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Article by — Tim
planned 300 elopements in Paris
who is this article for
By mild, we mean that there is no rain/storm season and no heat season. The weather is generally pleasant throughout the year. Because Paris has large open spaces, it is also a fairly breezy. As for humidity, we would not say it is particularly high, although there are rainy days. There is no rainy season in France. Rain is more common in September, October, and November, and it can also happen during spring and winter. However, rains are usually short.
Paris climaite in general
Winter usually lasts from November through February. The warmer season begins in May and continues through September, with May, June, July, August, and September all feeling like summer.
The trees usually start turning green around the middle of March, and the leaves stay on the trees until the end of October.
In terms of weather it is April-May and September-October. BUTTT.... But everyone comes during this time. People know and people come. That is why May and October are also the busiest months and like in a bad way. We are often fully booked, and many September and October dates are booked 6 months in advance. Sometimes even earlier. It can be very difficult to find an available date.
The same goes for hotels. Yes, the weather is great, but Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The best hotels are often fully booked a long time in advance. Only average hotels may still be available, and even those can be very expensive.
So there is no perfect time of year to visit Paris. Paris is a wonderful city all year round, but every season has its own little details that are worth knowing.
So our answer is simple. Every month has its own advantages and disadvantages. We do not recommend planning your wedding only around the weather or trying to fit everything into May or September. Yes, the weather is beautiful, but those are also the busiest months. There are a lot of tourists, a lot of traffic, and everything gets booked very quickly.
In fact, we often recommend considering winter. Paris is almost empty, hotel prices are much lower, and you get to enjoy the city without the crowds. It is actually one of our favorite times of the year. Yes, it can be colder, but that is not usually a problem. For winter weddings, we normally reserve two or three days gap. If one day turns out to be rainy, we simply choose the best weather day. It gives us much more flexibility.
March is also a great time to visit. There are still very few tourists, the weather is already getting warmer, and the city starts coming back to life. April is absolutely beautiful.
Summer is, of course, always a great season, although it is also very busy. Autumn is beautiful as well and still attracts many visitors. From early November, the number of tourists starts to drop. It gets a little cooler, but November is still a wonderful month to visit. The architecture looks stunning, hotel prices are lower, and the light in November is especially beautiful.
So there really is no perfect month. Every month has its own pros and cons. Now let’s go through them one by one....
sooo...what's the best time?
Rain? Light rain is possible, but it usually comes in short showers rather than lasting all day.
Nature. The trees are bare, but Paris has a beautiful winter atmosphere. The city feels elegant, calm. Focus on streets and architecture (Louvre, Gallery, Avenue Camoens), rather than Tuileries garden. However, castles still have greenery. If your dream is to have green January wedding, pick Chateau de Sceaux package. It stays green all year long.
Tourists - almost none. January is one of the quietest months of the year. Most of the holiday crowds are gone.
Hotels? The best part! Hotel prices are usually lower than in spring and summer. It is also much easier to book your favorite hotel. This is one of the biggest advantages of January. Many luxury hotels offer much lower rates during this time of year. If you have always dreamed of staying at hotels like the Ritz or the Shangri La for photos, January can be the perfect opportunity. Depending on your travel dates, prices can be up to three times lower than during the peak summer season. Can you imagine that?!
For weddings. January is a great choice if you want privacy and flexibility. We can usually reserve 2-3 days for your elopement and choose the best weather window.
And for photos? The streets are quieter, famous landmarks are less crowded, and the soft winter light creates a cinematic look. Bring a warm coat. You will wear it between locations, not during the photos. As soon as we start shooting, our assistant will take your coat, and you will be photographed in your dress. And then she immediately helps you to put it back on. For winter weddings, choose a dress with long sleeves. We also recommend avoiding a high slit. Warm leggings under your dress will make a big difference. Plus hand warmers.
Our best rec!!! Our biggest tip is to book a large Airbnb or a luxury hotel for your getting ready photos. This way, you will already have formal portraits, even if the day is windy. You can take photos by a beautiful fireplace or in the hotel lobby. After that, you can head into Paris for photos with the city’s architecture. For winter weddings, we highly recommend getting ready photos at your Airbnb or hotel.
To summarize : January is perfect for couples who want a peaceful Paris experience, lower hotel prices, and beautiful photos without the crowds.
january
Rain? Very similar to January. Light rain is possible, but it usually comes in short showers rather than lasting all day.
Tourists - still very few. February is one of the quieter months of the year.
Hotel prices are still much lower than in spring and summer. The only exception is around Valentine’s Day. Hotels can become more expensive for a few days, so we recommend booking early if you are planning your trip around February 14.
To summarize : February is very similar to January. It is another great month if you want a peaceful experience, lower hotel prices. Just keep Valentine’s Day in mind when booking your hotel.
FEBRUARY
Rain? Light rain is still common, but it only lasts 15-20 minutes, it usually comes and goes.
Nature. Spring slowly starts to arrive. At the beginning of the month, the trees are still bare. By the end of March, you will start to see fresh green leaves in many parts of the city. Paris begins to feel brighter and more alive every week.
Tourists - more than in winter. March marks the beginning of the spring travel season, so popular locations become a little busier. But still okay!
Hotels? Hotel prices slowly start to go up, but they are still usually lower than in April, May, and summer. You can still find great deals if you book early.
For weddings. March is a great choice if you want the first signs of spring without waiting until April. We can usually reserve 2-3 days for your elopement and choose the best weather window. If it is a warm year, we can already see first pink trees!
And for photos? March is a mix of winter and spring. You can still enjoy quiet morning streets, while the first greenery starts to appear by the end of the month. Bring a warm coat. You will wear it between locations, not during the photos. As soon as we start shooting, our assistant will take your coat, and you will be photographed in your dress.
To summarize: March is a transition month. It is a great choice if you want lower hotel prices, the first signs of spring, and a quieter Paris than later in the season.
march
Rain? Spring showers are not common. A little rain often means fewer tourists and beautiful soft light.
Nature. One of the best months for nature! The city turns green, flowers start to bloom, and many trees are covered in pink blossoms. Paris looks fresh, colorful, and full of life.
Tourists - the beginning of April is still relatively quiet. By the end of the month, the city becomes much busier as the spring season picks up.
Hotels? Hotel prices continue to rise, but they are still usually lower than in May and throughout the summer. Booking early is highly recommended.
For weddings. April is one of our favorite months. Spring is already here, the city looks beautiful, and the weather is usually comfortable for walking around Paris.
And for photos? The best! Green trees, blooming flowers, quiet mornings. Bring a light coat or blazer for the morning, just in case.
Our best rec!!! If you can, choose the first half of April. Pink trees are in Paris from April 6 to 16, give or take 5 days.
To summarize: April is one of the best months to get married in Paris. Spring is in full bloom, the city looks beautiful, and if you come in the beginning of the month, you can still enjoy a quieter Paris!
april
Tim: "We have a lot of couples who dream of a dark gothic vibe, dark romance, or dark luxury for their photos, whatever you would call this style. If that’s the look you’re after, the beginning of April is your last chance. You can get this atmosphere from around mid-October through November, December, January, February, March, and into early April. This doesn’t mean that every photo taken during these months will have a dark gothic vibe, no! But we can do that. we know that around 15% of our couples book us specifically to get that dark romance or dark luxury vibe. If that’s your dream, this is the best time of year to make it happen. By May, June, July, and August, it is almost impossible to create the same dark romance or dark luxury vibe, too much sun."
Tourists, well...May is a busy month, and there are a lot of tourists in Paris. But don’t worry about your photos. We remove people during editing, so your final gallery will still look private and beautiful.
Hotels? Hotel prices are already much higher than during the winter months, so it’s best to book as early as possible.
For weddings. The biggest downside of May is that we are usually fully booked and we only accept our basic packages with default locations. If you’re planning a large or very custom project, we may not be able to take it. During the winter and early spring, we have much more time to plan complicated projects, private chateau elopements, or completely custom-made experiences. But by May, the season is already in full swing. We have a lot of work, so we mostly accept our standard short elopement packages.
And for photos? One of the best things about May is the light. It’s warm, but usually not too hot, and the soft natural light is perfect for romantic photos.
Our best rec!!! If you’re dreaming of a May elopement, book as early as possible. May is one of the first months to fill up every year.
To summarize: May is one of the best months for warm weather, very little rain, and beautiful light. The only real downside is that it’s one of our busiest months.
may
Tim: "Private Chateau elopement time! March and April are also the best time to book your private castle. Let us explain why. You probably already know that French castles are very expensive. During the summer season, they are usually rented for large weddings, and the rental price is often around €10k for big wedding.
The owners simply won’t rent out the entire chateau in August or September for just a 2-3 hour elopement. It doesn’t make sense for them money wise. That’s why couples who want a private chateau elopement usually choose March, April, or November. During these months, many castles are standing empty. Since they don’t have many big weddings at that time, they are often happy to host us for a much more reasonable price. Starting in May, almost every chateau is fully booked with large weddings of 100-200 guests, and getting a private chateau for an elopement becomes almost impossible."
Rain? There is usually almost no rain.
To summarize: June is almost identical to May, with slightly warmer weather. If you’ve already read the section about May, almost everything there applies to June as well.
june
For weddings. The most important thing in July is choosing the right outfits. If June can still have a few cooler days, July is almost always very hot. We recommend choosing a light wedding dress made from breathable fabric and a lightweight suit for the groom. A dress with a slit works beautifully, and short wedding dresses are also a great choice. We don’t recommend heavy dresses or thick fabrics.
And for photos? July has beautiful warm evening light and long summer days, making it one of the best months for photos.
To summarize: July is a fantastic month for an elopement. Just make sure to choose light, breathable outfits, and you’ll be much more comfortable throughout the day.
july
For weddings. One of the biggest advantages of August is that many Parisians leave the city for their summer holidays. Paris becomes much quieter, there is much less traffic, and getting around the city is much easier.
And for photos? Quiet streets, green parks, and a nice atmosphere, August is one of our fave months for elopements.
To summarize: August is one of the best months to get married in Paris. The city is quieter, the weather is warm but usually not as hot as July, and you still get the beautiful greenery and summer atmosphere.
august
For weddings. September is a transition month, and every year is different. Some years it stays warm and feels like summer until the very end. Other years, autumn arrives much earlier. There can be rain, or there can even be a late-season heatwave. Every September is different. Starting in September, we also recommend booking a beautiful getting ready stay. In some years, September can be quite rainy, so it’s always good to have a gorg indoor location as a backup. The biggest downside of September is that we are fully booked almost every day, and not just us, but hotels, restaurants and everything else. It’s one of the most popular months for weddings in Paris. If your wedding day turns out to be rainy, we most likely won’t be able to move it to another date. So a nice hotel is a must! During quieter months like March, we can often reserve 2-3 possible dates and simply wait for the best weather. In September that’s impossible because our calendar is already completely full.
And for photos? September has beautiful soft light and is a perfect mix of summer and the first hints of autumn. One of the best months for your photoshoot.
To summarize: September is one of the best months to get married in Paris because of the weather. Just keep in mind that it’s a transition month, so the weather can be less predictable, and because we’re fully booked, rescheduling for better weather is usually not possible.
september
Tim: "From the end of September, we strongly recommend booking a beautiful Airbnb, hotel suite, or another indoor location. If it rains on your wedding day, we’ll have a beautiful place to photograph your getting ready, first look, and portraits before heading outside. Even if we only use it for part of the day, it’s always much better to have a backup plan ready."
Greenery? If you’re dreaming of a wedding surrounded by lush green gardens, mid-October is about the latest we would recommend. After that, the greenery starts disappearing quickly. By the end of October, most trees have turned yellow, orange, or red, and many have already lost their leaves.
For weddings. October is still one of our favorite months for weddings. The weather is usually comfortable, but we always recommend having a Plan B in case of rain. October is also still a busy month for us. We have a lot of bookings, so if your wedding day turns out to be rainy, we may not be able to move it to another date.
And for photos? October has some of the most beautiful light of the year. The soft golden sunlight looks amazing on skin, and it creates a beautiful glow in the hair. If you love warm, romantic photos, October is one of the best months.
To summarize: October is a beautiful month with a soft autumn atmosphere, comfy temperatures, and incredible light. Just be prepared for cooler mornings, possible rain, and remember that by the end of the month, the green summer look is mostly gone.
october
For weddings. One of the biggest advantages of November is how quiet Paris becomes. The crowds disappear, it’s much easier to move around the city, and you can enjoy many famous locations without thousands of tourists in the background.
And for photos? November has some of the most beautiful light of the entire year. The sunlight is clear, soft, and incredibly flattering. It lights up the architecture beautifully and gives the skin a gorgeous glow. We don’t know exactly why, but after many years of photographing weddings in Paris, we’ve noticed that November galleries almost always have a luxurious, editorial look. Somehow, Paris looks like it belongs on the pages of a fashion magazine. If you’re planning a November wedding, ask us to show you more November galleries. We have plenty of them, and they’re some of our favorites.
To summarize: November is one of the most underrated months for a wedding in Paris. It may be a little cooler, but that’s easy to solve with a warm coat and hand warmers. By November, the gardens in central Paris, including the Tuileries, have already lost most of their greenery. If you’re dreaming of green gardens, we recommend our Château de Sceaux package, where the landscape stays green through most of the winter. Otherwise, November is the perfect month to focus on Parisian architecture. The Louvre looks especially breathtaking at this time of year. If you’re dreaming of a luxury, editorial-style wedding, November is one of our favorite months of the year.
november
Tim: "No matter how many years we’ve been photographing weddings in Paris, November always gives us our best fashion style galleries. We don’t know exactly why, but the light is just incredible. If you’re dreaming of elegant, editorial photos, November is one of the best months of the year."
For weddings. We still photograph a lot of weddings during the first half of the month because the city is relatively calm, hotel prices are still reasonable, and the Christmas atmosphere hasn’t reached its peak yet. Closer to Christmas, Paris becomes much busier. Hotel prices go up, many luxury hotels sell out, and the city fills with tourists coming for the Christmas. The most famous Christmas markets are at Tuileries, La Défense, and Trocadero. They usually open in the second half of November and stay open throughout December.
And for photos? December has the same beautiful light. If you’re dreaming of a green wedding in December, we recommend our Château de Sceaux package. Unlike central Paris, the park there stays surprisingly green through most of the winter.
For outfits, December is the month to fully embrace winter wedding dress. We recommend a long wedding dress made from a heavier fabric such as satin, long sleeves, warm leggings under the dress, comfortable warm boots (many brides wear white uggs between locations), and a beautiful coat for walking outside.
To summarize: December is a good month for a Paris wedding, especially during the first two weeks of the month. It offers beautiful light un Paris, Christmas decorations, and a romantic winter photos. Just be prepared for cooler weather, and if you’re planning your wedding close to Christmas, expect higher hotel prices and more tourists.
december
Tim: "Please don’t plan your wedding around just one day in Paris! We strongly recommend having 2 total spare days for your elopement. 3 days is even better. Please don’t come to us saying we only have this one date, we arrive the day before, and the next day we’re going to Disneyland. With only one day, you’re taking a big risk. If it rains or the weather isn’t great, there’s nothing we can do. If you have at least 2 days, and ideally 3, we can choose the best weather forecast and photograph your wedding on the sunniest day. This gives you a much better chance of having beautiful photos and a sunny day, like this one. By the way, this was December 29!"
Most of the time, rain in Paris is light. It’s usually a small drizzle. It doesn’t pour for hours. Sometimes the rain is heavier, of course, but that’s less common. The really heavy rain that lasts all day only happens a few times a year. But if your wedding happens to be on one of those days, it can be frustrating. That’s why we don’t recommend hoping for good weather alone.
This is especially true if you’re getting married in September or October. Don’t think “it probably won’t rain.” Maybe it won’t. But what if it will? It’s always better to have a backup plan.
We know several covered locations in Paris, like the Louvre gallery. They work well if it starts raining. But they are not enough for a full wedding. You might be thinking that well my photographer knows some covered places and we will go take photos there. Yes, but Paris is the city of love and photoshoots and if it’s raining, every wedding photographer in Paris has the same plan. You’ll probably see 10 or 15 other couples there packed in the same Louvre gallery.
Here are some of our favorite covered locations, but please don’t think of them as a perfect backup plan. Sometimes a location is closed. Sometimes it’s privatized. Or packed with other couples. These locations are great, but we don’t recommend relying on them 100%.
If you’re getting married during a rainy month, it’s much better to have your own beautiful Airbnb or hotel as a backup. Plan B for the rain is couple's responsibility. But here is what we can offer:
what if it rains?
Cafe
Fashion Museum
Louvre gallery
The most important thing isn’t hoping that it won’t rain. The most important thing is having a good backup plan before your wedding day. Then, no matter what happens, you’ll still have beautiful photos.