You are newly engaged and you are about to embark for months of dreaming of your wedding and planning each details. Pre-weddings photos can seem like an extra thing to add to your to do list but trust me if I tell you having your pre wedding photos in Paris can be the best decision you will make.
Pre-wedding photos in Paris are important for so many reasons
First you will get comfortable in front of a camera which will come very handy for your wedding day, but also it will allow you to rehearse for your wedding. For your pre wedding photos in Paris, you can test the hair and make up you intend to wear for your actual wedding and se how you feel for a full day. But also it will be a great addition to have these photos to your final album.
But why is Paris the perfect location for your pre-wedding photos? Because nothing screams romance more than the City of Love.
When you think of Paris, you imagine strolling the cobblestones streets with accordion music playing in the back, grabbing a drink at a romantic café, walking along the Seine, visiting museums: but most importantly sharing this moment as a couple and creating lasting memories. This first trip to Paris will always stay engraved in your memory. As cliché as it sounds, a trip to Paris is always emotional and intense. It is a place that holds so much beauty and feel out of time.
Capturing your experience together in photos for your pre-wedding shoot will be the best way to remember this magical time together.
Being in a city like Paris is not your ordinary everyday life and it will not feel out of place to dress up, have your hair and make up done and take your pre-wedding photos like it would if you stayed home. You can be a little extra when you are here in Paris!
Paris is for sure perfect for pre – wedding photos because everywhere you look you will find the most picture-perfect angle. It feels like out of a movie, but the city offers so many photo opportunities. And Paris being Paris, the timeless feel of the city allows for elegant photos, which is exactly what you want for your pre-wedding photos. These photos will be your introduction to the world as a couple and start your legacy of a well-travelled couple open on the world.
Choose your locations for your Pre-Wedding photos in Paris
Once you will decide to do your pre wedding photos in Paris, you will want to reflect your personality in your photos. And this is why choosing the locations will be key for conveying the look you want.
Paris offers many picture-perfect locations so you will have more options that you can think of.
Here some suggestions for your pre wedding photos based on my experience as a local and a photographer in Paris for many years now.
The Eiffel Tower
Sure the Eiffel Tower is a classic when it comes for your pre wedding photos, but there is a reason why. No need for a subtitle: the Eiffel Tower screams Paris. For this reason this location is quite busy with tourists and other couples doing their pre-wedding photos but trust me to know the angles to make it feel like it is only you standing there.
The Louvre
If you want a monumental feel for your pre wedding photos, including the Louvre museum can be a great option to showcase the incredible European architecture that you might not have in your hometown. It is quite common to want a royal feel to pre- wedding photos and clearly this location is perfect for that. Also in this one location we can shoot different angles and having many looks.
Iconic hotels
If you book an iconic hotel in Paris, it could be a good start to our pre-wedding photoshoot. If you room as a balcony with an Eiffel Tower view like at the Shangrila or a gorgeous Suite over Place Vendome like the Ritz, it could be a nice addition to your photos.
The luxury experience in these hotels could be a feeling you want to convey in your pre-wedding photos.
Chateaux
On a similar note, right outside of Paris are incredible Chateaux that you can privatized for your pre-wedding photos. You canmake more exclusive than that right? Chateau Villette, Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte,… so many chaetaux I photograph often. It will feel like an editorial for a fashion magazine trust me.
Bridge Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is well known in Paris. This iconic bridge across the Seine River has a royal feel with golden light post and intricate details. If you want your pre-wedding photos to have an imperial feel, then this location is great.
The Seine River
Speaking of the Seine River, if you want you pre-wedding photos to be truly unique you can rent a Classic Boat and have a truly exceptional experience. Discovering Paris from a boat allow you to see the city like never before and it helps create the most cinematographic photos of you.
Cafes in Paris
Lastly I would highly recommend stopping by a café for photos. A pre-wedding photoshoot in Paris usually shows the most iconic monuments of the city, but cafes are also at the heart of the French culture and photograph so well. And of course it photographs so well and allows you to swith up the standing poses a bit with some seated at the terrace. It doesn’t hurt either to take a break, relax your feet and take a drink: a pre-wedding shoot is always fun and relaxed but a relaxing break is always welcome.
Of course you can combine these locations as we will cover multiple locations and you can always extend your shoot if you want it all and more!
What to wear for your Pre-Wedding Photos in Paris
Your pre-wedding photos will be the first official photos of your new life as a couple in your journey leading up to your wedding day. In a way you start building your legacy as a couple and potentially a family with these images so choosing outfits that will stand the test of time is quite important in my opinion.
The good news is that you can change your options through the shoot. So you could go for a very formal look with a dramatic gown and tuxedo for the most monumental locations but also change for a more casual look when you will decide to get a more lifestyle approach, for example at a café.
Matching your outfit style to the location is important.
But also you need to match as a couple. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you should look like twins but if the bride to be is in a formal dress then her fiancé should be equally dapper. It could look a bit off to have an underdressed groom and it could distract from the beauty of the shot.
Inspiration for her
Inspiration for Him
Hair and Make up for your Pre Wedding Photos in Paris
The best season for pre-wedding photos in Paris
It is a very personal question as it depends on the look you want for your photos. It is common to say the high season is from Spring to Fall, with nice light and comfortable temperatures.
But I also did one of my favorite shoot in the cold day of winter and the blue light and warm layers were oh so chic.
Paris can be cold and rainy from late fall to the end of Winter so clearly keep that in mind when booking your shoot during these months as it will give a winter feel to your photos.
The best time of the day for your pre-wedding photos in Paris
There are two schools when it comes to choosing the best time for your photoshoot: the sunrise approach and the sunset approach. I am a sunset shooter: light is stunning with the warm glow of the sun going down.
But also I know you will be fully awake for your photos. Sunrise light is nice as well and the city is less busy but doing your pre-wedding photos then come with the hassle of waking up super early, doing your hair and make up ( which usually takes 2 hours) while iti sis still the night. I want the experience to be as fun and enjoyable as possible so I would privileged the sunset time.
Also most of the time my couples are not professional so with my help and direction they will warm up to posing and feeling comfortable.And takes a bit of time which is perfect as you will get better and the light will also get better during sunset. With sunrise the light is great and get harsh quite quickly meaning you need to be your best as soon as we start. And except if you are a professional it will be a lot of pressure in my opinion.
Check out some of these Paris pre-wedding photo gallery
A few more practical tips for your Pre-Wedding photos in Paris
You will be traveling from far to get to Paris, most likely you will feel the jetlag on the first two days of your trip.
So if you can plan your shoot on your third day in Paris to be rested and related through the shoot.
Also, even if you want to look your best for your pre-wedding photos with high heels for example, don’t forget to pack comfortable shoes to relax your feet in between takes. Also have your favorite snack for a little shot of energy through the shoot.
I provide a van to follow us through the entire pre-wedding shoot in my package, so don’t worry of overpacking: we will have the possibility to leave everything in the car. We want to keep you warm, well fed and comfortable through this experience.
Having a pre-wedding shoot allows you to capture beautiful photos without the pressure that a wedding day timeline can bring. You will have no tight timeline or guests to please. For that reason and not to be distracted by some family members or friends, let’s keep the shoot just you and me.
To feel comfortable and keep the experience relaxing, making the shoot an intimate moment just for you two will help me capture the most relaxed portraits of you.
