Let me introduce a sweet couple from Singapore — Alvin and Tong Tong. Their engagement in Paris I was shooting in May. The decision to come to Europe was based on common desire to travel before the big day and to create in photos a romantic story of love.
Tong Tong and Alvin
During the time spent together, I learned some facts about Asian culture and their traditions and shared with the brides my experience of European society. Moreover, as a luxury wedding photographer I managed to improve my professional skills and enrich the portfolio of my studio. Moreover, Tong Tong convinced me one more time that there is nothing impossible in the world since she brought Paris 3 fantastic wedding gowns and evening dresses and did change them during the wedding photo session in the very heart of the city.
Planning a pre-wedding trip from Singapore to Europe
But let me speak in detail about everything that happened. Tong Tong and Alvin planned a pre-wedding Euro trip. They marked Zurich, Paris, Prague, and Vienna as ‘must-see’ cities. After Switzerland and its capital, we met with the brides in Paris.
The plan for our wedding photoset in Paris was as simple as that. But, first, we got up early in the morning. Early means very early — at 5 a.m., because we realized that if we don’t want to have shoots overcrowded with tourists, it’s better to have an early rise.
I know that many human beings like to sleep even more than ice cream, and I’m not an exception. And such a task as to have an early rise was not the brightest idea at all, but we did it, and we’re really happy in the end: the brides enjoyed the morning city and its sights, and I managed to catch incredibly romantic moments.
So that very warm spring morning, we began our tour around Paris sights and streets. The first place to go was Montmartre, a hill 130 meters high. By the way, from this most elevated place in the city opens a picturesque view of the capital of France. In photos and in reality, Montmartre is very calm and romantic until thousands of tourists leave the hotels and start exploring. And if you are strong enough, as Tong Tong and Alvin, to wake up early, you will feel this unique morning ambiance of Paris.
How does it differ from the day atmosphere? Only a few people start their working day so early. For example, bakers opening the first cafes with coffee and croissants are among early risers. They allowed us to have a delicious breakfast.
What locations did we use for the photoshoot in Paris?
Park Monceau
After the mountain tour, we rolled down the hill and took the metro.
The following venue was one of the city’s most beautiful parks — Park Monceau. It’s situated not far from the city center. The park is lined with roads for walking, jogging, and other activities. Parisians and tourists come there to rest and enjoy the calm atmosphere. Alvin and Tong Tong even took some notes to forward the name of that place to their friends, so impressed they were.
What I like most of all about taking wedding photos in morning Paris is the light. It’s amazingly soft and a bit foggy. Thus it gave me, wedding photographer to take beautiful pictures in Parc Monceau. The place is open daily and is located close to Charles de Gol square with famous Triumphal Arch. If you are interested in finding this place simply follow the map of the city or use your gadget with an electronic map or email me.
The Eiffel Tower
Any Wedding photoshoot in Paris is not complete without The Eiffel Tower climb.
This is the most popular and easily recognizable place of interest in Paris, which symbolizes the capital and the whole country. Therefore, in our must-see list, the Tower was marked as an essential and even obligatory spot. But we planned to take photos in front of it. Thus we had to walk not toward but backward. We had a fantastic view and great composition for pictures in a wedding dress in front of the Elf Tower.
At the begging of Champ de Mars we came across a very interesting installation. On several glass walls are written the three strongest words in the world. Because of these three words wars were burned up as well as finished. When two people utter these three words they start a new common life. “I love you” phrase is written there on many different languages. It was hard to count the exact number, but frankly speaking we didn’t try.
Champ de Mars was free of people. There, one can walk, enjoy the beauty of the Eiffel Tower, and get inspired by the magnetic atmosphere that attracts people worldwide.
Vertical Gardens near Quai Branly
The next photo stop we had was near Quai Branly Jacques Chirac museum (www.quaibranly.fr)
There, one can find a modern place of interest created by the famous designer Patrik Blanc. He was the first person who created vertical gardens and implemented this technique worldwide. It’s hard to imagine, but the typical lawn is on the wall of a building. You may read about other projects of this talented artist on his website www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com
Mary and Alvin are sophisticated travelers, but even they got amazed when they see such a thing for the first time. Genuine feelings of what they experienced are visible in Paris’s pre-wedding photos.
It was the end of the first part. After the morning photo session in Paris, we went to sleep to discover new places in the evening. May is an excellent month for a pre-wedding trip to Europe!
Update. See the continuation of our cooperation with Alvin and Mary in Singapore: