Imagine attending a Wedding in Paris France at a beautiful 17th century cathedral. As guests slowly walked through the streets of Île Saint-Louis and entered Église Saint-Louis-en-l’Île, everything immediately felt as if you were back hundreds of years. Your breath is taken away by the beauty.
The glow from the chandeliers, the gold details along the walls, and the painted ceilings is what makes this cathedral feel historic and beautiful. You could hear a French choir singing throughout the ceremony, their voices echoing through the church while guests quietly found their seats. Having the choir sang in French really made this Paris France wedding feel authentic.
The ceremony itself felt incredibly personal and emotional. Around 70 + guests from all over the world gathered together for a traditional Catholic mass inside the cathedral.
During the ceremony, the couple included meaningful traditions like the lasso and veil placed over their shoulders. They share a first kiss, a smile at the alter, and concluded with walking back down the aisle where guests waved ribbons and celebrated! It was romantic, peaceful, and one of those experiences that makes a wedding in Paris feel so special.
Catholic Paris Wedding
The bride (Filipina) and the groom (French) are both catholic. For their wedding in Paris France, they decided to have a full mass at the groom’s family church. It dates back to the 17th century, and you can only get married here if your family goes to church here, or got married here in the past. For the groom, his great grandparents got married here, and so, it was tradition that they do the same.
After the ceremony, the couple drove through the streets of Paris in a classic vintage Citroën Traction Avant while their guests gathered around them cheering and celebrating. As they popped up through the roof laughing and kissing, it felt like a real Paris movie moment happening right in front of everyone. It was joyful, exciting, and such a fun way to end the ceremony before heading into the rest of the wedding reception at the chateau outside of Paris.
A joyful Château de Santeny Reception
After the ceremony in Paris, everyone made their way to Château de Santeny for the reception celebrations. The couple spent most of their portrait time exploring the castle grounds together before joining cocktail hour. We did wedding party portraits and took advantage of the space for bride and groom portraits. Finishing the afternoon, we did a first look of the wedding reception area.
One of the most personal parts of cocktail hour was watching the groom play guitar alongside the musicians. Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed traditional French wedding details like the candy-covered almonds placed at each table setting, which symbolize happiness, health, and good fortune for the couple’s marriage.
As the night continued, the reception became louder, more joyful, and incredibly fun. The couple included traditional Filipino wedding games during the reception, which kept guests laughing and fully involved throughout the night. Between the dancing, champagne tower, macaroon tower, and fireworks outside the château, there was always something happening. Weddings in France are known for celebrating late into the night, and this one was no different. The dance floor stayed full well past 1am as guests continued celebrating together inside the château.
Wedding in Paris France
Getting to Photograph this wedding in Paris France on behalf of Emily Choy was a dream come true. I was already in the city for another wedding of my own that I was photographing. So getting to help out a friend was the best way to celebrate my birthday. I loved getting to photograph a wedding that held both French and Filipino traditions.
If you are having a wedding in Paris (or anywhere in France), I would love to photograph your wedding! You can learn more about the packages for your destination wedding in France here.
