elopement | Do It Paris Way

DISCOVER PARIS ELOPEMENT WEDDING

Tim and Helene, local photographers and wedding planners

"Bonjour! We are a husband and wife team. We created Do it Paris way in 2013. And we love planning emotional adventures in Paris for couples crazy in love.

While you're waiting to fly to France, please enjoy this Paris elopement FAQ, as little slice of Paris to take away"

Croissants, fromage, and crusty baguettes. The sights, the history, the smells, the local people...

Imagine yourself walking hand-in-hand down the Paris street, only to read your vows and say I DO at your beautiful wedding ceremony. The thrill, the joy, and the excitement. What comes next?

You celebrate with a glass of chilled French Champagne. Oh, WOW! How about that for romance?

In France elopements are anything but ordinary

Choose your favorite ceremony location

WHAT IS AN ELOPEMENT

Art de vivre à la française

Elopement is when the couple runs away to get married or renew their vows. You can elope secretly or invite up to 10 guests. The best thing about an elopement is freedom. There are no rules. Here is why some couples choose to elope:

Have a memorable adventure in France. For those who feel they have far too little memorable days in their lives.

Money. Elopements are way more affordable than traditional weddings. And you get quality romantic time with the love of your life. With that one person, you love the most.

Creative freedom to plan anything you dream about, you can combine your wedding and honeymoon together. And celebrate with a glass of chilled French Champagne in Paris.

You can get married under the Eiffel Tower or have a real chateau ceremony

LET THIS DAY BELONG ONLY TO YOU

It’s not every day you get married. So you should do it exactly the way you want to. From the Eiffel Tower views to the lush parks and gardens to the fabulous castles, France is full of beautiful elopement locations. Planning an elopement is easier. Most couples tie their elopement into the honeymoon and make one big trip out of it. There is no right way. You make the rules.

Combine a wedding and honeymoon and explore Paris

Paris is called the City of Love

A PERFECT ELOPEMENT FORMULA

We have 4 things couples need to have for the most beautiful elopement day:

1. The simplicity of planning. Couples can plan a whole event in 3 weeks or even less. Book all vendors in one place.

2. A big choice of the best Paris locations. We are locals living in Paris and we know where to go for a ceremony and epic photoshoot.

3. Classic portrait photography. Timeless and elegant. You will love yourself in these images.

4. Visual personalization. We listen about your hair, makeup and flower expectations and order exactly what you envision.

Based on your relationship, vision and style

And with a little help of our insider knowledge on the best Paris locations

Easy-to-plan and stress free day

DESTINATION: PARIS

The best time to visit Paris is when there’s a good chance for warm weather, plenty of daylight, and fewer tourists. That’s mid-April through May and mid-September through mid-November.
But France is a country that is worth a visit all year round.

And some fun facts :

-Paris is surprisingly small. Approximately 6 miles (9 km) from north to south and 7 miles (11 km) from east to west. The City of Lights is very walkable.

-By high-speed train, Paris is just 2.5 hours from London, 3 hours from Brussels, and 4 hours from Amsterdam.

-There are 6,100 rues (or streets) in Paris.

-With over 1000 different types of cheeses, it would take an entire year to try them.

-Pont Neuf (New Bridge) is the oldest standing bridge in Paris.

-Paris is full of ghostly metro stations.

-Baguettes are free! Most restaurants in Paris will serve baguettes as a free side.

Spring

Summer

Autumn

HOW TO: 10 STEPS

1. Imagine your dream wedding day

2. Pick your dates

3. Make your guest list (or skip this step)

4. Find more information about visas, flights, and hotels

5. Calculate the budget

6. Book your wedding package and vendors in one place

7. Choose a place to exchange your vows

8. Plan how your wedding outfits will fit with the location you both decided on

9. Shop for your elopement attire and accessories

10. Fly to Paris to get married and eat like a local and pick up a croissant or any freshly baked pastry for breakfast and have fun

OUR CEREMONIES

We offer non-religious traditional wedding, vow renewal, and same-sex ceremonies.

You are already married? And have always dreamt about an elopement? Or just want to create some wonderful moments? Truth time: a vow renewal ceremony is perfect for you.

Remember how we said that this day is all about you? Some prefer modern city elopement style with cute and hilarious wedding vows. While others favor a classic and traditional feel to their big day. No style is right or wrong, as it’s wholly a matter of personal choice and taste.

You can have a classic wedding day like Linda and Gabriel did. Delicate blush florals, sophisticated gown, and hairstyle. A neutral color palette which paired well with both the site and aesthetic. We incorporated some classic traditions into the ceremony:

Bride Linda walking down the aisle

I DOs

Vows

WHERE TO STAY?

There is a great choice of wonderful hotels in Paris where you can stay during your elopement. We recommend you to look through those amazing options on booking.com and airbnb.com.

Pro tip: if you rent a private room with a panoramic view of Paris rooftops, you can have your elopement ceremony on the terrace. Yep it’s that simple!

WHERE TO GET MARRIED?

Now that you’ve decided to get married in France, it’s time to decide where to have your ceremony. We are glad to offer you a large choice of gorgeous locations. Send us a message to receive our recommendations.

Here is a simple plan that will help you decide :

-Think about the season. When are you planning to visit Paris? Summer months (April to November) is the best time for outdoor ceremonies. However, if you are traveling in February, better to think about booking an indoor venue.

-Decide how adventurous you are. Do you want a classic Eiffel Tower view or something unexpected?

-What view do you want to be looking at when you say your vows?

Choosing your elopement destination is an important decision. If you have no idea or a specific place in mind, we’ll be here to help you plan it all.

Eiffel Tower and beautiful sunrise

Tuileries

WHAT TO WEAR?

Maybe you want to choose something classic, an elegant wedding look, or maybe you want to rock some color? Maybe you don’t even want to wear a dress and buy a bridal jumpsuit instead? The possibilities are endless with destination weddings for two.

You can do something simple to something extravagant. A cocktail dress or an evening gown are appropriate elopement wedding dresses as well.

Follow these tips in order to choose the right dress and suit for your ceremony:

-Look for elaborate dress styles. You'll want to look classy and well-done for your photos.

-Choose a seasonally-appropriate dress. If you are marrying in the summer, make sure your dress is lightweight and breathable.

-Show off your personality with a colored wedding dress. Our favorites are peach, blush, ivory, and rose gold.

A pro tip for the grooms: Clothing is a personal choice so choose something you love. However, if you’re going to be standing next to a beautiful woman in a $5,000 dress, you should be dressed to the nines as well.

Both traditional ball gown or colorful cocktail dress are perfect for Paris wedding

A TYPICAL WEDDING DAY TIMELINE?

Every wedding day is different. Will you have an opportunity to have lunch? Will you be able to change your outfits? You will discuss all that and a lot of other details with your wedding planner Helene.

Most elopements can last a whole day. Classic elopement timeline includes:

-Getting ready, hair and makeup

-Ceremony, vows, ring exchange

-Champagne toast and a first kiss

-After ceremony portraits

-Adventure activity - explore Paris with us and let's create some epic photos. Eiffel Tower, Louvre museum, Les Invalides, Grand and Petit Palais…whatever you want!

Elopements are all about flexibility. Where you go, how you spend your day, the wedding traditions you incorporate or don't.

The best time to start your ceremony is the sunrise. You'll get the best backdrop for your vows and pictures. This will leave time for beautiful couple portraits during the most gorgeous light and allow the couple to avoid tourist crowds in Paris.

In summer (April-October), the perfect time to start can be 7 AM or even earlier. However, during cold winter months, it is better to wait till 10-11 AM. It all depends on the season, weather etc.

WHAT ARE BEST PLACES IN PARIS FOR THE WEDDING PHOTOSHOOT?

Your wedding photos should reflect your own style. We know the best places in Paris and offer our couples different locations to visit:

1. The Eiffel Tower

2. Louvre Museum

3. Place Vendôme

4. The Petit Palais

5. Most beautiful parks and gardens in Paris

6. The Pont Alexandre III

and many more!

Send us a message to get this list and you will have the most beautiful memories to cherish for the rest of your lives together.

The Eiffel Tower makes it at the top as the most popular. However, there are other hidden gems in Paris!

Louvre gallery is a popular place for portraits

Architecture lovers can choose Petit Palais and Arc de Carousel

Famous lanterns on Alexandre III bridge

UNIQUE DETAILS

When it comes to wedding planning, there are a lot of big pieces you figure out. From choosing a location to booking a trip, planning a wedding involves so many big decisions that sometimes the little details get shoved to the end of the list.

But everything is going to come together to create your dream wedding, don't worry. Here is the list of what to think about and what to order on Amazon or Etsy:

- A customized velvet ring box

- A special vow book

- Involve your favorite colors

- Get creative with your wedding bands

- A statement pair of heels

Prop it up and get personal! Elopement is all about you as a couple and your unique vision.

Personalized details

FAQ

My wedding is going to be a bit more than an elopement. I have more than 10 guests. Can i book your services?

We’re elopement wedding specialists and that is our passion. That’s where we shine! Our packages are created for small weddings of up to 10 people (bride and groom included). For larger weddings, we advise that you find the right wedding planner that is perfect for your type of wedding.

You booking policy?

Couples book us from 12 months in advance to 1 week (no kidding). Last-minute planning can be a little more stressful, but we are flexible, and we’ll do everything we can to make it happen.

The earliest reservation is 14 months.

The first step is filling out our contact form so we can hear all about you and your vision for your big day. From there, we will talk about your goals and dreams, we will answer any questions you may have.

For elopements, we require a 10% Paypal deposit and a signed contract in order to book. Everything can be done online in just a few minutes, it’s simple!

How to choose the right day?

The best day is the third day after your arrival. Immediately when you land, you can spend the whole day exploring Paris. Then we can have an elopement on the third or second day. Please leave one day next to your elopement free, somewhere in Paris. Don't book any road trips. Because if the weather is bad on your original day, we will reschedule.

Will I lose control of my elopement after hiring a planner?

Your destination elopement is your celebration. We are here to help and guide you through the planning process. Destination wedding planners are professionals who have experience and industry relationships that will allow the brides and grooms wedding vision come to life.

We will give you as much or as little help as you want.

How this day looks like? What should we expect?

Here is a video created by @sou_in_paris that illustrates a classic Paris elopement:

Any quesions?

Don't worry if you're in the early planning stages and feel a little lost, we are here to help.

Send us your message if you have questions.

Let’s connect now!