Top 10 best wedding venues in Paris

Top 10 best wedding venues in Paris

Getting married in Paris is the dream of every little girl (read more about planning a wedding in Paris). During your stay, you might see a lot of brides in front of the famous landmarks doing their wedding photoshoot (find the best spots to take photos here!). Indeed, many people chose to get married in Paris as it is known to be the city of love. So why don’t you get a chance to spend the best day of your life in Paris? Prepare in advance because Parisian wedding venues are very popular. Try to book a place during the week and avoid June and September as most French people get married during that time. Paradoxically, July and August are ideal because French people or off on vacation. Know that in most places, you can’t choose your caterer as it is included in the rental agreement. Here is a top 10 of the best wedding venues in Paris.

For a majestic wedding reception:

If you want to impress your guests by a luxurious reception and an incredible service, book one of these hotels (read more about 5 luxurious hotels). The expensive price lives up to the quality service you will be given.

1-      Hotel Plaza Athénée

Have a chic weeding venue in the famous Plaza Hotel. It is a perfect place to celebrate your dream come true! Wedding events are a specialty of this hotel located in the famous avenue Montaigne. You can privatize one of these lounges:

–          Salon Haute Couture: enjoy your wedding venue in an elegant and majestic ballroom. The chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling light the red velvet carpet. You can host from 50 to 180 guests, depending on the disposition of the room you choose.

–          Le Salon Organza: host your wedding event in an elegant room. The big windows opened on the hotel court let the daylight shine in. You can arrange the room to host between 32 and 100 guests.

If you need more space, know that you can extend your reception hall with a small room right next to the lounge. If you want to see a weeding in that place, you can watch the funny movie Bride wars.

2-      Hotel intercontinental

This place is one of the most majestic and luxurious places for a wedding venue. The hotel intercontinental is a famous luxurious hotel. Located in the center of the capital, it offers 21 lounges that can host from 20 to 1000 people. I will describe you my 3 favorite lounges, but you can check the others on the website.

–          Le Salon Opéra: it is named for its resemblance to the Paris Opera. Indeed, its 14 meters high roof holding a monumental chandelier, and its mirror walls evokes the splendor of the Opera Garnier. This lounge can host 500 people for a seated dinner or 600 guests for a cocktail. The Salon Opera is one of the most majestic lounges you can have a wedding reception in.

–          Le Salon Ravel: mostly red velvet and gold, this lounge will immerse yourself in a royal atmosphere. Plan 200 guests for a stand-up cocktail or 120 for a seated dinner.

–          Les Salons du 1er étage: for more intimacy, you can privatize one of these lounges to host your 80 guests in a modern and bright room of the luxurious hotel.

You should also know that the setup is very modular and can be adapted to every situations and desires. You can book a visit of the lounges to choose the one you prefer.

3-      Cercle national des armées

The Cercle national des armées is a big building located on the Saint Augustin square in the heart of Paris. If you want a traditional old-France wedding, this venue is for you! The cercle national des armées is a public building where you can privatize different rooms.

–          On the ground floor, there is a spacious room that can host 220 guests for a seated dinner or 350 for a cocktail.

–          On the first floor, 4 reception halls can be privatized and arranged to host 550 guests for a big dinner and 900 for a cocktail! The large chandeliers and bright windows give a luxurious atmosphere to the place.

You can choose the DJ, your wedding caterer and bring the wedding cake of your choice but be prepared to pay extras for bringing your own caterer.

4-      Salon Hoche

The legendary Salon Hoche hosts private events in the heart of Paris since more than a century. You can fully trust this place to have the perfect wedding reception. With the elegance of its architecture and the modernity of its equipment, you will be immersed in a luxurious and friendly atmosphere.

The Salon can host 600 people for a dinner cooked by a professional and talented chef and 1350 for a cocktail. Waiters are at your disposal for the service to make sure every guest spend a precious and unforgettable time. If you have a 3 meters long guest list, choose the Salon Hoche!

5-      Hotel Meurice

This hotel is a magical, calm and elegant place, ideal to celebrate the best day of your life. 3 reception halls can be rented:

–          The Salon Pompadour creates an intimate ambience with its gilt and crystal chandeliers to welcome your 60 guests for a pleasant dinner.

–          The Salon des Tuileries and Salon du Jeu de Paume are more spacious and are perfect to party and dance.

It is an ideal venue to host 200 guests in a typical Parisian lounge in the middle of the capital.

6-      Ritz

The Ritz is one of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, and one of the most expensive. There are 8 different lounges and that much different atmospheres, so you might find the one you were dreaming about! Here are 4 of my favorites:

–          Salon d’Eté & its terrace: 120 people for a cocktail, 32 people for a royal dinner (one big table) or 90 for several tables. The terrace is a real advantage for the smokers and for those who want to enjoy the fresh air and, in summer evenings, the nice sunset.

–          Salon Vendôme: 270 people for a cocktail, 70 people for a royal dinner, 204 for several tables, or 120 people for several tables and a dance floor. This is the biggest lounge of the Ritz. You definitely should book this one if you have a long guest list!

–          Grand jardin: 120 people for a ceremony or 400 for a cocktail. This “big garden” is the perfect place for an outdoor summer wedding reception.

–          Salon Auguste Escoffier: for a smaller and intimate reception, host your 11 guests in a lounge full of charm.

As the Ritz is one of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, you can be sure your wedding venue will be perfect. Your slightest of your desires will be met to promise a memorable day!

For a more traditional wedding reception:

You don’t like doing big luxurious things? You prefer simple and intimate place to celebrate love? Choose the Pré-Catelan.

7-      Pré Catelan

The Pré Catelan offers 12 chic and modest lounges that can host from 2 to 1200 people, all open on a garden, so you are very isolated from the noise and the pollution of the city. I will describe you my favorite ones:

–          Salon d’honneur, for a gigantic wedding reception. This lounge can host up to 1200 people. This majestic hall is decorated with big mirrors, bay windows and chandeliers. It is a very spacious and bright lounge. You can also privatize the garden for a nice summer wedding cocktail.

–          Salon Empire, for a smaller reception. The charm of this room is due to the wood paneling, the chandelier in the middle of the room and the vegetation you see by the window. It is a very cozy lounge to spend a wedding event with no more than 150 guests.

–          Salon Caravelle, for an intimate wedding reception. This lounge is the perfect one if you want to be surrounded by no more than 40 people. The room is very bright thanks to the big bay window. The small size of the room will make you feel surrounded by love as only the most important people will be on your guest list.

The Pré Catelan lounges are more intimate because it is in the middle of a garden and the reception areas are sober than the previous ones. You can take a look at the other lounges on the website. Get married in the capital in a place looking more like the countryside!

For a more Parisian wedding on the River:

If you are the kind of person loving Paris and simple things, organize your intimate wedding reception on a houseboat with few people and plenty of love.

8-      VIP Paris yacht hotel

This houseboat is another alternative to enjoy Paris landmarks on your wedding date. For a seated dinner, plan no more than 90 people. If you host a cocktail reception you can invite 150 guests.

The boat disposes of overnight accommodations for 40 people and can dock outside of Paris if you ask (Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Honfleur…). Parisian lovers get married on the Seine (read more about cruises on the Seine River).

9-      Compagnie des bateaux à roue

If you want to spend your wedding dinner visiting the city of love, hosting a reception in the Compagnie des Bateaux à roue is the perfect plan! Choose the boat that is the closest to your wish between 3 different sized houseboats. Take a tour on the Seine river while hosting a wedding reception with your 220 guests. One can arrange a table plan inside and a cocktail bar on the outdoor terrace. Design your own reception, the compagnie will offer you a package tailored to your needs. The caterer is included in the contract. It’s a perfect way to have a real Parisian wedding.

For an atypical wedding:

If you want to stand apart from other wedding reception, choose the blue wagon and be sure your wedding will be unique!

10-   The blue Wagon

The city of love is full of creativity. If you want to celebrate your union in a Parisian-style place, full of charm, atypical and affordable, the Wagon Bleu is made for you! It’s a restaurant located in a wagon of the Orient Express! The chef will cook a delicious traditional Corsican meal. It’s an unusual and unconventional location: you can be sure your 70 guests will spend an unforgettable time! If you want to discover more original things to do in Parisian read this article.

Between luxury and intimacy, choose the place of your dream! Spend your best day of your life surrounded by love in a Parisian lounge and be sure to have a memorable time in the city of love! If you want to know places to hang out with your lover, this article is made for you.

See you soon in Paris!