CHATEAU DE SCEAUX
Castle ceremony package
For 2 or up to 12 people
Package price: €3700
Deposit: €250
We accept bookings from 5 days to 12 months
A castle is a fairytale setting, perfect for couples seeking a luxurious wedding. While there are castle alternatives in the US and worldwide, why not marry in a real French castle?
We invite you to elope to a real french château (French for “castle”) called Château de Sceaux, pronounced “So”. We create your personalized elopement, help with planning and listen to your vision.
the problem?
Public castle means it's free to enter and no additional rental cost.
A wedding in a real French castle is a dream for many, but costs can be high, with private châteaux renting for €6-7,000 for a half-day. Booking can be difficult, with no rescheduling for bad weather, and other expenses quickly add up.
We offer a completely unique idea. A wedding ceremony at a public castle called Chateau de Sceaux. It is a public castle open for people, where we can plan a ceremony and a photoshoot.
planning
-Planning by Helen and Tim (email and WhatsApp)
-Day coordination by Tim
cerem0ny
-Ceremony outdoors, at a public castle Chateau de Sceaux
-English-speaking ceremony Officiant
-Symbolic certificates
photography
-ceremony, 1 hour for the castle and 1 location in Paris
-150 edited high-resolution images
FLOWERS
-Bridal bouquet
-Groom's bouttoniere
TRANSPORTATION
-Transportation for two (couple only) from beginning to the end
hair and makeup
-Bridal hair and makeup
-Artist's travel fees in Paris
for the two of you
with up to 10 guests
DE SCEAUX
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
Chateau
total €3700
all about your
symbolic
ceremony
Wedding ceremony. Includes everything you need to be married: I do's, vows, ring exchange, certificates. You can get legally married before or after your trip to Paris.
As a tourist, there is no possibility to get married in Paris legally. We offer a beautiful alternative, a symbolic ceremony.
Vow renewal ceremony. A beautiful way to celebrate your relationship and recommit to your spouse. You can be married 1 year, 10 years or 60 years.
ceremony locations
The Main View
The best view for an elopement with a larger number of guests. The area is spacious and offers a great frontal view of the castle.
The Garden side
Perfect for small ceremonies up to 4-5 guests. Fresh and unique, with plenty of greenery. The French formal garden, also called the jardin à la française.
if
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR:
the officiant
Our team includes experienced officiants who create personalized, heartfelt ceremonies. They ensure your special day is meaningful and uniquely yours.
symbolic certificates
Although you can't legally marry in France, our symbolic certificates are a beautiful keepsake of your special day.
romantic experience
Choose the perfect ceremony location and celebrate in an authentic French château.
FRENCH CASTLES
ARE LIKE LIVING PAINTINGS
— KING Louis XIII
couples enjoy
the FRENCH
ARCHITECTURE
A French castle is more than just a wedding venue; it is a beautifully preserved historical gem.
Castles have always been part of supremely important events in world history.
Do you love French architecture? At this castle, weddings once began in the late afternoon and continued all night, with some lasting well into the next day!
easy wedding
location
Château de Sceaux is a public castle open to everyone. Being a public castle means that entry is free, and there is no additional rental cost.
Not only does this allow you to save money, but it also means stress-free planning.
You won't have to wait for dates to be approved, deal with large deposits, sign venue rental contracts, or pay castle hire fees. Instead, you’ll enjoy complete flexibility.
We simply drive to the castle and have our wedding there.
Chateau de Sceaux works as a museum and a public park.
Unfortunately, we cannot take photos inside, but the park is open for elopement ceremonies. The best thing we love about this château is that entry is free, yet it's not crowded. The tourists have no idea about this castle. From Monday to Friday, it stays empty, as if we are the only ones who have visited it.
And the best thing?
THE that FEELS
ALL YOURS
castle
If we arrive early on a weekday, you'll get the illusion of having a completely private castle all to yourself, with no one else around.
maegen and t'andre,
may 2023
I was so nervous about planning a castle wedding in another country since we live in Texas.
Helen answered all my questions and made the entire process fun and easy.
Our family and friends are completely obsessed with our wedding photos!
"OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH OUR WEDDING PHOTOS!"
IT'S EASY TO FEEL LIKE A PRINCESS WHEN YOU'RE TRANSPORTED TO A REAL-LIFE FANTASY LAND.
but
different
Perfect for those couples who want something very French, but not cliché. If you want your wedding to be truly unique, you may be considering a place that will really set your ceremony apart. Chateau de Sceaux fits your personality as a couple.
REAL-LIFE FAIRYTALE
Can’t find your perfect ceremony venue because your dream place is an enchanted, fictional castle? Chateau de Sceaux is very much real, with fairy-tale landscapes.
The kind of place that turns your wedding into an experience rather than just an event.
VERSAILLES?
Better!
The park is designed by André Le Nôtre, a principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France. He was a famous French landscape architect. He designed the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, the Tuileries in Paris, Greenwich Park in London, and many more.
André Le Nôtre's work represents the height of the French formal garden style. He was a garden genius.
castle
near Paris
Start with Paris
Enjoy Eiffel Tower or Louvre.
Castle ceremony
Then drive to the castle for the most romantic ceremony.
Castle portraits
And celebrate your marriage with a castle portrait photoshoot with Tim.
Chateau de Sceaux is located very close to Paris, just a 30 minute ride away. This means you can drive there, exchange rings and vows at your ceremony, and drive back. Other famous and private castles are so far from Paris that they require a full day trip for a short visit. However, you can incorporate Chateau de Sceaux into your wedding day in Paris.
DAY TO BOOK
TO AVOID PEOPLE?
Chateau de Sceaux is a public castle, so there might be other visitors. It's rarely crowded, but you may see some people, as the castle is not privatized.
But no worries. Tourists are generally unaware of this place. Locals usually visit Chateau de Sceaux only on weekends. During weekdays, it remains quite empty. So, it’s simple: just choose any day from Monday to Friday, arrive early, and enjoy the view. If there are a few people around, we can edit them out of the photos.
Why isn’t the castle more popular? Simply because other castles like Versailles are more famous among tourists, and locals are busy working during the week.
Chateau de Sceaux is a true hidden gem.
easy to
plan
We made the planning process as simple as possible. We ask questions about couple's wishes and expectations on every step. We use questionnaires to collect and save information. That's what our couples fill in to personalize their wedding day.
We ask brides to create their inspirational Pinterest boards, send references for hair and makeup and choose photoshoot locations. Our couples can plan a destination wedding from home just in 4-5 evenings when they have free time.
Perfect for introverts and busy couples!
save
your
precious time
booking
-We confirm everyone's availability.
-You send one deposit to us, and we distribute it to the vendors.
-We reserve your date with a PayPal deposit and book the vendors.
-We handle all technical questions from vendors, so you don't have to.
planning & coordination
How can this all-inclusive Chateau de Sceaux package save you time? Simple. Consider the hours spent finding and booking just one wedding professional. You’d search on Google or Instagram, connect through social media, compare prices and portfolios, and then, if only everything looks good, schedule a chat. You’d need to talk to at least 5-6 people to find the right match who is available and suits your needs. Now, multiply that by 10 to find your ideal wedding team. Factor in choosing a venue, planning the ceremony, handling logistics (OH MY!), and coordinating vendors and transportation—especially from overseas—and it becomes incredibly stressful and time-consuming.
With us you book all your vendors in one place with one Paypal deposit,
the planning process will be fun and never overcomplicated:
-One week before the wedding, we start monitoring the weather to ensure there is no rain on your big day.
-We plan your perfect timeline based on weather, traffic, and chosen locations.
-We make sure your vision is executed properly.
-We ensure everyone follows the timeline.
-If something takes longer than expected, we coordinate the rest. For example, if your makeup takes 40 minutes longer than planned, we will notify the officiant.
-We handle all wedding logistics.
flowers
-We gather information about your preferred flowers, and brides send us their "dream bouquet."
-We then take care of the rest. We contact the florist to confirm the chosen flowers are in season. If they are, we place the order and coordinate delivery.
-One day before the elopement, we pick up the bouquet from the florist.
-On the day of the elopement, we deliver it to your location.
hair and makeup
-We ask our brides to find inspirational hair and makeup photos.
-We then create a group chat with our makeup artist for you to discuss your desired look.
-You only need to discuss the look you want; we handle the rest, including adding makeup to the timeline and sharing your address.
-Our makeup artist helps to put the dress on.
-She also helps with the veil and accessories.
photoshoot
-We plan your photoshoot route based on available locations.
-Tim helps with posing and gives guidance. Tim explains every single pose.
-Our photoshoot is location-based rather than hour-based, ensuring you visit all planned spots even if there are delays. We make sure you visit all as planned even if you stuck in traffic for 1 hour.
ceremony
-We prepare your personalized ceremony script.
-We plan the ceremony based on the weather and coordinate with the officiant.
-Before the ceremony, we meet with the officiant to ensure she arrives on time.
-The officiant also meets the guests near their Uber drop off.
-If you have a first look planned, the officiant will meet the groom near his Uber drop off and help with the first look.
on the wedding day
-We ensure everything goes as planned.
-Any issues will be handled by Tim, so you don't need to worry.
-If needed, we'll assist with restrooms or drive to the nearest cafe for a takeaway coffee if you're running out of energy.
rain
-If there’s a chance of rain and the couple decides to postpone, we select the best available date. We contact all vendors to confirm they can adjust to the new date, whether it's a few days earlier or later.
-We also coordinate with the florist to ensure flowers are picked up on the new date, so you receive a fresh bouquet even if the wedding is postponed by 2-3 days.
-We then re-plan the timeline and coordinate with vendors for the rescheduled date.
We work only during the sunrise. To avoid crowds at the castle and in Paris, and capture the best light. The spots get busy from 11 AM to late night, so morning is the only time popular spots like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre are empty.
We plan all our ceremonies at sunrise. Here is an approximate idea of what to expect.
winter elopement
november to march
5-7 AM hair and makeup
8-10 AM Paris photoshoot
11 AM Ceremony at the castle followed by a castle photoshoot for the couple
1 PM driving back to the hotel
ELOPEMENT DAY TIMELINE
summer elopement
April to october
4-6 AM hair and makeup
7-9 AM Paris photoshoot
10 AM Ceremony at the castle followed by a castle photoshoot for the couple
12 PM driving back to the hotel
FLOWERS
Eloping doesn’t mean you can’t have stunning flowers.
Helen will create arrangements that perfectly match your vision, with color palettes ranging from cream, blush, and white to vibrant hues.
What is included:
-One bridal bouquet
-Groom's bouttoniere
For same-sex elopements, we’ll customize the flowers, Whether that means adding a second bouquet or replacing it with an additional boutonniere.
bridal glam
hair and
makeup
The Chateau de Sceaux includes professional hair and makeup for the bride at your hotel or Airbnb in Paris.
A few weeks before your elopement, we'll set up a chat with the artist to go over the details. On the day, the artist will arrive in the morning to help you get ready and create the bridal look you love.
transportation
To plan the day's logistics, we need just two things: the couple’s hotel address and a list of your chosen photoshoot locations. We’ll use this information to create the most efficient route, minimizing time spent in traffic.
At this time, there is no possibility to upgrade the package with a vintage car for Paris locations, since the default program and photoshoot is already long and packed.
Tim, owner of Do It Paris Way, is a professional wedding photographer offering a complete photography package. It includes ceremony photos, a castle portrait shoot, and sessions at two Paris locations. For your after-ceremony photoshoot at Château de Sceaux, Tim guides you through the best views around the castle.
We always help with posing and give full guidance on posing for both the castle and Paris locations.
You can also contact us to receive a list of videographers we recommend.
WE INCLUDE:
THE PHOTOGRAPHY
-Ceremony, castle and Paris photos
-For Paris, you can choose your one dream location
-150 edited images
-Posing guidance and help
-A mix of formal and elegant, with candid and passionate
SEND US A MESSAGE TO SEE A FULL LIST OF PARIS LOCATIONS
€3700
all included
The final package price is €3700, all taxes and fees included. To reserve a date, a €250 PayPal deposit and signed contract are required. We accept bookings from 12 months up to 5 days before your wedding date.
10
guests max
We accommodate a maximum of 10 guests, including both kids and adults, with a total of 12 people including the couple. This limit is non negotiable, and we do not accept bookings with more than 10 guests.
Leave
No trace elopement
In our public ceremony locations (like Trocadero, Tuileries etc), leave no trace elopement in the city means having a simple, intimate wedding that leaves no environmental footprint. We do not allow any decorations, flowers, tables. It is simply not legal. For all our public place ceremonies, we kindly ask not to bring any unsustainable items like rose petals or confetti, fake butterflies, as well as music, food, or other decorations. It's all about real love, respecting Paris and its locals, and planning responsibly. Remember, outdoor spaces are public!
12 months
best time to book
The best time to start planning is 10-12 months before the wedding, but we often handle last-minute elopements with just a few days' notice.
OUTDOOR
photos only
The castle is a museum, and only outdoor photos are allowed, just in the park and gardens.
mon-fri
Only weekdays
We only book this castle elopement package on weekdays, Monday to Friday. The castle gets crowded with local visitors on weekends.
No calls
text only
As wedding planners, we focus on communication through emails and chats to streamline the planning process. While we understand that some couples may prefer Zoom calls, we’ve found that written communication allows us to stay organized and provide detailed responses.
you already know
Let’s get you married
Paris is your dream city
Experience the fun of a Parisian elopement. Connect with us to start your journey.