5 Tips for Planning a Paris Wedding (+ Giveaway)

The invitations are already rolling in… wedding season is quickly approaching. And as I imagine how these events will unfold – the style, food, and themes my friends will use to mark the moment – , I’m reminded of my own Paris wedding. At the time, I didn’t know Kim Petyt, the city’s sought-after event planner, and arranged all the details with my husband. Were I to do it all again (can I?!), I’d head straight to Kim for ideas and guidance. On the occasion of the launch of her first book The Paris Wedding, Kim drops by to offer a few tips to planning your own nuptials in Paris or the inspired version in your own hometown.

Destination Weddings are the norm these days. Where 10 years ago it was a pretty exotic extravagance to plan a wedding in a foreign country, in 2013 you’re just as likely to be invited to a wedding in Athens, Greece as Athens, Georgia. Paris is, of course, one of the hottest destination wedding locations in the world. It’s also, unfortunately, one of the most expensive. Romantic couples wanting to plan a “simple” elopement in Paris are often shocked by the costs of Parisian celebrants, photographers, and car hire- let alone the cost of hiring an English-speaking wedding planner to help pull it all together. In fact, these vendors aren’t much more expensive than those in other big cities like New York. It’s just that taxes and charges are so much higher in France. Because of budget, many couples aren’t able to hire a professional to help them plan their Paris wedding, and decide to organize one on their own.

After nearly a decade of running a wedding planning agency in Paris, I applaud those brave souls who choose to “go it alone”, and have put together a short list of tips to help their wedding planning adventure go a bit smoother.

1// Respect the Culture

This may seem obvious, but it’s so important that I’ve listed it first on my list. France is not the U.S., so please don’t expect things to run as they do in the U.S. Yes, I know it’s frustrating to not have your emails returned for days on end (if at all), to have someone insist that your centerpieces be white (when you really want yellow) or tell you that you can’t bring your own wine to their restaurant (even if you’re willing to pay a corkage fee). These are all aspects of French culture that may seem quirky from the outside looking in (through American eyes). Just realize that more than likely, there’s a cultural explanation behind these actions, and move on. (For example, in France, yellow is the color of cuckold, so it’s considered bad luck/poor taste for a wedding. A French vendor may feel uncomfortable saying this to you, and instead may choose to simply guide you away from the offending color…)

2// Keep Your Wits About You

15 minutes on Google will tell you that Paris is an expensive city. If you find a website for a wedding planning company in Paris who says that they can organize your rehearsal, wedding AND day-after brunch, as well as coordinate hotel and transportation for you and your 50 guests all for less than 1000€, please don’t blame the French when it all goes horribly wrong. I know it’s exciting to plan a wedding- and a wedding in Paris to boot. But don’t let the excitement blur your vision. As I’m sure your grandma told you- if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is…even in Paris!

3// Make a Visual Road Map

If you’re currently planning a wedding, you don’t need me to tell you that Pinterest is the bride (and groom’s) best friend. I know it’s hard to pull yourself away from all of the gorgeous wedding eye candy out there, but Pinterest is also perfect for creating a road map for your Paris wedding. Besides images of dresses, bouquets and vintage lace hanky favors for your guests (which, honestly, you probably won’t get around to embroidering anyway), create boards for restaurants, interesting arrondissements and a wish-book of picturesque places you’d like to visit or even exchange your vows. Most couples like to have a photo session around Paris right after their wedding ceremony. If you’ve never been to Paris before, spend some time creating a Pinterest board of spots where you’d like to have your photos taken, then share it with your photographer (and driver, if possible) before you arrive. This is a great way to save time and get more out of your photo session on your wedding day.

4// Start Planning Early

Gone are the days of dropping into town at midnight and waking the village parson to marry you and your sweetheart. This isn’t Paris, Vegas, so as romantic as it sounds, a last minute, international elopement just isn’t realistic in this day and age. There aren’t very many English-speaking celebrants available in Paris and most of them work full-time at their own churches. They also have families, hobbies and other commitments, which leaves a limited amount of time to officiate weddings for couples coming from overseas. They, of course, try to be as accommodating as possible, but to be fair, you should plan on contracting your celebrant at least 3 months in advance of your ceremony (longer if you’re having a more elaborate ceremony or if you’re planning a wedding during the high season).

5// Faites vos devoirs!

Beyond wedding blogs and travel websites, there’s a multitude of resources out there to help you plan your Paris wedding, if you know where to look. TheParis Convention & Tourism Bureau, the French Embassy, and even your local chapter of Alliances Francaise are all excellent sources to help you pull your celebration together. And now, there’s a new “bible” for those planning a wedding in Paris… my book! Called “The Paris Wedding”, this is a is a full-color, idea-packed, “go-to guide” for globally minded trendsetters who are in love with the style and romance of Paris. Half of the book focuses on the logistical “nitty-gritty” behind planning a wedding in Paris (but also includes plenty of gorgeous Real Parisian Wedding eye-candy). The other half is geared towards brides who want to plan a Parisian-inspired wedding in their own hometown, and includes stylized photo shoots as well as chapters on things like lingerie, wedding gown and shoe shopping in Paris, and resources for finding French touches like macarons and croquembouche in cities all over the world.

***

This is merely an abridged version of Kim’s tips and tricks for planning a wedding in Paris or a Parisian-inspired wedding at home. For a complete guide, you’ll need a copy of her new book, ‘The Paris Wedding’!

To enter to win a copy, leave a comment below with the spot in Paris you’d like or would have liked to get married or how you would add Parisian flair to your wedding at home. One winner will be selected at random on Sunday, April 14 and notified via email.

Update: Congratulations to Lizzie! You’ll be contacted by email shortly.

Connect with Kim:
blog: parisianparty.com
book: The Paris Wedding
Twitter: @ParisianParty
Facebook: facebook.com/parisianevents.weddings
Pinterest: pinterest.com/parisianevents