Eloping in Paris - Kara and Samuel

Kara and Samuel kissing beside a stone bridge balustrade above the Seine, with her lace veil, his red Ivy Bleu buttonhole and Parisian rooftops behind them, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Eloping in Paris gives you a whole city to make part of your day. A view of the Eiffel Tower, vows on a cobbled street, a walk through the Louvre’s surrounds and a kiss beside the Seine: Kara and Samuel’s elopement brought these places together in a celebration with The Elopement Collective.

The beauty of a small wedding in Paris is how much room there is to enjoy the place. Your ceremony can be the heart of the day, with the rest shaped around getting ready together, wandering between portraits and taking in the city. Kara’s flowing white dress and lace veil, Samuel’s black tuxedo and a bouquet of deep red flowers looked completely at home among the pale stone buildings.

Vows with an Eiffel Tower view

Their day began in the Deluxe Eiffel Tower room at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées. Through the open balcony doors, the city’s rooftops led the eye towards the tower. It was a beautiful setting for the getting-ready photographs and a glass raised before heading out for their ceremony.

At Avenue de Camoëns, Mandi from Ivy Bleu created the flowers and ceremony setup. Red blooms, leafy branches and petals along the stone balustrade gave their vows a rich splash of colour, with the Eiffel Tower beyond the trees.

Josh Withers was their celebrant. Kara and Samuel stood facing each other, held hands and made their promises in the middle of this remarkable city. The photographs bring you close to the moment: Samuel reading from his vow book, Kara looking up at him, and their kiss beside the flowers.

A walk through Paris

George Bowden photographed the day, from the hotel balcony to the ceremony and portraits around the Louvre. Its carved arches, colonnades and open courtyards offered a beautiful change of scene. There was time for a twirl, a quiet embrace and a walk hand in hand, before portraits beside the Seine with boats moving through the frame.

Britt Withers planned their elopement and made the content film, bringing another way to remember the day alongside George’s photographs. With our Australian team in Paris and Ivy Bleu’s flowers and styling, each part of the celebration came together around Kara and Samuel.

If you are imagining an elopement in Paris, start with the places you would love to spend time in. Allow for travel between them, other visitors, the weather and the light; a thoughtful plan leaves room to enjoy the city as well as photograph it. Explore our Paris elopements or tell Britt about the day you have in mind.

The Eiffel Tower rising beyond slate-roofed Parisian buildings beneath a partly cloudy sky, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Deep red flowers by Ivy Bleu arranged with a gold ring, a floral compact and Kara’s lace veil, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Open French doors and curtains beside a bed, with a chair near the balcony and Parisian buildings outside, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara fastening the ankle strap of a sparkling white shoe beside the hotel bed, with her lace veil falling behind her, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Rear view of Kara in her flowing white dress and lace veil on a stone-balustraded balcony, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara in a white dress with long draped sleeves and a lace veil, holding her deep red bouquet by Ivy Bleu on the balcony, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara smiling and raising a glass on the balcony, with her red bouquet by Ivy Bleu in her other hand, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white view of Kara standing on the balcony through open French doors, with the hotel bed in the foreground, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel holding hands on the hotel balcony, with her red Ivy Bleu bouquet and his black tuxedo, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel looking across Parisian rooftops towards the Eiffel Tower from the hotel balcony, at Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Red roses, leafy branches and scattered petals by Ivy Bleu arranged along a stone balustrade beside a Parisian facade, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Ivy Bleu’s red floral ceremony arrangements beside a stone balustrade, with the Eiffel Tower beyond the trees, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel walking together along a cobbled street beside ornate cream facades, with her red Ivy Bleu bouquet, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Rear view of Kara and Samuel holding hands as they walk towards celebrant Josh Withers, beside Ivy Bleu’s red floral ceremony setup, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Celebrant Josh Withers standing with Kara and Samuel as they face each other beside the stone balustrade, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Close view of Kara and Samuel holding hands during their ceremony, with celebrant Josh Withers holding an open book behind them, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Samuel smiling in his black tuxedo beside Kara in her lace veil during their ceremony, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel holding hands and facing each other during their ceremony, with Ivy Bleu’s red flowers and the Eiffel Tower behind them, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Kara and Samuel holding hands during their ceremony, with Samuel smiling towards her, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Samuel reading from an open vow book while holding Kara’s hand as she smiles up at him, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel kissing beside Ivy Bleu’s red floral ceremony arrangements, with the Eiffel Tower behind them, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel standing together beside the ceremony setup, with her bouquet and his red buttonhole by Ivy Bleu and the Eiffel Tower beyond, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

The Eiffel Tower framed between ornate Parisian buildings beneath a blue and cloudy sky, at Avenue de Camoëns in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel standing together beneath a carved stone archway, with her red bouquet by Ivy Bleu, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white photograph of Kara and Samuel embracing beneath an arched stone colonnade, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel standing close in warm light beside a hedge and palace facade, with her red Ivy Bleu bouquet, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Samuel raising Kara’s hand to twirl her beside a hedge, with the Louvre’s stone facade behind them, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Black and white view of the Louvre’s glass pyramid, palace facade and visitors in the courtyard, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

The Louvre’s ornate stone facade and slate roof against a blue sky, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara leaning against a stone balustrade beneath the Louvre’s arches, holding her red bouquet by Ivy Bleu, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Samuel leaning against a stone balustrade beneath the Louvre’s arches in a black tuxedo with a red buttonhole by Ivy Bleu, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Rear view of Kara and Samuel walking hand in hand across the Louvre forecourt, with her red bouquet and veil trailing behind, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Close view of Kara and Samuel walking hand in hand across sunlit paving, with her white dress, red Ivy Bleu bouquet and his black trousers, at the Louvre in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Kara and Samuel standing close beside a stone bridge balustrade above the Seine, with Parisian buildings across the river, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A sightseeing boat carrying passengers along the Seine towards an arched bridge, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

Close view of Kara and Samuel’s hands and wedding rings resting together over a stone bridge balustrade, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A soft-focus portrait of Kara and Samuel facing each other, with a small moon and distant Parisian rooftops behind them, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

A boat travelling along sunlit water on the Seine towards an arched bridge, with buildings and trees along the banks, beside the Seine in Paris, France, during an Elopement Collective elopement. Photograph by George Bowden.

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