Meet Dani and Adan, the best friends and food lovers. They both live in Chicago. Outside of work, they enjoy trying new restaurants, hitting the dance floor with friends, and working out together. Travel enthusiasts, they make time for adventures when they're not busy managing their careers.
elopement details:
Season: Late August
Package: Carousel, plus vintage car rent and extra locations
Ceremony: Trocadero
Photos: Trocadero, Louvre, Tuileries, Arc de Triomphe and Shangri La Hotel
The Weather: Perfect Sunny Day
Dani and Adan met in 2014
The Highlights
romance, fun
and fashion
Dani said: "We chose Paris on a whim. It was the city I've always wanted to visit. We thought what better place to elope than the most romantic city in the world."
For the Do It Paris Way team the challenge was to craft a magical Parisian celebration: romantic, elegant, yet low-key. Balance the sophistication with a relaxed vibe.
The couple's story begins here.
Dani wanted a unique day, with beautiful photos worth a fashion magazine. But she did not want to stress too much over the planning and preparations; Dani and Adan wanted a wow result with minimal stress created.
Dani shared a story about her dress by Ines Di Santo "I didn't have high expectations when my mom and I decided to go look at dresses in Chicago. But, sure enough, we found my dress at a bridal boutique. A drop-waist silhouette, sleeveless, with a poufy skirt. I picked this dress because I loved the color and the poufyness."
"Here's a travel tip for brides with a big wedding dress: ask the flight attendants if you can store it in the pilot's coat closet. It saved me a lot of stress on my special day!' - Dani
dani's bridal look
BOOKING A VINTAGE CAR
the ceremony
Dani picked a ceremony at Trocadero. Trocadero is a beautiful Eiffel Tower view that is available for ceremonies during the summer months.
The ceremony was really special. Adan put a ring on Dani's finger, and Dani did the same for Adan. They both shared promises they wrote themselves, talking about their love and adventures. There were some happy tears and lots of laughter.
CHAMPAGNE
In beautiful Paris, Dani and Adan said their vows, and after, had a special moment with Champagne. With the Eiffel Tower in the background, the couple lifted their glasses. Drinking champagne with a view at Trocadero. Cheers!
Dani and Adan wanted to have a nice car to drive around Paris and take photos. They booked an additional option, a car from @retromotorscollection.
The car was there for 2 hours. We provide full transportation, so the couple does not need to book a vintage car for a long time. 2 hours is just enough to take some pictures.
And in case you were wondering, here is the timeline of the day:
4:20 AM - Makeup and hair artist Yana arrives at the hotel for bridal hair and makeup. Adan gets ready in the same room.
6:00 AM - Yana finishes her work and helps Dani put her dress on. Packing bags and heading down.
6:45 AM - Pickup.
7:00 AM - Trocadero ceremony.
Photoshoot: Trocadero - Louvre Pyramids - Tuileries Garden.
10:30 AM - Vintage car arrives at Arc de Triomphe for car photoshoot (extra purchased).
Drive back to the hotel. Shangri-La shoot with vintage car and indoor portraits (extra purchased).
Transportation is included in the package, and we handled all the logistics and directions. A stress-free experience for the couple as they simply enjoyed the ride from one location to another.
For the photoshoot, brides's request was to have a calm and candid posing "I would like the final result to come out chic. I'd like us to look relaxed and happy." - Dani
the tuileries
We continued our photo journey with a charming shoot at the Tuileries, capturing beautiful moments at the gardens. Hold hands and walk together, candind and simple poses.
As you can see from the color of the trees, the Tuileries start turning yellow closer to late August.
couple's shangri la portraits
I came to Paris with
no stress....
AND LEFT MARRIED!
— DANI
Dani and Adan,
thank you!
Dani and Adan's sweet story inspired us and we are grateful the couple booked our services.
Wishing a lifetime of joy and laughter for this wonderful couple!
Behind the Scenes: From the Team
A day without any stress was my job. Dani and Adan also asked for help explaining posing for photos, which I gladly did. I worked with the couple so that they would not worry about any single detail and could enjoy the atmosphere. During editing, we removed the people from the background and made the photos clean:
tim: planning and photography
I worked with Dani from the beginning. I tried to do everything just the way she asked, like for example the bouquet is 100% match and exactly what she envisioned. I used ivory and pink roses, with other white flowers:
Helen: communication and flowers
Working with Dani and Adan was an absolute joy. I had a pleasure to officiate the ceremony and also helped during the photoshoot. I helped with the dress, and fixed dress, hair, makeup, flowers when needed. After the ceremony, I was their personal assistant for the shoot.
olga: the ceremony
"My favorite part about this ceremony was the vows, Adan's words and mine." - Dani
and the photoshoot begins!
louvre pyramids
We arrived to the famous Louvre Museum for our second location. During the photoshoot, we always help the couple with outfits and posing. We placed the dress so the bride doesn't have to worry about it.
Dani and Adan purchased an additional option for hotel photos. Their hotel was a beautiful Shangri La.
Originally, for most weddings, getting ready and hotel photos begin the day. However, for a Paris elopement, that is not possible. The hotel photoshoot always comes last since we leave very early. We always pick the couple up before sunrise, and it's too dark to shoot at the hotel at that time.
Please note that to take photos at Shangri la, the couple should book a room there and get permission from hotel management by email.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When Dani and Adan received their images, they wrote us: "Helen and Tim made my dreams become a reality! They are so incredibly organized and proactive about the whole planning process. I came to Paris with no stress and left married - it was the best decision my husband and I could have made. I would recommend Helen and Tim to anyone considering eloping."
Thinking about Dani and Adan's case study brings a warm smile. Their love story, filled with genuine moments and stylish photos in the heart of Paris, is just so beautiful.
My goal was to do a light bridal look that enhanced Dani's natural beauty. Very light, nothing too heavy or never cakey. She is a gorgeous bride and it was such a pleasure. Loved every single minute.
Yana: hair and makeup
