ABOUT US
PARIS ELOPEMENT PLANNERS
AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
Born in Riga, Latvia, we moved to France in 2011 to do photography. After all these years living in Paris, black and white are the only colors we wear.
Bonjour. We are Tim and Helene, a husband and wife team. Paris elopement planners and photographers.
We offer wedding planning services for couples that are dreaming about eloping to France. We have been elopement planners since 2012. That is our passion and a full-time job.
For the last 10 years, we have organized 250+ elopement weddings, inspected the best places in Paris, and spent countless sunrises under the Eiffel Tower trying to shake champagne bottles for an epic "champagne shower" photo. We make sure that vendors are coordinated perfectly and no one is late, that flowers are fresh and exactly those you wanted, that the photoshoot route is planned in advance.
We know how to make the groom fall in love with posing for the wedding pictures and how to get to any spot in Paris with less traffic. We know what to do in case there is rain on your big day. We know the best time when to start and finish. We know simple and sweet poses for shy couples who want to have funny photos but are scared to pose. We know which spot in the Louvre fits better the elegant bride with a long mermaid dress and which will be perfect for fashion-forward in a jumpsuit.
We have 10 years of experience in how to get married in Paris. And do it easy. Without any stress. With endless joy and style.
Tim and Helene
MEET TIM, THE FOUNDER
Tim has coordinated and photographed every elopement at Do it Paris Way.
Personally planned and curated, selecting only the best for the couples. Becoming their best friend, providing the ultimate personal experience.
Tim works at every elopement we book and is obsessed with detailed tailor-made planning.
Tim is a workaholic planner, and “to do list” type of organizer.
Also, he is the one and only person who photographes all our events.
Tim is a planning pro.
He takes your wedding vision and then translates it into lists, timelines, itineraries, and detailed vendor assignments.
Every event is kind of like a puzzle that he is putting together.
Tim lives for the moments you’ll never forget. He plans them and captures with his camera.
Weather forecasts, traffic all these details are vital for Tim when he plans a timeline
As a photographer, Tim is very patient and always helps couples with posing explaining every small part like what to do with the hands and where to look. His three main goals are:
1. To create photos that reflect love, passion, and sparkle between the couple
2. To capture the best version of themselves. So that dress is perfectly placed, the pose is right, hair is shining and skin is glowing
3. To make clients feel totally comfortable and have fun together
Through simple and cute posing, he has the ability to make people fall in love with themselves.
Bridal portrait time. Tim is showing Kora how to pose for this shot. To stand straight in the middle of the gallery facing the other way, slightly turn the shoulders towards the camera, and smile.
MEET HELENE, YOUR ELOPEMENT CONSULTANT
Helene does three things:
1. Communication with clietns
2. Styling, design, flowers
3. And all social media management
Helene runs all clients chats and emails. She works with your story from start to finish. Helene will take into consideration your personality, and make this day all about you. No detail is too small.
Elopements for her are about the whole experience. From choosing the ceremony location that matches your personality the best, to ordering the right flowers.
She removes the stress from the planning and fills it up with joy and pretty details.
Helene knows you have a vision of what you want your French elopement wedding to look like and let her help bring your vision to life.
With the ultimate passion for detail, Helene will bring your wedding style and vision to life
Helene always loved weddings. And if you ask her what she loves about them she wouldn't be able to answer, because she is obsessed with every detail. From the personalized ceremony script, to the coordination of color palettes, and perfectly created bridal looks.
She is extremely lucky, fortunate, and blessed to see couples enjoy their day and all the pretty things created together.
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In June 2018, one of our real brides planned her elopement day with us in just 4 months by email. It was so beautiful, that Vogue contacted us to publish one image. Here is the December 2018 issue copy we received and will cherish forever.
SIMPLICITY PLUS STYLE
We earned our experience on how to help our clients and create a wedding day that is at the same time:
-Super easy to plan
-Looks well-thought and elaborate
That is our superpower. We know how to combine simplicity and style.
ONE EXPERT THROUGHOUT
At Do It Paris Way you work with us from beginning to end. From the first inquiry till the moment when you are home sharing big news to your family. We navigate all commutation, payments, booking and styling.
There will be only two of us, Tim and Helene, your besties from Paris. We will handle your booking from start to finish.
WHEN DO COUPLES BOOK US?
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Couples book us when they want a simple elopement solution. Those who are too busy to plan a whole event.
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Couples book us when they want to focus on themselves. The relationship is the most important thing to be in the center of attention. When they admit themselves: a big traditional wedding just doesn't make sense.
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Couples book us when they need an experienced team to plan their Paris elopement. We take care of every detail. Split deposit between vendors, manage contracts, confirm your chosen flower and makeup options, and prepare your romantic ceremony script.
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Couples book us when they want to have a romantic adventure in Paris, but don't speak french. When they are Paris first-timers and need guidance. We have so many ideas and advice for you!
QUALITY IS OUR FOCUS
Our team is friendly and professional.
We personally work with every couple during the planning process. And for the elopement day, we also invite other people who will be working with you to create your dream celebration. Makeup artists, officiants, videographers.
We planned so many elopements, so we know exactly what you need to do and help you follow the timeline. So you don't have to worry about missing important details.
Anastasia makes sure every detail is perfect while Latosha and Terrence are enjoying their day
It is a totally smart decision to outsource time-consuming and repetitive tasks and hire your elopement team to do everything for you.
You are a special diamond. Yes, you are. You deserve the best service, quality, and efficiency.
SO, WHAT TO EXPECT?
Here is a great video example of how we work together, enjoy our job and live a happy life with our dear clients. It is a real-life vlog so you can see how it feels working with our team. Our May 2022 elopement. Let's meet each other!
OUR STORY
Wedding industry has changed so much for the past 10 years. People are starting to realize that a traditional wedding does not make sense anymore. And we are lucky that elopement planning services might be a new real way to get married.
But it wasn't always this easy. We started as photographers in 2012. For the first year and a half, we worked only doing photography. And we noticed how couples struggle every day with their celebrations. It was absolutely normal for a random driver that couple hired to stop us in the middle of a highway telling "Well, guys, your 3 hours booked are ending now, I have things to do".
In our opinion, you just have to have an experience to know all these little details about wedding industry to plan a stress free wedding. You need to have a strategy. We still remember when one of our first brides hired separately hair and makeup artists. Couple was having a photoshoot, just two of them. Makeup artist did her wedding makeup, packed the bags and said goodbye. Hair artist finished and left too. And there she was, bride standing in her underwear in the middle of hotel room alone, looking at her gorgeous dress. With 45 buttons in the back. Having no idea how to put that dress on. We all were waiting for her at the first photoshoot location to do the first look. She buttoned the dress herself. It took her almost an hour, looking in the mirror standing backwards. She lost half of her nail polish trying to squeeze in those tiny buttons into dress fabric.
We decided to work with an all inclusive hair and makeup artist after what happened. One person who is in charge of everything, from lashes to dress to putting the veil on.
Making mistakes can be a valuable learning opportunity. And we gained our experience analyzing what people do and helping them when we were capable to. Learning from your mistakes is one thing. Putting what you've learned into practice is another.
OUR FIRST ELOPEMENT
Many couples ask us - how you came up with the idea to organize wedding ceremonies in Paris? Well, we didn't. Our clients did. Here is a story.
Our first paid wedding photoshoot was in 2011. By 2012, we were full-time wedding photographers working and living in Paris. Destination elopement ceremonies were not popular and were not very well-known back then. Clients ordered only simple 2/3 hour shoots wearing wedding outfits.
One of our couples had 3 glasses of red wine each and impulsively decides to have a ceremony with the Eiffel Tower. While doing the makeup, the bride googled a simple ceremony script. The groom went to their hotel reception to print it. They surprised us when we got to Champ de Mars, the bride asked us to read this paper. We were confused and lost, was this even legal? Is there a right way to do it? We are just hired wedding photographers. But we did it. Helene tried to read the script and Tim took photos. It was not a perfect ceremony location with people around us but still was super romantic. The couple was happy with their innovative and creative decision.
Some days later, we posted the photos. And it was a bomb. In just two hours we received 3 messages from our clients for that month, asking for the same. The next time, we picked a better ceremony spot. Then added the Officiant (asked our friend to be honest). Then added flowers. It was 2013.
Since then, we are mostly doing full all-inclusive elopements, because that is what our clients want. And this is what we absolutely love!