An elopement doesn’t need a guest list to feel like a wedding. This one took half a day in Paris: we started on Pont Alexandre III, carried on along the Seine, and finished at the consulate, where the couple signed their papers.
The photos from this day will be added very soon.
At a glance
- Who: a couple getting married in Paris
- Where: Pont Alexandre III, the Seine riverbanks, then the consulate
- Length: half a day
- The highlight: the reactions of people along the way
Why we started on Pont Alexandre III
It is the most ornate bridge in Paris: gilded statues, wide railings, and the Eiffel Tower in view. The first portraits of the day get a frame that already says Paris, before any formal moment.
Walking along the Seine
From the bridge we followed the river. An elopement is walked rather than driven: each stretch of the quays gives a new background, and the couple has time to talk between photos.
The people along the way
That is what stays with me from this day. A wedding dress on the banks of the Seine doesn’t go unnoticed: passers-by smiled and called out their congratulations. The couple had no guests, and yet strangers ended up celebrating with them. Those reactions are in the photos too.
The signatures at the consulate
The legal part took place at the consulate, where the couple signed their marriage papers. For a foreign couple, getting married in Paris raises practical questions; I go through them in my article on civil marriage in Paris for foreign couples.
What half a day covers
My half-day elopement covers the ceremony and two locations, with the scouting prepared beforehand. That was enough here: the bridge, the quays and the signing, without rushing. A full day adds morning and evening light.
Quick answers
How long does an elopement take?
Half a day for the ceremony and two locations; a full day adds morning and evening light.
Where to elope in Paris?
Pont Alexandre III and the Seine riverbanks work very well: ornate, open, with the Eiffel Tower in view.
How much does it cost?
It is quoted per project; what makes the price vary is explained in this article on elopement prices in Paris.
Thinking about eloping in Paris? Everything is on the elopement page.