Tell us a little about yourselves!
I grew up in Ontario Canada and Eric grew up in Dallas, Texas. Eric and I were friends for years before we started dating about 4 years ago. We seek out new experiences both independently and together. Both of us love travelling and the opportunity to expand our knowledge and perspective of the world. We value the summers we have spent living in Greece and would love to experience living in other parts of the world. Although we love adventures, we also love a relaxing day enjoying the outdoors, watching movies and cooking!
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We love travelling and exploring new places together. We also wanted an intimate wedding with close family and friends, people who have been truly impactful in our lives and relationship. So, we decided that a small destination wedding would be the best way to authentically celebrate our love! We were specifically drawn to Paris because of the city's dreamy and romantic atmosphere and the family ties we have there. It seemed like the perfect place where we could make new memories together and celebrate with family.
How many guests did you have?
We had 44 guests.
What was your budget?
$25,000.
Tell us about your outfits.
I wore a dress designed by Ines Di Santo with custom sleeves. I wanted a simple and elegant dress that would be timeless. The sleeves are sheer with 6-inch buttoned cuffs. I paired this dress with a long lace veil, which I felt perfectly complemented and added to my dress. I wore simple white heels with two straps.
Eric wore a simple black fitted suit with a black tie and black shoes. Like my dress, we wanted a timeless and sophisticated look.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspect in terms of planning was making sure our wedding was authentic to us as a couple. It was important to get in touch with what we truly wanted and plan our wedding based on those preferences, rather than what is often expected at weddings. We decided to forgo some wedding traditions that were not important to us, and instead put our time and money toward the things that we felt truly mattered. We wanted a wedding day that was in a special place, filled with the people most close to us. Ultimately it was important for us to cultivate an environment and plan a day that would make us feel happy and connected to each other.
More specifically, some of the most important aspects in planning was the location and the photographer. The location was a big priority - we wanted to have our wedding in a special place where we could explore and make new memories with family. A photographer was incredibly important because we wanted our day to be captured in a unique and authentic way, so that we have memories we can always look back on. It was important to us that specific moments and feelings from the day were captured through the photos.
To me, finding a dress that was my style and made me feel confident was important!
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
It was important for us to incorporate family into our ceremony. We included a wedding tradition from Eric’s Greek heritage, where Greek wedding crowns that were attached by lace were placed onto our heads. Eric’s aunt explained the symbolism of the crowns and my brother officiated the ceremony.
Any tips for couples getting married?
At the beginning of planning decide what is most important to you and plan those aspects first to make sure you have room in your budget. Remember that ultimately this day is about celebrating your love as a couple. Try to preserve that and don’t let the stress of planning or minor hiccups/details distract you from the joy of what the event is all about! Don’t let outside opinions and preferences prevent you from staying true to what you and your partner truly want on your wedding day.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Both my florist, Jo Loake from Posie & Plume and my photographer, Fanni Herman were amazing!
There was some extra anxiety planning a wedding in a country across the world. The inability to communicate with people or visit locations in-person created some uncertainty. However, Fanni Herman Photography was incredibly helpful by recommending other vendors to me, doing extensive research and scouting locations the day before our wedding. Fanni went above and beyond to take on extra responsibilities and was truly invested in our entire wedding. Beyond that, she captured authentic moments and produced beautiful photos that we will value forever.
Jo from Posie & Plume was easy to communicate with and created beautiful florals. She really listened to my preferences and used her creativity and knowledge to bring my vision to life!
Photographer: Fanni Herman Photography @fanni_herman | Flora: Posie & Plume @posieandplume_ | Reception Location: Rooftop Airbnb Paris, France | Celebrant: Allie's Brother | Hair & Makeup: Allie did her own | Catering + Beverages: Noura @noura_france | Cake: Yann Couvreur Patisserie @yanncouvreur | Dress: Ines Di Santo @inesdisanto from Frankie Jane Couture @frankiejanecouturebridal | Second Dress: Shona Joy @shonajoy | Suit: Suit Supply @suitsupply | Veil: Toni Federici @tonifedericiveils | Engagement Ring & Wedding Rings: Sundance Jewellery @sundancecatalog | Shoes: Schutz @schutz | Earrings: Mejuri @mejuri