Eva & Tony Tie The Knot Twice in Paris and Party With Guests At A Fairytale Chateau
Lucky guy professional basketball star Tony Parker married “Desperate Housewives” Eva Longoria at a civil ceremony in Paris on Friday. French law requires couples who marry make their vows official at a city hall, even when couples marry in a church. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe officiated and gave a speech saying how happy he was that they were married in the City of Light, said the mayor of Paris’ 4th District, Dominique Bertinotti. "I married a friend to the woman he loves. It was touching, moving, very warm and at the same time very relaxed," Delanoe said on RTL radio Saturday. Parker translated Delanoe’s speech into English for the guests, who numbered about 40. The ceremony, in a room with blue-and-white trimmed walls, a French flag and a portrait of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, lasted about 45 minutes. Bertinotti said there was a small reception afterward that also lasted about 45 minutes.
The civil ceremony was a prelude to their religious ceremony held on Saturday 7th July 2007 at Eglise Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois, a church opposite the Louvre. Saturday was a cloudy day but loyal fans waited patiently rain and shine. The guest list included many sportsmen as well as many celebrities who all took cover under black umbrellas. The police put up high security and erected 10 feet high wooden barracks.
OK! magazine sealed exclusive rights to the wedding photographs, and the 300 guests were asked to "stash their cells and cameras in plastic bags before making an entrance". People magazine described Eva’s wedding dress as a "mermaid gown made of silk wool, with silk gazar metallic embroidery, a scoop back and a long train." Eva recited her vows in French, while the groom in a dark suite spoke English.The church ceremony was followed by a star-studded weekend wedding reception at the lavish and storied privately owned 1,235 acre Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte south of Paris, which is said to have inspired the building of Versailles.
Guests made their one-hour jaunt to the countryside for the reception, by bus whilst a black Rolls-Royce limousine whisked the newlyweds.
The chateau near the village of Maincy is protected from prying eyes and paparazzi by 12 kilometres of 8 foot high high stone walls. A small army of security guards locked down the sprawling estate and a public road leading to the chateau was sealed off. Workers were spotted on Friday unloading gold and red chairs and silver candelabra and setting up a massive tent on the grounds of the historic site. The chateau hosted the wedding of Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal's daughter, claimed to be the most expensive nuptials of all time at a reported $55 million.After dinner was served, the wedding party was treated to an elaborate fireworks display and then a night of dancing to both a live band and a DJ. Each female guest received a gold bracelet gift.
Eva Longoria will not have a honeymoon after her July wedding because she has to hurry back to work. Eva told US People magazine: 'I am heading home right after the wedding. We start shooting July 9."
You do not have to be a celebrity to get married in france. Any one can rent a chateau and have their very own fairytale french wedding.