Classic + Romantic Paris Elopement
As Audrey Hepburn famously said, "Paris is always a good idea," (especially for a romantic elopement). With a Bride and Groom as gorgeous as the city itself, a stunning Karen Willis Holmes wedding dress, a classic tuxedo, a DIY bouquet and the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, this duo began their happily ever after in the chicest style. See all the pretty from French Grey Photography in The Vault!
From The Bride...After my fiance and I were engaged, we started talking about the kind of wedding that we would like to have. When we agreed to spend the rest of our lives together, we promised each other that we would embrace adventure, cultivate romance, and put our relationship/marriage first even if that meant taking an unconventional route at times. We desired a wedding that would personal, intimate, meaningful, and, honestly, not so stressful/caught up in the details that we missed the real meaning of the day. Having a small, intimate ceremony in Paris – the city of love - simply made sense. We're pretty sure that left a part of our hearts in that city and we look forward to returning many times...someday with our children :)
I gravitate to the timeless and classy. When my now-husband went shopping for his tux, he asked me if I had any tips/requests. I said that if it looked like something Cary Grant would wear, I would approve. In the end, I think he looked more like James Bond in a tux and I wasn’t at all disappointed ;-) For my dress, I was looking for a timeless, classy piece that was both simple and glamorous. I kind of have a test for the “classy/timeless” – if the dress looks like something Grace Kelly could have worn and I could conceivably wear it again in 20 years, it’s golden. Indeed, the Anya definitely passed that test.
In addition to the classy/timeless/glamorous inspiration, I wanted the wedding to have important personal touches. This is why I opted to arrange my own bouquet (details below) rather than paying for one to be made. Wanting personal touches was also reflected in my choice of earrings, the only jewelry I wore. We also wrote our vows on hotel stationary the night before the wedding – I’m actually working now to find the perfect frame so that we can hang them in our bedroom.
My dress was by Karen Willis Holmes. I absolutely adore the designer! I bought the dress at the KWH bouquet in NYC and the staff were just as lovely as the dress. I had never worn a sequin or anything sparkly in my life, but I just fell in love with the elegance & timeless simplicity of the gown. My goal is to be able to wear it again in 20 years when we renew our vows :) In Paris, of course :) We'll look you up!
My shoes were Steve Madden and I am happy to report that they have survived 6+ months without being eaten/torn apart by our dear 1 year old golden retriever, Charli :)
I opted to keep my jewelry simple & sentimental. I'm a "less is more" kind of girl, so I thought that the dress had enough sparkle on its own. As a result, I only wore earrings - no necklace or bracelet. The earrings were a gift from my darling sister - another reason why I chose to wear them. I'm all about the meaningful little details :)
I adore flowers - I always try to have fresh flowers in our home. So I was excited to be in a city like Paris that celebrates & appreciates beautiful fresh flowers. I had planned to go to little flower market to pick out flowers to arrange, but I admit that the streets of Paris drew me in on that first day and I completely lost track of time. It was after 10PM on the night before our wedding that I realized that I had forgotten to pick up flowers. My wonderful friend, Rebekah, tracked down a 24 hour flower shop and offered to pick up some flowers for me to arrange. Only in Paris would there be a flowers shop open 24 hours a day! I arranged the bouquet moments before we said I do. I absolutely adored it - simple, natural, classic. Peonies & lavender will always remind of that beautiful day in Paris.
I gravitate to the timeless and classy. When my now-husband went shopping for his tux, he asked me if I had any tips/requests. I said that if it looked like something Cary Grant would wear, I would approve. In the end, I think he looked more like James Bond in a tux and I wasn’t at all disappointed ;-) For my dress, I was looking for a timeless, classy piece that was both simple and glamorous. I kind of have a test for the “classy/timeless” – if the dress looks like something Grace Kelly could have worn and I could conceivably wear it again in 20 years, it’s golden. Indeed, the Anya definitely passed that test.
In addition to the classy/timeless/glamorous inspiration, I wanted the wedding to have important personal touches. This is why I opted to arrange my own bouquet (details below) rather than paying for one to be made. Wanting personal touches was also reflected in my choice of earrings, the only jewelry I wore. We also wrote our vows on hotel stationary the night before the wedding – I’m actually working now to find the perfect frame so that we can hang them in our bedroom.
My dress was by Karen Willis Holmes. I absolutely adore the designer! I bought the dress at the KWH bouquet in NYC and the staff were just as lovely as the dress. I had never worn a sequin or anything sparkly in my life, but I just fell in love with the elegance & timeless simplicity of the gown. My goal is to be able to wear it again in 20 years when we renew our vows :) In Paris, of course :) We'll look you up!
My shoes were Steve Madden and I am happy to report that they have survived 6+ months without being eaten/torn apart by our dear 1 year old golden retriever, Charli :)
I opted to keep my jewelry simple & sentimental. I'm a "less is more" kind of girl, so I thought that the dress had enough sparkle on its own. As a result, I only wore earrings - no necklace or bracelet. The earrings were a gift from my darling sister - another reason why I chose to wear them. I'm all about the meaningful little details :)
I adore flowers - I always try to have fresh flowers in our home. So I was excited to be in a city like Paris that celebrates & appreciates beautiful fresh flowers. I had planned to go to little flower market to pick out flowers to arrange, but I admit that the streets of Paris drew me in on that first day and I completely lost track of time. It was after 10PM on the night before our wedding that I realized that I had forgotten to pick up flowers. My wonderful friend, Rebekah, tracked down a 24 hour flower shop and offered to pick up some flowers for me to arrange. Only in Paris would there be a flowers shop open 24 hours a day! I arranged the bouquet moments before we said I do. I absolutely adored it - simple, natural, classic. Peonies & lavender will always remind of that beautiful day in Paris.