What is a list of things you need
for an elopement wedding in Paris?

Have you booked one of our wedding packages for you choice about Paris ? Maybe not yet. It’s alright; we will explain the essentials for a successful and stress-free Paris elopement. It’s important you write your list of things to do. Also, it’s the beginning of your journey and a great pleasure to start to think and to realize your dream for a great ceremony in Paris…

Wedding attire

Probably you start to write the list on a paper, but what is the 1st thing thing you need to prepare? We advise you check out our guide to organize your elopement in Paris. The wedding dress for the bride and a suit for the groom, tailored and ready to wear from home. In general the bride is ready is her mind since a few years… Why is this? Because if you’re thinking of having a dress or suit made in Paris, you’ll have several points to anticipate:

You must find a place to buy or rent your wedding dress.
You must go there in person, and probably won’t be near your hotel.
You’ll need to go when the boutique is open (not necessarily at a time or day that suits you).
You’ll have to talk to a dressmaker who doesn’t necessarily speak English.
The dressmaker will ask you to return once you have taken your measurements.
You must return to try on the dress or suit.
After the ceremony, if you’ve rented your dress or suit, you’ll have to return it.

Now you understand that, instead of spending your whole vacation chasing a dress or suit, it’s much easier to do it at home and in your language. All you must do is take your dress or suit with you but don’t put it in your checked luggage, because that’s where it gets lost. Please put them in your carry-on luggage.

A good mood and flexibility

The second thing to bring with you is your good mood: even with the best preparation in the world, your Paris wedding won’t be exactly as you imagined it. It will be a little different because that’s life. Accept this difference thanks to the good mood you’ll bring and part of your love celebration.

Wedding planner or coordinator

The third thing you’ll need is an elopement planner. I’ve seen many couples ruin their wedding day because they spend it coordinating their guests and vendors instead of being the protagonists. They didn’t make the most of it, and that’s a shame. A wedding planner is there to make your life easier, but above all, to help you make the most of your wedding! Especially since you’ll be in Paris, a country whose language and culture you don’t understand.

Don’t leave little details for the last minute

A fourth important thing is to be well prepared. I often say a good wedding is three things: preparation, preparation, and preparation. You can never prepare too much for your wedding, especially as you’ll have to let go of control on the wedding day to enjoy it. So, the more you prepare in advance, the less you’ll have to do on the wedding day. Little things that seem easy to solve on the same day or days before quickly pile up, making a snowball. On this subject, I’d like to return to the need for a wedding planner.

Hand-pick your vendors

A fifth thing you’ll need for a successful Paris elopement is a hand-picked group of vendors: not only do they have to be good individually, but they also must know how to work together. There’s nothing worse than a professional who doesn’t respect the rest of the team. So, make sure they know each other before they work for you. Wedding industry professionals in Paris all know each other because it’s a small world.

Choose well your ceremony venue

One last essential thing is the venue. Make sure the venue is exactly what you want. There are two possible scenarios:

You’ve chosen a private venue, such as a hotel. Ask the hotel for information about the ceremony or reception venue. How they will look after the guests, what they will serve to eat and drink, etc. Don’t hesitate to ask for a view of Paris or the Eiffel Tower for your ceremony – read more in our blog about how to get the best pictures from the Eiffel Tower while avoiding tourist areas.

You choose a public outdoor venue for your ceremony. Be sure that, at your ceremony, a few tourists will be present. Also, choose the best time of the day for light. This light will make all the difference to your photos. A good Paris wedding coordinator should be able to advise on the best stops or moments of the day.

Are you ready to plan your dream elopement in Paris?

At Love Gracefully, we know what to recommend based on your needs. We’ve done about a thousand weddings since we started working, and we’re happy to share our experience and knowledge with you. You may not know everything you need to make your elopement successful, but we do. For the record, we’re the oldest elopement planners in Paris – discover more of our elopement in Paris here!

Do you want more? Read about the basic mistakes you should avoid during your Paris wedding planning.