The four that recur
Guides that compare weddings in France keep returning to Provence, the French Riviera, the Loire Valley, and Paris. Provence is the countryside. The Riviera is the Mediterranean coast, with Nice, Cannes, Cap Ferrat, and Saint-Tropez as the towns. The Loire is the château country west of Paris. Paris is the city. Bordeaux is the vineyard name that gets added when the wedding should feel like wine country rather than lavender or sea.
These are places couples commonly shortlist. This page is a planning guide, not a gallery of Bella Vita weddings in that country.
Provence
Provence is the south without being only the beach: stone villages, vineyards, and summer light. Couples look here for an estate wedding that can hold guests for more than one dinner. The region is large. A venue near Avignon and a venue near Aix-en-Provence are not the same drive from the airport. Name the town, not just “Provence,” when you ask for a quote.
The French Riviera
The Riviera is the glamorous coast: Nice for the airport, then Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, and Saint-Tropez for the wedding itself. Terraces face the sea, and the towns are close on a postcard and slow in summer traffic. A beach club and a hill villa on the same day need a real transfer, not a guess. Wind on an exposed terrace belongs in the rain-and-weather plan.
The Loire Valley
The Loire is the region people choose for a château and a garden, within reach of Paris by train. The castles are the point, and the grounds are large enough that family portraits and a ceremony can stay on one estate. Ask which rooms are indoors if the lawn is the plan, and how many guests can sleep on the property.
Paris
Paris is the city wedding: hotels, private houses, and a guest list that can fly in easily. The famous views are not automatically available for a ceremony or even for a portrait stop. Ask what the venue already has permission to use. A portrait plan that depends on a landmark needs that answer before the timeline is written.
What to send with the quote
For a Saturday wedding, the usual plan is Thursday to arrive and scout, Friday to prepare, Saturday for the wedding, and Sunday to leave. You cover economy airfare and lodging. Bella Vita covers local travel, permits, meals, and any nights beyond the agreed stay. Ask the venue where a photographer can stand, whether a drone is allowed, and which room is the rain plan. A symbolic ceremony and a legal marriage are not the same thing everywhere. Confirm which one your date allows.
Have a French town in mind?
Tell us the town and the venue. We’ll talk through the airport, the portraits, and travel from Montreal.
Talk about your wedding