Modern elegant Ritz Paris elopement wedding

How can this Ritz Paris elopement wedding inspire you?

Fiona & Lawrence Ritz Paris elopement wedding will be a great inspiration for you if you are looking for something in between a wedding and an elopement. You love the intimacy of a Paris elopement with just the two of you. And you also really don’t want the stress of a large and traditional wedding. However you cannot imagine to have an outdoor elopement ceremony. You would worry too much about the weather, the reactions of passersby or too much noise and distraction. Also you really would not want to miss out on the glam of a gorgeous private Paris wedding venue where you can really feel like a princess. Well, I got great news for you: You can have it all – if you focus on your priorities.

So read on about how Fiona & Lawrence story and how they planned their Ritz Paris elopement wedding. I’m sure you are going to find many useful ideas and inspiration.

What are your priorities?

Let’s be honest: Most of us are no millionaires. So we all need to stick to a certain budget when it’s about planning your Paris wedding or Paris elopement. Clearly if we could, we all would love to have the best of the best of everything. But most likely you can’t have it all. That’s why it is really important that you discuss and agree about your priorities. What is really important for you on your wedding day? What is less crucial for you in order to enjoy a great elopement wedding in Paris?

Everybody’s priorities are different. So there is no right and wrong. You may have different preferences than Fiona & Lawrence. However I think they took some clever decisions and managed to really have their dream wedding elopement at the Ritz Paris. Let me explain why:

Two’s company, three (or more) is a crowd

The first decision that the couple from Canada took was about the size of their elopement wedding in Paris. They decided to celebrate just the two of them. Fiona explains why: “The pressures of what our friends and family wanted and expected for our wedding day really overwhelmed us. First we did want our closest friends and family there, but the thought of the politics and unwanted opinions quickly settled our decision to celebrate just the two of us.”

In spite of getting married in Paris without guests Fiona & Lawrence still found a great way to include their family and friends. They decided to have a reception dinner back home after their Paris elopement. They took this opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones and share the beautiful photos of their intimate wedding.

What vibe do you want for your ceremony?

Secondly Fiona & Lawrence wanted to have a really great moment celebrating their wedding ceremony. And I think they are right: Because the wedding ceremony is the heart of every elopement or wedding day in Paris. It is the central moment when you exchange your promises for your marriage and when you become husband and wife.

So think about two main things: The backdrop, vibe and atmosphere you wish for your ceremony. And the content of your ceremony: your promises, romantic readings, your love story and more.

Ritz Paris wedding elopement

Fiona & Lawrence wanted to have a very intimate and quiet moment for their ceremony. Outdoors they may have had to worry about the weather or passersby. In a private venue they were able to completely focus on each other and their promises.

The couple chose the beautiful Salon Psyche at the famous Hotel Ritz Paris. Apart of being absolutely gorgeous this place had a special meaning for Fiona: “To me, Paris is couture, luxury, and elegance. And the Ritz Paris is, by far, the most beautiful hotel I have ever laid eyes on. The Parisian charm of the Ritz Paris and famous ties to some of the world’s most historical figures and fashion icons amazes me. It was an absolute dream to get married in such a prestigious space.”

Romantic & bespoke ceremony

As their Paris officiant I created a personal and romantic ceremony for Fiona & Lawrence that we celebrated at the Ritz Paris. We mainly focused on their beautiful and sweet love story and on their personal wedding vows. Fiona said: “Laura’s moving words brought Lawrence and I to tears on multiple occasions. She captured our love story perfectly with such poise and elegance!”

After the ceremony Fiona & Lawrence had a candle light dinner in the Salon Psyche at the Ritz Paris. Fiona said: “This elopement was the most romantic and memorable thing we’ve ever experienced together. Not a day goes by when we don’t reminisce our magical day without getting choked up.”

Your day, your style!

And now let’s talk about the style of Fiona & Lawrence Ritz Paris wedding elopement: I absolutely loved how Fiona was rocking her bridal suit. She chose a bridal style that was absolutely her. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to tell all bride: ditch your wedding gowns! Not at all. I just think it is absolutely great that there are so many different styles that you can choose from. So use this liberty and be truly yourself! Out of experience this is easier if you have an elopement wedding. Because naturally you will feel less pressure from friends or family to justify your style choices and choices in general

As English speaking celebrant in Paris I found it brave how freely Fiona & Lawrence were planning their Ritz Paris wedding elopement – and how they distributed their priorities and budget between traditional and modern elements:

Traditional & elegant Paris wedding venue

The Paris wedding venue surely was a cost that many couples save on when they are eloping in Paris. However for Fiona & Lawrence it was important. Becasue it gave them peace of mind for their ceremony. Moreover it altered their wedding experience: They got to stay in a prestigious, elegant and famous venue which is strongly connected to the history of Paris. This made their Ritz Paris wedding elopement an even more special and memorable elopement experience for the two of them.

As for vendors they mainly focused on ceremony and photography. They hired me as their Paris celebrant because they wanted to make sure to create a personal moment and a modern ceremony that felt completely them. They hired my awesome husband Pierre as their Paris photographer because they wanted to make sure to have plenty of great photographs as precious keepsakes of their once in a lifetime experience in Paris and also to show their loved ones back home.

Modern bridal style

In contrasts there were many other traditional elements that they just did not care much about. Great side effect: They were able to save costs on these items. For example an expensive wedding dress was clearly not on Fiona’s priority list. Fiona said: “As you can see, I wore a suit. This speaks volumes to the type of modern wedding I envisioned.” So the choice is yours, make your Paris wedding elopement your own!