Villa Park, CA — Villa Park High School’s AP French program will once again bring language and culture to life with its beloved annual French Wedding — a full-scale, student-planned celebration that has become a campus tradition for more than 20 years.
This year’s ceremony will feature Sadie Clemmons as the bride and Tyler Rallison as the groom, joined by a wedding party of 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, including a best man and maid of honor. Adding a special international touch, this year’s maid of honor is a foreign exchange student from Belgium.
The ceremony will be conducted entirely in French and will include multiple Bible readings and a recitation of the classic French poem “Le Lac,” giving scholars the opportunity to demonstrate their language skills in an immersive, real-world setting.
Started and upheld by Villa Park High School French teacher Fatima Pazargadi, the French Wedding began 20 years ago as a spontaneous classroom activity.
“While teaching French 3, we were learning vocabulary about a traditional French wedding,” Pazargadi shared. “I decided to have an impromptu wedding the next day. One parent sent in a dress, another sent cake, and we held a mini ceremony. From that moment on, the French Wedding became a tradition.”
Today, the event serves as both a cultural enrichment experience and a reward for academic excellence, with top scholars selected each year to participate.
Beyond language learning, the wedding is fully planned and organized by students, building leadership, teamwork, and project-management skills. This year’s event is led by French Club Co-Presidents Ivy Lloyd, Alia Erkelens, and Lexi McCarroll.
“Planning the wedding teaches students how to collaborate, lead, problem-solve, and stay calm under pressure,” Pazargadi said. “These are skills they carry far beyond the classroom.”
The impact has been long-lasting. Past planners, club presidents, and participants — including former brides and grooms — have gone on to receive leadership scholarships from prestigious universities such as UC Berkeley.
Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jmzv-R0pMppRwUyK6EUDpThj6aU4KTdf?usp=drive_link