The funniest wedding I ever planned was on April 1, 2003 – April Fool’s Day. No kidding. The bride was the publisher of a wedding publication based in Seattle, the groom was a musician, and they had already been together 14 years.

I was given three weeks to organize everything, and because she promised free publicity for the venue, I was able to book the Pompadour room at the Hotel Meurice free of charge. No kidding. Except because the event was on April Fool’s Day, I had to reconfirm several times and assure the reception department this wedding was for real. Remember the French motto: “Méfie-toi!� (Be on your guard!)

The night before the bridal party got on the plane, the bride called frantically: “Can you find us a photographer! The one we had in mind is too scared to go to France and backed out at the last minute.� Roll back the clock: we are at the height of the French-American feud over Iraq and there are rumors flying thick and fast that the French are not only traitors but that they’ll spit in your soup when it’s served.

Happily, I found that David Carr, a charming Englishman, was not only available but delivered photos of the entire affair that later ran in the publisher’s magazine. He photographed the bridal party getting ready, the groom having one last café before the event, as well as the lovely reception, musicians and bridal party. This was my first wedding in France. Since then I have gone on to create France Wedding Planner, and I have the pleasure of choking up at every event that I am asked to do-whether it’s a wedding or a renewal of vows.

But here’s the rub. Unless you reside for 40 days in France, you cannot get married officially. You can have a non-denominational minister bless you in or outside the church, but it won’t be legal. Be sure to pack your marriage license before you go-otherwise you cannot get the blessing.

Of course that doesn’t stop people from wanting the trappings of a wedding, and these can range from a château in the French countryside, to the Eiffel Tower, one of our most popular destinations. The most novel wedding I have organized this year was a small ceremony in the Opéra Garnier on a rainy day; the most cost-effective was in a French château-hotel close to Paris. Pick a weekday to get married in a château hotel; it’s cheaper.

And for those of you who are die-hard romantics, you can always choose Paris as the place to renew your marriage vows. My favourite places include the Eiffel Tower (again!), the rose gardens of Bagatelle, the Domain of Marie-Antoinette at Versailles, and the restaurant where Renoir painted his famous Luncheon at the Boating Party.

Almost daily I receive requests from men (many who want to surprise their wives) asking me to arrange a vows renewal in Paris. So every day I get to renew my faith in love and romance, and know that the scandal sheets only show one side of the story. Vive l’amour! Vive la France! No kidding.

If you want to know more about getting married or renewing your vows in France, visit www.franceweddingplanner.com or write to rachel.kaplan@orange.fr

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