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Places to elope in Paris – The ultimate Guide
If you just decided to renew vows or get married in Paris you are surely currently looking for the best places to elope in Paris. A stunning, elegant or romantic outdoor location for your ceremony with a beautiful Parisian backdrop, right?
As your officiant in Paris I know the best places to elope in Paris for your ceremony. Intimate or iconic, romantic garden or famous landmark: Let me help you find the best Paris elopement location that is the perfect fit for YOU!
How to choose your ceremony location?
When eloping to Paris you need to be aware of the fact that Paris is a densely populated city and very popular travel destination, which makes Paris a very busy and crowded place. In order to still be as intimate and quiet as possible for your elopement or vow renewal ceremony, you need to consider the following and choose wisely:
“Laura has the special gift to turn public spaces into an intimate environment. We were lucky to have her as our Paris officiant. We will keep the magic atmosphere she was able to create always in our memories.”
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The right place to elope in Paris
Elopements come with a touch of romantic adventure and rather have a casual and fun vibe. Therefore most couples eloping in Paris choose an outdoor public location for their ceremony. Also because being near to one of these famous landmarks or in one of the romantic parks really makes you feel THE Parisian vibe in the most authentic way.
However a public outdoor location always also means that it is neither entirely private (we won’t be alone!) nor indoors (weather!). If that is a tad too much adventure for you, you should consider renting a private Paris wedding venue for your vow renewal or elopement ceremony. If you are in for the adventure, there are certainly way how we can increase the feeling of intimacy at a private location and work around the weather.
You’ll get more detailed information about all the places to elope in Paris further down. However before you choose your ceremony spot, always keep in mind that as a rule of thumb: the more popular the location the less intimate you will be. If you are unsure, just ask me – as your celebrant in Paris I’d be happy to give you more insights and recommendations!
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The good timing for your Paris elopement
As mentioned before: Paris is a very busy place and it gets more and more crowded over the day. That means that in order to beat the crowds, we need to plan your Paris elopement ceremony as early in the day as possible. As your experienced marriage officiant in Paris I always recommend to start at sunrise as it is the most magical moment of the day: No crowds and beautiful light for your elopement photos in Paris.
The famous landmarks really need to be done first thing in the morning if you don’t want to be surrounded by the crowds. However there are elopement locations – many of the romantic gardens & parks – that also work a little later in the day. For recommendations on the best timing for your favorite location just ask me, your elopement celebrant in Paris.
However most of my couples not only have their ceremony at one location to get married in Paris, but also add a few more location for a elopement wedding photo shoot. And the same rules apply for photography: So you are always on the save side starting early!
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What about the weather?
First of all choose the season for your elopement in Paris: There is no right or wrong season, as Paris celebrant I officiate all year around and every season has it’s charm. But you need to be aware that it will can be really cold in winter and you need to dress accordingly for an outdoor elopement. Inspite of the temperature there are other advantages of winter elopements in Paris.
But whatever the season it can always happen that it will rain on your vow renewal or elopement day in Paris. Feel free to get a feeling of temperature or rain fall averages here: Weather averages in Paris. However keep in mind that these are only averages! Weather in Paris changes very quickly and not always behaves according to the season.
But don’t worry, every since I am a wedding celebrant in Paris, no elopement or vow renewal had to be cancelled due to the weather. We just need to be a bit flexible in case of rain!
Continuous rainfall is rare in Paris, we mainly have to work around rain showers. In this case you can choose: Either we keep our chosen location as planned and are armed with umbrellas in case it starts raining. Or we switch to a public covered spot – there are a few of them in Paris that we can use in these cases.
If the weather is too terrible, we will try to reschedule to another day or sometimes another time slot is just enough to avoid the rain. In any case we will be in touch the days leading up to your elopement ceremony to discuss options in case the weather doesn’t look good.
PRO TIP: Don’t follow the weather forecast far in advance, it will only make you nervous! Weather in Paris changes really quickly and the weather forecast isn’t very reliable more than 1-2 days in advance. So safe yourself the unnecessary stress!
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The best Paris elopement ceremony locations
There is an endless choice of beautiful places to elope in Paris. Basically you have to decide between to main types of Paris wedding locations:
1. Either you want to get married near one of the iconic Paris landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre or Notre Dame.
2. Or you decide for a romantic park or garden in Paris. Someplace less busy and more quiet for your intimate wedding ceremony.
1. Famous Paris landmarks
For you there is no doubt how the perfect spot for your outdoor ceremony looks like: You want to get married at at the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre Museum. One of the famous Paris landmarks have to be your ceremony backdrop. Because it has always been your dream to elope in Paris, to have a Paris wedding or to renew your vows in Paris. So the more iconic the better!
PRO TIP: Many people love visiting these famous Parisian sights. Quite likely you won’t be alone for your Eiffel Tower elopement, your ceremony at the Louvre or Notre Dame wedding. Scheduling your outdoor ceremony early in the morning is the only way to beat the crowds!
However Paris is a city that never really sleeps. The French capital is densely populated and a popular travel destination. So there can always be passersby and tourists especially at the famous Paris landmarks – even already in the early morning!
If it is important for you to be completely private and intimate the only way to be alone is in a private venue. In this case please feel free to have a look at my blogpost about the most beautiful wedding venues in Paris. There are many stunning Paris wedding venues with great views on the Eiffel Tower, outdoor and indoor options etc…
“Having our wedding in Paris was a dream for us but we had no idea where to begin. Laura suggested the perfect location, one we never would have been able to find without her creativity and knowledge of the area.”
Stunning ceremony backdrops & places to elope in Paris
But let’s get back to our outdoor ceremony locations with iconic Paris landmarks as a backdrop. Below you find galleries with photos showing the best place to elope in Paris near a Paris landmarks. Beautiful outdoor locations for your wedding ceremony with your English speaking Paris celebrant. Click on the photo thumbnails to see a larger picture of the ceremony location! You also find more photos and detailed information about specific locations in my blogpost: 7 most stunning Paris elopement locations.
Eiffel Tower Wedding
The Eiffel Tower is by far the most famous and iconic landmark in Paris. It symbolizes love and romance. So clearly many couples dream about an Eiffel Tower wedding.
Here are the best ceremony locations for your EIFFEL TOWER WEDDING:
You also find more photos on different Eiffel Tower locations on my Pinterest: Eiffel Tower Bir-Hakeim Bridge, Eiffel Tower Trocadero, Eiffel Tower riverside, Eiffel Tower street view
Louvre Wedding & more stunning places to elope in Paris
Paris is not only about the Eiffel Tower. There are so many other stunning places to elope in Paris that are all about beautiful, elegant and breathtaking architecture. Why not going for a Louvre wedding? Or an elopement ceremony at the Golden Gate or Alexander III bridge? Also Montmartre with Sacre Coeur is sublime.
The second most iconic sight in Paris after the Eiffel Tower is the Louvre palace and museum with the famous glass pyramid. Please know that we CANNOT have your elopement or vow renewal ceremony directly in the courtyard near the glass pyramid. This is not permitted and if we would still try, we run the risk that guards are interrupting us in the middle of the ceremony insisting that we have to leave. Let’s not spoil your intimate moment with such an unpleasant experience!
Instead there are several elopement locations around the Louvre that we can use and from where we still have a lovely view on the beautiful architecture of the Louvre, without being right in the middle of it.
Here are the best LOUVRE WEDDING spots and you also find more photos of Paris elopements at the Louvre on my Pinterest board Louvre palace & Louvre pyramid:
There are also other gorgeous and elegant landmarks or areas with typical Parisian architecture, that work nicely for your Paris elopement or vow renewal ceremony. Here are the best spots with PARISIAN ARCHITECTURE. You also find more photos on my Pinterest boards Alexander III bridge & Golden Gate, Seine riverside & authentic Parisian areas
Notre Dame Wedding & Church wedding blessing
The Gothic cathedral Notre Dame Paris is almost as famous as the Eiffel Tower. Especially couples who are looking for a religious or spiritual vibe for their outdoor ceremony choose to get married near Notre Dame cathedral. But you don’t need to be religious to love the beautiful architecture as a backdrop for your Notre Dame wedding. As well as the beautiful Seine riverside and Parisian area around Notre Dame.
PLEASE NOTE: After the terrible fire at Notre Dame in spring 2019 we cannot use this location for the time being. If you want to elope with a church as your backdrop I recommend as private venue Chapelle Expiatoire or as public outdoor location Sacre Coeur in Montmartre!
There are also other churches that work well as a backdrop for your wedding blessing in Paris. The basilica Notre Dame in Montmartre is not only beautiful but also famous. Moreover there are other smaller churches and chapels in less crowded areas that are worth considering for your Paris elopement or vow renewal ceremony.
Please keep in mind that we are only able to use these churches as a backdrop for your wedding blessing in Paris. We can NOT plan your ceremony inside these churches!
Here are ceremony locations for your NOTRE DAME / CHURCH WEDDING:
2. Intimate & Romantic Elopement Locations
Sure, you love the famous landmarks in Paris! That’s also why you are about to elope in Paris or renew your wedding vows in the city of love. And you surely want to take Paris wedding photos at these iconic places.
However for your ceremony you would love to be as private as possible. Since Paris landmarks as the Eiffel Tower or Louvre naturally attract many people you would rather find a less busy and more intimate place to elope in Paris.
Because maybe you are a bit shy. Or at least you would not feel overly comfortable if tourist groups chatter loudly nearby or passersby decide to witness and film your elopement or vow renewal ceremony. Your priority clearly is a quiet and intimate wedding elopement.
So why not getting married in one of the romantic parks in Paris or in an beautiful garden in Paris?
Firstly these ceremony locations are usually less noisy because they are away from busy streets and loud traffic. Second they provide spots for outdoor ceremonies that are less exposed as at the Paris landmarks. And last but not least most parks and gardens in Paris are less crowded with tourist groups visiting them.
“I had a million questions and Laura was very patient and helpful in nailing down the most perfect Paris elopement location for our ceremony.
She even worked details about our wedding location into our ceremony and tied it all together with the theme of love and our love story.”
Gardens & Parks for your elopement in Paris
Even if parks and gardens are less crowded with tourist groups, the best time for your intimate wedding ceremony are still in general the mornings! Starting from noon Parisians enjoy their parks and gardens for lunch breaks and picnics. Especially if the weather is good. These locations are defintely less busy and more quiet and intimate than the landmarks. But don’t expect to be completely alone!
Below you find a gallery with pictures of intimate ceremony locations in ROMANTIC GARDENS & PARKS such as Luxembourg Gardens. See more photos and detailed information to some of these locations in my blogpost 9 intimate & romantic locations for your elopement ceremony in Paris. and on my dedicated Pinterest boards Luxembourg Gardens, Parc Monceau, Parc de Bagatelle, Tuileries
Paris chateau elopement ceremony
France is famous for their beautiful French wedding chateaux. Many of these can be privatized and used as your destination wedding venue. However renting a French chateau definitely comes with a prize. Moreover these destination wedding French castles are all located outside of Paris – so getting there involves travel. And last but not least as you are eloping to Paris just the two of you or at most with a handful of guests, you won’t necessarily need such a huge destination wedding venue to celebrate your renewal of vows or elopement wedding.
However many couples dream of a French chateau wedding as it is just so romantic and feels like straight from a fairy tale. If you want to include a little French chateau vibe into your Paris elopement, as officiant in Paris I know a few locations that we could use for it. These palaces and castles are all at public places in Paris or very close to Paris (less than 1 hour ride!). That means we can use them as backdrop for your ceremony free of charge. However we are NOT permitted to officiate your ceremony or take photos inside these venues.
Here are some spots for a PARIS CHATEAU ELOPEMENT:
For more inspiration feel free to browse through my blog, Instagram or Facebook to find more pictures of places to elope in Paris.
Romantic, intimate or iconic: As your English speaking celebrant in Paris I will help you finding a beautiful outdoor ceremony location in Paris. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me, your Paris officiant! Together we find the best outdoor ceremony location for your Paris elopement, intimate Paris wedding or Paris vow renewal ceremony.
Photographers of these places to elope in Paris
Photo: Paris Elopement Photographer Pierre Torset, L’Amour de Paris, Frenchgrey Photography, Timeless Paris Photography, Photographers in Paris TPP, Through the Glass, Celine Chan, Franklyn K, OK Paris Photo