Guide · Weddings in Paris

Paris wedding photographer: portrait locations and light

If you are getting married in Paris, the portraits are what couples think about most beforehand. These are the places that work best and how to fit them to the daylight.

The places that work best

Pont Alexandre III, with its lamps and views of the Seine. The Luxembourg Gardens, for calm portraits among trees and statues. Île Saint-Louis, with narrow streets and little traffic. Montmartre, with its stairways and corners. The Palais Royal gardens and Place des Vosges, quieter than the big icons. And the Trocadéro, with the Eiffel Tower behind you, best first thing in the morning.

The Eiffel Tower, without the crowds

It is the most requested backdrop and also the busiest, especially from June to August. In peak season the advice is sunrise, or choosing a nearby viewpoint rather than the foot of the tower itself. Terraces and rooftops with views are another, more private option.

Light and timing

In summer the sun rises around 5:47 and sets close to 9:56 pm, so there is plenty of room: portraits can be done at sunrise or left to the end of the afternoon. In winter it rises around 8:38 and sets around 4:55 pm; with so few hours, the portraits have to fit a specific slot in the day.

How to organise it

Two or three well chosen locations beat a long route. Allow more travel time than you think, because Paris traffic is heavy. If a place has rules or permits for photography, they are checked beforehand. And with the location decided in advance, the portraits are done quickly and the couple goes back to their guests.

If you are getting married in Paris

Tell me the date, the place and how many of you there are: I will suggest a schedule and two or three specific locations for your wedding.

Daylight times are approximate. Places and their rules can change: confirm them before the wedding.