figari (for Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio) — and ferries from Marseille, Toulon and Nice. Summer flights fill up and prices rise quickly: tell your guests early. Once on the island, a car is almost essential.

Choose your airport according to your venue: the island is bigger than it looks on a map, and mountain roads make distances long. From Ajaccio, allow well over an hour to reach the Calanques of Piana, and more than two to reach the Balagne.

Set the date and venue first, then book the suppliers who can only do one wedding a day — caterer, photographer, videographer. The most sought-after venues are booked 12 to 18 months ahead for Saturdays in June and September.