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The big day

Getting married on the Opal Coast

A cliff, a seafront promenade, a farmhouse inland — and a light photographers travel a long way for

  • 50 to 200 guests
  • April to October
  • Characterful venues
  • Free introduction

Planning to get married on the Opal Coast?

Tell us the date, the number of people and the budget: we’ll put you in touch with a local organiser who knows how to make it happen. Free for you, no obligation.

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A ceremony on the sand, at the foot of the white cliff

This coastline has a quality wedding photographers know well: the light. A sky that changes every ten minutes, sunsets over the sea from April to September, and settings — chalk cliffs, a Belle Époque seafront, dunes, a brick farmhouse — a few minutes apart from each other.

It also has a flaw you need to face head-on: the wind. It gives no warning, and it decides a lot. A wedding that works here is one that's planned for it.

What you can do here

  • A château or manor houseThe Boulonnais and Montreuil areas have several, with grounds, a function room and on-site accommodation. The simplest format to organise, and the most expensive.
  • A converted farmhouseA red-brick farm building, a fitted-out barn, an enclosed courtyard. The format on the rise, cheaper than a château, and sheltered from the wind by design.
  • A villa or seaside hotelIn Le Touquet, Hardelot or Wimereux: the sea on foot, rooms for guests who've travelled far, and experienced providers. Convenient, and expensive in peak season.
  • A humanist ceremony by the seaOn a seafront promenade, a dune or a clifftop garden. It's doable and it's beautiful — but it needs a permit, a plan B, and plenty of hairpins.
  • Photos at the two capesCap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez are twenty minutes from Calais and Wissant. Many couples have a photo session there at the end of the day, between the ceremony and the dinner.Find out more
  • The couple on the clifftop path, looking out over the bay
  • The bride getting ready, by a window
  • A wedding dinner under brick vaults, by candlelight

The wind, and how to work with it

It's the first question to ask when visiting a venue: where do you fall back to if the wind picks up? An unanchored marquee, a drinks reception on an exposed terrace, or a ceremony on a dune can become unworkable within the hour.

The venues that work well here are the ones with an enclosed courtyard, a barn or a conservatory — not the ones with the most open view. You go looking for the view for the photos.

The season

May to September for a wedding that's partly outdoors. June and September are the best months: the light lasts, there are fewer tourists, and providers are easier to book than in July and August.

A winter wedding looking out over a grey sea is a beautiful idea, as long as you accept that everything will happen indoors.

Putting guests up

This is the most underestimated part. A wedding for a hundred people in August, on a coast already full of tourists, means blocking rooms very early — sometimes before you've even settled on the venue.

The most useful station for Paris-based guests is Étaples–Le Touquet or Boulogne: that's two hours from Paris-Nord, and it saves a hundred cars.

What budget to plan for

Rough guides, not quotes: prices vary a lot depending on the season, group size and provider.

Hire of a wedding venue
3 000 à 12 000 €Depends on the venue, the season and the number of days
Caterer
80 à 180 € par invité
Photographer
1 500 à 3 500 €
Accommodation for the couple and close family
150 à 400 € la nuit

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should we book?

Twelve to eighteen months for a Saturday from June to September. The coast's characterful venues are few and get booked up year after year, often by word of mouth.

Can you get married on the beach?

Not a civil ceremony: that takes place at the register office. A humanist ceremony on a beach or seafront, yes — but it needs a permit from the local council and sometimes from the body managing the public maritime land. It's not a formality, and it needs planning ahead.

What's the real weather risk?

Rain less than wind. A shower passes through in twenty minutes on this coast; a strong wind lasts all day and makes anything not sheltered unworkable. Choose a venue with an indoor space, not just a marquee.

Do you organise weddings?

No. We know the area and point you towards the venues and organisers that fit your plans. It's free for you: the provider pays us.

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