April & Ryan | March Eiffel Tower Elopement
Wow, this was an emotional day! As an elopement photographer in Paris, I’ve seen my fair share of beautiful elopements, but this one was truly special.
Elopements have really come into their own. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, couples have really been re-evaluating what they want from their wedding day. Big, beautiful weddings are wonderful. But a lot of couples sort of feel lost within them, they’re a great party for everyone else, but the special meaning between a couple can get lost.
I remember my own wedding, barely. The day went by so fast, I had no time to enjoy it, and that connection with my husband. If I had it to do over, I’d surely elope! What better or romantic place to elope, than in Paris?
April, a friendly and beautiful lady from Georgia, contacted me about an elopement ceremony in Paris, in the month of March. She told me she was madly in love with her fiancé, Ryan, and how she couldn’t wait to marry him, in a symbolic ceremony in Paris (a legal ceremony usually take place at your local courthouse). She told me it had been her dream since she was a little girl to get married under the lights of the Eiffel Tower. I so wanted to make her dream come true!
But, photographing in Paris at night isn’t easy. It requires bringing a lot of equipment, and I absolutely prefer photographing couples during the day, when we have more natural light. Still, I couldn’t say no to April, she was so sweet.
We agreed that the ceremony would take place at dusk, and that we’d do our bridal portraits before the sun set, therefore, having some nice light, and the possibility to show off April’s gorgeous gown. The weather in March can be very unpredictable. Knocking on the door of spring, there’s still some chilly days and usually, rain. You can expect a high temperature of around 50F and Paris gets about 10 rainy days in March. Sometimes it’s an all-day rain, but often it isn’t. Just to be safe, it’s always a good idea to come with a pretty umbrella.
We traveled to the Trocadero area and the beautiful Avenue Camoens, for some lovely Eiffel Tower views. Speaking of lovely, meeting April in person warmed my heart, it was so nice to finally meet her, and Ryan? Ryan was so incredibly lovely, and handsome in his suit! The two of them make the sweetest pair, and I so enjoyed capturing their love story! April’s bouquet was created by my local florist, Christian Morel. They do such a wonderful job!
Finally, it was time to head to the river side location we’d selected for the ceremony. We were met there by the wonderful Angela Herberholz, an English speaking officiant in Paris. I love working with Angela, she creates a deep and meaningful ceremony for all of her clients. During the ceremony, the words were so lovely, and when I saw Ryan become emotional, I had to stop myself. Your love story is uniquely yours, but I feel for my couples so much that I join in that emotion. There is nothing more powerful than seeing two people come together who love each other deeply.
At the end of this beautiful ceremony, they danced. They kissed. They officially became Mr and Mrs, and April’s dream came true.
Will I ever photograph an elopement at night at the Eiffel Tower again? I don’t think so, the lack of light is really a challenge, so if you’re planning an elopement in Paris, consider the morning time, for the most beautiful light. Despite the lighting challenges, I’m so incredibly thankful to have been a part of April and Ryan’s Paris elopement.
Congratulations to them both!
