Sarkozy Marries Girlfriend in Non-Elvis Wedding

French President Nicolas Sarkozy married former model Carla Bruni on Saturday at the Elysee Palace, according to the official who performed the ceremony.

"The bride wore white; she was ravishing, as usual," Francois Lebel, mayor of Paris' eighth arrondissement, or neighborhood, told Europe-1 radio. "The groom wasn't bad either."

It was a historic occasion, "the first time in the history of the Republic that a president has got married in office," as Lebel said.

Sarkozy, 53, and Bruni, 40, were married in the presence of about 20 close family and friends, Lebel said. He called the ceremony "a moment of family intimacy for the young newlyweds, of great simplicity and apparently a lot of affection between the spouses.

"I wished them a lot of happiness," he said.

Under French law, couples must tie the knot before a mayor to make their union official.

All marriages must be performed by a French civil authority before any religious ceremony takes place. The mayor can authorize the deputy mayor or a city councilor to perform the ceremony in the town in which one of the parties to be married has resided for at least 40 days preceding the marriage. These requirements can not be waived.

Documents required
Note : Most mairies [city halls]require these basic documents. Please contact your local mairie for exact requirements.

    * A valid U.S. passport or a French resident permit
    * A birth certificate (less than three months old)
    * A certificate of celibacy (less than three months old) which can be done before an American Consular Officer in France
    * An affidavit of Law. It is a statement (must be done by an attorney licensed to practice in both France and United States) about U.S. marriage laws, certifying that the American citizen is free to contract marriage in France and will be recognized in the United States
    * A medical certificate (less than three months old)
    * Proof of domicile (electricity bill, etc.)
    * Certificat du notaire (if the parties to the marriage opt for a prenuptial contract)