Katy and Mark’s destination wedding in Paris is perfectly Parisian in every way! From the accordion player serenading the couple during the ceremony to the reception at the fabulously chic Saint James Paris, this was certainly an affair to remember. As Audrey Hepburn herself once said, “Paris is always a good idea!”

The Couple: Katy and Mark

The Wedding: 7.8.2013 – Commanderie du Clos Montmartre and Saint James Paris, Paris, France

The Goals: Paris has always had a special place in my heart. To me, it is the most beautiful and romantic place in the world! Mark and I were lucky to travel there together last spring, where we got engaged at Versailles. When starting to think about our wedding, planning a big affair at home just didn’t feel right. One night, we had the “crazy” idea to run off to Paris for our wedding, and thought “why not”? It was the best decision we could have made.

The Design: Both Mark and I wanted to embrace a bold colour palette, and choose deep burgundy, red, emerald green, and navy as our colours of choice. We had seen a lot of beautiful weddings with blush colour schemes, but they didn’t speak to us. Thinking of Paris reminds us of red wine, leather banquettes, smoky jazz clubs, and tree lined boulevards, and we wanted to incorporate these feelings into a bolder brighter palette that was bursting with the emotional romance of Paris!

The Location: When searching for a wedding venue for our ceremony, we were looking for a small outdoor location that felt truly Parisian. We found the Commanderie, a small stone garden located right in the heart of Montmartre. It was intimate and private, but we were surrounded by the sights and sounds of Montmartre, one of our favourite Paris neighbourhoods, right outside the garden gates.

Because we had only a small group of 20 guests with us, we wanted a reception space that felt intimate, but allowed us to really “wow” everyone. The Saint James was the perfect choice. It is a private hotel located in the heart of Paris, with a very eclectic and bold design that is truly jaw dropping. When guests arrived, we headed to the back garden, which used to be the launching grounds for hot air balloons. Now, the hot air balloons serve as pop-up champagne bars. Inside, we had a private room for dinner service, where we sat at one long table, and had an incredible 5 course classic french meal.

The Moments: My favorite moment happened after the conclusion of our ceremony, when Mark and I walked up the garden stairs, and turned around to look at our guests (and the many tourists that had gathered outside the garden) and had a celebratory kiss. It was the most perfect moment, hearing our accordion player in the background, sharing our joy with our closest family and friends, and looking out over the Paris rooftops in the distance. It just felt like a dream come true, and we were so extremely overwhelmed with joy in that moment.

The Advice: We had to leave a lot to chance; planning a wedding from halfway across the world requires a lot of patience, and letting go of being in control of the little details. This turned out to be the best decision we made, as we were able to focus on each other and our excitement during this special time in our lives, and not get too wrapped up in wedding planning stress. We recommend a destination wedding to all couples!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Ophelia and Romeo Photographers
Event Planner: Nancy LaTart of Fête in France
Ceremony Venue: Commanderie du Clos Montmartre
Reception Venue: Saint James Paris
Videographer: Ophelia and Romeo Photographers
Florist: Arène Diffusion
Cake: Wedding Cake Ladurée
Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca
Bridal Accessories: Elsa Corsi
Bridal Shoes: John Fluevog
Hair & Makeup: Sanni Sorma

Thank you Katy and Mark for sharing your perfect Paris wedding with us!

Thinking of an intimate affair? Check out this classic wedding on Long Beach Island!