Paris: After the nuptials of emperors and kings, those of a carpenter in the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris—the timing of this fairytale couldn’t be better for France, a country that is currently undergoing deep political and economic turmoil with a President as lost as a captain trying to dock a ship without an anchor, a First Lady embroiled in a humiliating scandal involving her gender, and a glorious nation that is the laughingstock of the world because of sloppy surveillance in its most prized museum causing the shameful Louvre heist in broad daylight.
Notre Dame Grants Exceptional Permission For A Carpenter’s Wedding
In reminiscence of the original French values of Christian socialism, the Notre Dame granted an exceptional permission to one of the carpenters involved in the restoration work of the Cathedral after the infamous 2019 fire to get married to his sweetheart at the Notre Dame altar.
Last weekend, on October 25, 2025, Martin Lorentz, one of the 500 carpenters who toiled for the revival of France’s emblematic legacy and architectural marvel, the Notre Dame, wed Jade at his “workplace”—thus freshening up the image of Paris as the city of love.
A Dream Realised Amid The Cathedral’s Restoration Legacy
Martin had always dreamt of this magical moment but never thought it could materialize. As he laboured for hours on end on the tall scaffoldings, chiseling the gigantic wooden beams using the original medieval carpentry methods, he could only imagine tying the knot with his “chérie” down below.
After the re-opening of the Cathedral last year, Martin decided to give it a shot all the same, and to his surprise, the archbishop of Paris, Mgr Laurent Ulrich, granted the couple’s symbolic wish.
Blessings From The Rector Of Notre Dame
The marriage was celebrated by Bishop Ribadeau Dumas, rector of Notre-Dame de Paris, himself. “Jade and Martin, welcome to this cathedral. Martin, you know it well… you know it from above,” he said during the ceremony, filmed by French news channel FranceInfo.
“I wanted to share our love with the whole world, with all those who need it. It’s the most beautiful day of my life. I can’t say anything else,” Martin Lorentz told the news channel.
“It’s crazy that this wedding could actually happen, and to be reunited with friends here… I’m so happy,” said one of the guests, Martin’s colleague.
“Ending this adventure like this is magnificent. Getting married in our cathedral is a bit like being at home,” added another carpenter, visibly moved.
Historic Setting For A Modern Romance
The wedding was attended by 500 guests, including the groom’s colleagues who participated in one of the most historic restoration projects of the century, that of the Notre Dame de Paris. Tourists who happened to be sightseeing at that time also witnessed the happy event.
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The 12th-century Cathedral, the crown jewel of Paris, had previously hosted historic royal unions, such as that of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, with Francis II of France in 1558, Henry IV and Margaret of Valois (daughter of Catherine de Medici) in 1572, or Napoleon III and Eugénie de Montijo in January 1853.
