Paris is famous as a city of love, a city of dreams, and a city of light. It has a special charm that’s difficult to describe, but that draws people from all over the world to experience its charms. As a Paris engagement photographer, I’m delighted to meet and photograph people celebrating this special times in their lives. There’s nothing more wonderful than a Paris engagement photoshoot to celebrate this new chapter in any couple’s love story.
Joyful Moments in Paris
Is it possible that as a Paris engagement photographer to feel just as joyful as the newly engaged couple I was photographing? I had so much fun, felt so joyful and happy, these are emotions I haven’t felt in so long.
In March 2020, for most of us, life changed. This strange and scary pandemic began and nothing has really been the same since. My calendar had been full in 2020 with all kinds of amazing events. A wedding in Cancun, a wedding in Tennessee, a wedding at The Ritz Hotel, plus many engagement sessions, surprise proposals, elopements and vow renewals to look forward to.
Surviving a Pandemic in Paris
I photographed my last surprise proposal on March 12, 2020. During the re-opening of Paris to tourists from Europe, I was fortunate enough to capture the elopement of a beautiful couple from Sweden and a sweet couple surprise proposal from The Netherlands. Plus, a magnificent small wedding at the Greek Orthodox church in Paris. I was incredibly grateful for these opportunities.
Then winter came. Spring. All of my bookings from 2020 moved to 2022. Is this EVER going to end? Am I EVER going to get to go back to doing what I love? Am I doomed to beautiful memories of moments captured together in Paris from my past life? I literally looked though my past work and cried. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and like it never happened, it was just so surreal.
Not knowing what to do, and not able to stay in Paris because of all the lockdowns and being in a tiny space, I bought a historic small home in Provence to renovate. My summer travels would normally take me to Greece, but I elected to stay in France another summer. Now, to discover Provence. And discover it I did, and fell in love with its beauty and peacefulness. I returned to Paris several times, my primary home and where I still live, but something just didn’t feel the same.
Message from Matthew
Then I received a message from Mathew, he wanted to propose to his girlfriend in Paris, and would be coming from the United States. While technically able to travel if vaccinated, travel by Americans, my core group of clients, had trickled down to nothing. I was excited by the prospect. A surprise proposal and engagement session, I love them! I live for them!
I arrived in Paris, cameras and lenses in hand, stoked to go back to the Eiffel Tower and capture this special moment. Then the text message came. They wouldn’t be coming to Paris afterall, a positive Covid test would make it difficult to return to the US.
I wanted to cry. I’d looked forward to it. Dejected, I left Paris and told Mathew that his best bet was to get engaged in Dallas, and I even gave him the names of some surprise proposal photographers I’d researched online that looked great.
But that was not his dream. His dream was to propose in Paris, and that’s what he was going to do!
Some time later, he contacted me about the following month, would I be available. Truthfully, I was drained. I felt like life would never get back to any kind of normalcy and that I couldn’t look forward to anything. I had not a lot of faith that it would happen, but I said sure, I’ll be there.
Mathew is a force to be reckoned with, a man who knows what he wants. When he told me their plane had landed, I think I let out a scream. I can’t believe this is really going to happen! Not only that, but the rainy weather forecast for the weekend seemed to be a bust, the weather was lovely. This was shaping up to be an amazing day.
Paris is back, and back in a big way. The tourists are back, at least from Europe and the Middle East. The Eiffel Tower area was so crowded on a Saturday afternoon, which is normal. But after seeing it so empty for so long, I admit it was a bit of a shock. With incredible amounts of construction at Trocadero, a popular proposal spot, we instead went to the river, my favorite proposal location.
As I walked to my regular “spot” I saw all the people lining the riverside, enjoying the day. It made my heart warm but at the same time worried me, as Mathew and Lauren would be coming by anytime, and my inner voice said “go away people!”
But I’m not mean.
The Big Moment, Surprise Proposal in Paris
Luckily, there was space enough and here came the couple. Lauren dressed in a beautiful black gown and Mathew in a suit. As Lauren was looking at the Eiffel Tower, Mathew got on one knee, and when she turned around, she was overcome with surprise and emotion. Lots of happy tears were shed, and I could not have been happier myself.
How do you make a proposal even better? With an engagement session the next day! I was absolutely thrilled when Mathew and Lauren selected Ile St Louis and the area around Notre Dame Cathedral for their engagement session. Most people don’t realize how magical it is, and now it can transport you to the Paris of a bygone era. They had been to Paris before, and it was one of their favorite neighborhoods, and mine too.
We went on a Sunday morning, again forecast to rain, but we had delightful weather. I learned so much about this couple as we walked around the island. Their love story had ended at one point, but they came back together and now, stronger than ever. Their adoration for each other was evident in every image I created, and it was so good for the soul.
Mathew and Lauren are kind, funny, interesting, up for anything, and love Paris. At one point we stopped the famous Odette Pastry Shop for a snack, and took a walk by Shakespeare & Co, the oldest English language bookstore in Paris. We also had some wonderful views of Notre Dame Cathedral. Even though she is under construction after the devastating fire of 2019, plans are to re-open the cathedral by 2024. If this can really happen, it will be an incredible blessing. I miss the park outside Notre Dame so much!
An Engagement Session in Ile St Louis
Our engagement session was for an hour, but this couple was so lovely, and I was having so much fun (and talking a lot, I talk a LOT!) that I didn’t want the morning to end. But all good things must come to an end, and I bid this beautiful couple farewell on the banks of the Seine River.
As I was walking home, I felt a sense of happiness and joy in Paris I haven’t felt in so long. Under the sunny skies, surrounded by the majestic monuments and architecture, and with the honor of photographing a newly engaged couple. My heart really was overflowing!
My thanks to Mathew and Lauren for these incredible moments together and wishing them so much happiness in their lives together!
Karina Leigh Photography
If you’d love to celebrate your love story in the most romantic city on earth, I’ve love to capture it for you to treasure forever!
