Photography: The Photography Smiths | Videography: Lovell Productions | Makeup & Hair Styling: Onorina Jomir Beauty | Venue: Shangri-La Hotel, Paris
Now more than ever, couples are choosing elope to Paris, even in the winter!
As an English-speaking makeup and Hair artist in Paris, France, I beautify brides from all over the world for their destination elopements and weddings.
In 2018, I had the pleasure of providing Dana with beauty services for her romantic winter elopement in Paris. Dana and her fiancé, Paul, were from Virginia, loved Paris, and wanted to elope, just the two of them. They run a business together, so they wanted their wedding to be focused on their love for each other instead of work, or even other guests!
Dana found me online through a blog post, and she reached out to me right away to see if I was available to beautify her for her Paris elopement. Dana has light blond hair, fair skin, and blue-green eyes. Her dress had a full skirt with a sweetheart neckline, and she wanted her hair and makeup to amplify the bombshell that she is. She wanted her bridal look to be classy, elegant, and sexy: it had to harmonize with the glamour of the rococo interiors at the Shangri-La and withstand the sharp gusts of wind for the couple’s evening Eiffel Tower photoshoot.
Paris Elopement Wedding Accessories: Blue velvet wedding shoes, bridal jewelry, cream and pink rose bridal bouquet and their wedding rings!
Photo Courtesy of The Photography Smiths
Getting Ready
Dana booked a beautiful suite at the same hotel their wedding ceremony was to take place, the Shangri-La Paris.
They chose the Shangri-La Paris because it had the glamorous Parisian style that Dana was searching for. The Shangri-La Paris was the former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte. It has 100 rooms, two restaurants and a bar, all adorned in a classic rococo style. It’s prime location in the 16th arrondissem*nt give it its iconic views of the Eiffel Tower and River Seine and a short walk to the Arc de Triomphe and Pont Alexandre III. The Shangri-La also offers a variety of wedding packages, which made planning their Paris elopement wedding a breeze!
Paris Elopement Wedding Tip #1: Many Paris hotels offer elopement packages and offer discounts on weekdays. When it’s just the two of you, you can fly into Paris on a Monday, get married on Wednesday, and kick start your honeymoon on Thursday!
Having a photographer and videographer you trust and feel comfortable with will result in the most beautiful wedding photos!
I met Dana for the first time on her actual wedding day at the hotel; she was chatting with her photographer, whom she flew in for their elopement. Her room was gold and cream with luxurious chic furnishings, and filled with soft winter sunlight.
The couple flew in their dream team photographer, The Photography Smiths, and videographer, Lovell Productions, from their home state of Virginia.
Dana and Paul felt relaxed with their vendors and it shows. The energy between the happy couple was radiating love, kindness and adoration — which was delightfully captured in their photos and video.
Paris Elopement Planning Tip #2: If you have a photographer you connect with, ask about hiring them for your Paris elopement. If they aren’t able to do it, I have plenty of photographers and videographers to recommend you!
Watch D+P’s Wedding Ceremony
Dreamy Elopement Wedding in Paris in the wintertime, with ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel
Paris Elopement Wedding in Winter: Wedding Video for Dana and Paul’s destination winter wedding in Paris
Video by Lovell Productions
The Bridal Look
Dana’s hair was long, thick and platinum blond; she had beautiful blue-green eyes, and a fair porcelain complexion. Her wedding dress was a trumpet gown with a sweetheart neckline and floral lace overlay - a timeless style filled with glamour!
For the bridal hair look, we styled the hair half-up in curls and pinned the veil in the back. Half-up styles are ideal for veils and for the inevitable gusts of wind. We parted her hair to side and swept it into voluminous curls framing her face. We finished the look with her veil, which we pinned in right before her first look.
For the bridal makeup, we focused on bringing out the color of her eyes and her lips to harmonize with her bombshell platinum hair. For her eyes, I designed a tear-proof, deep-matte eye shadow look with thick faux lashes and black eyeliner. We brought warmth to her complexion with layers of rose and pink blush, followed by strategic highlighting for a fresh and healthy glow, and finished the look with berry, glossy lips!
Bridal Look Tip: half-up bridal hairstyles make inserting and removing veils very easy, and they’re very practical for windy weather so your hairstyle looks polished in every photo!
Dana’s bridal makeup and hair look for her winter elopement wedding in Paris: half-up bridal updo style with soft voluminous curls, deep matte eyeshadow with lots of lashes, and berry glossy lips!
Photo Courtesy of The Photography Smiths
Their First Look
Once Dana’s bridal bombshell look was completed, I helped insert her veil while the photographer took her portraits and the videographer recorded her putting finishing touches on her wedding vows.
At once, Dana was ready for the First Look. Paul waited for Dana in the most gorgeous cream and gold room with chandeliers, antique mirrors, and ornate doors. Dana snuck behind Paul, grinning ear to ear before tapping on his shoulder! There were tears of joy and lots of laughter!
Paris Elopement Wedding in Winter: The First look between Dana and Paul in the beautiful Shangri-La Hotel, before their winter wedding ceremony overlooking the Eiffel Tower
Photo Courtesy of The Photography Smiths
The Couple’s Paris Portraits
Romantic couple’s portraits during their intimate elopement wedding in Paris in winter - the couple visited iconic sites such as the Luxembourg Gardens, Bir-Hakeim Bridge, and Pont des Arts, also known as the “Lock Bridge,” during their post-ceremony photo shoot
Photo Courtesy of The Photography Smiths
...followed by Champagne and Wedding Cake with an Eiffel Tower View - The Perfect way to end such a memorable day!
FEATURED VENDORS
Makeup + Hair Styling - Onorina Jomir Beauty
Photography - The Photography Smiths
Videography - Lovell Productions
Venue - Shangri - La Hotel Paris
Wedding, Beauty
Onorina Jomir
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