We Got Married in France AND Switzerland at The Same Time
7 Brutal Truths About a Hotel Arbez Wedding
Think getting married at Hotel Arbez is one ceremony, one kiss, two countries? We did it. Here are 7 things TikTok doesn't tell you about double paperwork, two officiants, and how to end up married in zero countries.
We said "I do" in France and Switzerland without moving our feet.
Not a metaphor. At Hotel Arbez in La Cure, the France-Switzerland border literally cuts through the building. It runs through the dining room, up the stairs, and straight through the honeymoon suite. You can sleep with your head in France and your feet in Switzerland.
It’s the ultimate wedding flex. One kiss, two countries. But if you’re planning it, Hollywood and TikTok left out the parts that almost ruined ours.
Here’s what they don’t tell you about pulling off a double-country wedding.
1. The Border Isn't Dramatic. It's a Metal Strip in the Floor.
Forget the epic movie moment where you straddle two worlds. The international border at Hotel Arbez is a thin metal line screwed into the floor. In some rooms it’s marked with paint. There are no guards, no flags flying indoors, no dramatic lighting.
It’s anticlimactic until you realize your phone roams from France to Switzerland depending on which pillow you roll onto. Which brings us to point #7.
2. France and Switzerland Don't Share Paperwork. You Do Double Everything.
This is the biggest lie. France and Switzerland are neighbors, both in Schengen, so it must be easy, right? Wrong.
These are two completely separate legal systems. France requires a full dossier for a mariage civil at the Mairie in Les Rousses. Switzerland requires its own dossier for a Ziviltrauung at the Etat civil in Vaud canton. Apostilles, translated birth certificates less than 6 months old, proof of celibacy, proof of domicile, publication of banns — in two languages, for two clerks who do not talk to each other.
You are planning two legal weddings that just happen to be 10 feet apart.
3. The Hotel Won't Save You. You Have to Book Two Civil Ceremonies.
Hotel Arbez is iconic. It was built in 1863 by a businessman who exploited a border treaty to put his business on the line itself. It sheltered French Resistance fighters and Jewish refugees during WWII because they could cross a room to be in another country.
But the hotel does NOT arrange legal weddings. They provide the room, the incredible story, and the bed. The legal part is on you. You need to book two separate civil registry offices, two time slots, and two officiants. One officiant cannot legally marry you in two countries at once. We had two officiants and became a human hyphen.
4. Two Certificates Does Not Equal Double Perks. The IRS Only Lets You Pick One.
You will get two beautiful marriage certificates. Frame them both. But for taxes, immigration, and everything else, you are married once. The US IRS, French fisc, and Swiss authorities don’t give you bonus points. You have to choose which certificate you use for name changes, visas, and filings, and then carry a certified translation of the other one just in case. It’s double the cost, not double the benefits.
5. The Bed is the Flex, Not the Legal Part.
Let’s be honest: No one does this for the efficient legal process. You do it for the story.
The legal marriages happen at the town halls. The real wedding, the one you’ll tell your grandkids about, happens back at the hotel when you say your personal vows straddling that metal line, and when you spend your first night in the honeymoon suite where the border divides the bed. That part is worth it.
6. Miss One Paper and You're Married in ZERO Countries.
This is how close we came to disaster. If France approves your dossier but Switzerland rejects a translation because it’s 6 months and 2 days old, you are not legally married in Switzerland. And if you signed the wrong paper first, France could technically invalidate theirs. You can mess up so badly you go home with zero legal marriages and a very expensive party bill. Our sanity was saved by FedEx and triple-checking everything with both Mairies.
Pro Tip: Start 9-12 months early. Get your acte de naissance and Swiss equivalents in original, long-form, apostilled versions.
7. The Border Doesn't Stop Mattering After the Wedding.
After you’re married, you still live on the border. Our phones charged us international roaming fees from across the pillow. Your Amazon delivery address matters down to which side of the hotel you list. Your spouse is literally sleeping in another country. It’s funny until you get the phone bill.
So, How Much Does a Double-Country Wedding Actually Cost?
Think HOA fees. You’re paying for one wedding but paying two sets of municipal fees, two officiants, two sets of document translations and apostilles, plus the hotel buyout. Budget $3,000 - $6,000+ just for the legal paperwork and fees before you even touch flowers, photographer, or dinner. We broke it all down in the video.
Would we do it again? In a heartbeat.
It’s bureaucratic, it’s stressful, and it’s the best story we will ever have.
Your Turn: If you had to pick ONE side to be legally married on, are you Team France or Team Switzerland? No fence-sitting. Let us know in the comments.
Disclaimer: This post shares our personal experience getting married at Hotel Arbez on the France-Switzerland border in 2025/2026. We are not lawyers, immigration experts, or wedding planners. Marriage laws, required documents, fees, and processes for France (Mairie des Rousses) and Switzerland (Canton of Vaud) change frequently and vary by town/canton. Always consult the official civil registry offices, your embassy, and qualified legal professionals in both countries before planning. Hotel Arbez does not arrange legal ceremonies. All costs and timelines mentioned reflect our experience and may differ for you. This is entertainment, not legal advice.