What are the dates and wedding places of your ancestors?

In genealogy, finding a marriage certificate can often unlock the rest of your research. Indeed, the acts of marriage (especially the most recent) are quite complete.

Where to find information on the marriages of my ancestors?

Many resources and archive sources will be able to help you get your hands on The marriage of your ancestors ::

• Wedding acts :: Find these acts in parish registers and in civil status registers. These acts will give you information on the bride and groom (name, age, profession, place (x) of birth, place (x) of life ... according to the municipalities) and on the parents of the bride and groom.

• Decennial tables :: These tables will be precious for your research in the 19 and 20th centuries. They will save you time in your search and allow you to have a minimum of information (names of the bride and groom and the wedding date) if the marriage certificate has been destroyed.

• Wedding contracts :: ils sont disponibles le plus souvent dans les archives notariales (aux archives départementales). Les contrats étaient dressés par un notaire entre 1 jour et 2 mois avant le mariage. Ils sont intéressants car ils nous donnent les informations suivantes :: nom des mariés, leurs professions, leur domicile, celui de leurs parents, les apports financiers de parents et/ou des conjoints, les biens propres des futurs mariés et les biens exclus de la communauté, les conditions de veuvage, les biens qui reviendront aux enfants en cas de décès ou de remariage… Si contrat de mariage il y a, celui-ci est notifié dans les actes de mariage depuis 1850. Pour des recherches avant cette date, ça sera au p’tit bonheur la chance !

• Wedding publications - Bans and engagement :: These publications, sometimes available to AD, can be useful to guide you. These opinions contain the names, domicile and professions of future spouses.

• Family photos:: If your photos are annotated then it's the jackpot! In addition to finding dates (and even places?), Can you put faces on names.

To facilitate your research, be sure to know this information::

• The Department and the Municipality of the Marriage

• The year of marriage (or a defined period)

• The names of a spouse

💡 Did you know? 
The deadline for communicating a marriage certificate (without concealment of mentions) is 75 years after the date of celebration. Likewise, the marriage contract is paid to AD for free consultation 75 years after its signature.

Pistes de recherche pour retrouver The marriage of your ancestors

• Most often, Parents' marriage takes place before the birth of the first child (within 3 years preceding birth).

• During the old regime, marriage was mainly celebrated in The parish of the wife.

• Find Children's births will give you indications on the parents (and their marriage, perhaps).

• Look for the marriage certificate in The municipalities of birth of the first children (and in neighboring municipalities).

• Do a marriage certificate in The cities of birth of the spouses (that you can find in the civil status or in the censuses).

• Look for the marriage certificate in the municipalities where the groom lived (that you can find in military registers).

• Look for les lieux d’origine des parrains et marraines des enfants And check the archives in these municipalities in search of the parents' marriage certificate.

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