Steve & Hannah
October 2024 | Paris, France
Contacts
Photographer
Nick Patton
480.394.1251
book@npatton.photos
a note from me
By eloping you are deciding to put your happiness, peace and most importantly, yourselves first. You have decided to throw tradition and societal norms out the window and have taken control of your wedding day- congrats!
Having done hundreds of weddings and elopements, my biggest piece of advice is to remember that this is a day like any other. This day doesn’t need to be perfect, it doesn’t have any expectations and you certainly don’t need to spend time stressing over it. You will enjoy this whole experience by remembering what the fundamental reason for getting married is; which is to share your vows and commit your lives to one another.
Let the day unfold naturally, have fun during the planning process, soak up each moment because the day will fly by. Ultimately this is a great adventure with your partner and it will be fulfilling in every way. You both are going to have such an amazing time and I will be right there to capture it all.
Love, Nick.
5 Helpful Tips
It’s just all about the two of you!
By eloping you are bringing the focus back to what the day is truly about. This day can truly be catered to you both whether it's just you two or surrounded by close friends and family. Think about all of your favorite things that you love to do together or new things that you would love to try and now combine it into one amazing epic day where you were also committing your life to that person – that is what eloping is all about. And what better place than Paris?!
Things to Do in Paris
Paris
Honestly I think the best way to see Paris is to have a couple things planned and then explore the rest; get lost in the city and discover everything it offers.
Must Do’s
- Louvre Museum ($20 ticket)
- Palace of Versailles (2 Horus train ride)
- Arc de Triomphe
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Eiffel Tower
- Paris Pantheon
Other things to do:
- Paris Catacombs
- River gourmet dinnerHow to’s
How to find a place to stay
I am more than happy to help you with this! Airbnb’s are definitely the way to go, over hotels, as they provide more character to your lodging and room to get a variety of shots! Click here to view your Airbnb list so far!
How to pack your wedding attire
Depending on how big your dress is- you can either keep it in the dress bag from the shop or roll it up to put in your suitcase. Your bridal shop can probably recommend the best way to do this. If your dress has beaded or glittery bodes, then you can line parchment or wax paper around it to avoid it getting caught on other parts of your dress. The same goes with packing your suit. You can buy an inexpensive steamer from Amazon (link here) to iron out any wrinkles that may occur in transit. Your photographer and videographer will make sure you look the best on camera!
How to include family that is not physically present
My biggest recommendations is to ask your family members to write letters for you to read on your elopement day. In life we get so few times to share our feelings this way and this is a great opportunity to do so and feel close to them without them there. Or even write your own letters and share them with your partner day-of.
How to write your vows
-Start by reflecting on your relationship: Think about the moments that brought you and your partner together, what you love about them, and how they make you feel. Consider the milestones in your relationship and don’t be afraid to bring up the challenges you have overcome together.
-Write from the heart: Your wedding vows should be an authentic expression of your feelings and emotions. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable, use personal anecdotes, or even humor, as long as it feels true to you.
-Make promises: Wedding vows are a commitment to your partner, so make sure to include promises that are meaningful to you. Consider what you want to pledge to your partner, such as promising to always support them, to be their biggest cheerleader, or to be faithful and loyal.
-Keep it concise: While it's important to express your feelings, remember that your wedding vows should be concise and to the point. Try to keep them around two to three minutes long.
Don't worry too much about making them perfect – the most important thing is that they come from the heart.
How to plan a post-elopement party/mini reception
You can still have the “big wedding” feel by having a party after your elopement. A lot of couples are hosting parties at their house, their neighborhood clubhouse or any inexpensive venue and inviting anyone they want. And just like your elopement, your post-elopement party can be just as unique by doing exactly what you want. You can make it as elaborate or as casual as you want and your guests will love anything you put on.
Since wedding photos take months to get back, you are able to showcase your elopement photos at your party since you will receive them within a couple weeks! Show your story of your day and create a slideshow of all your favorite photos to show.Elopement Day Expectations
Just like I said in my note (see above) just sit back, relax and enjoy the day! Your elopement day is almost like a traditional wedding day but way better and far less limits. By eloping we can hop around, explore, do things, take epic photos and just enjoy the whole day! Here is what to expect the day to flow:
Beginning: Usually we start off the day slow by capturing you both writing your vows. There is something still so romantic by putting your thoughts on paper instead of having it typed out or on your phone. I will also shoot your details like rings, flowers, wedding attire, etc. You don’t have to worry about where this happens as I will be using my creativity to do the heavy lifting :). Next we will capture you both getting ready separately before your first look. Brides will be about 99% ready before we start shooting this while groom’s will wait til I cue in the suite jacket and any other accessories.
Middle: The start of the fun! This is the meat and potatoes of your day- capturing your first look, exploring the town and any spots we visit for epic photos! I will capture a combination of scenic photos, close ups, wide shots and everything in between. I will give you prompts for shots that feel natural and comfortable for some good photos. Don’t worry about posing because I will guide you through everything.
End: Usually we will hold your ceremony at sunset when the light is at it’s best! I will coach you through the entire thing so you don’t need to prepare anything other than your vows. After we finish photos then you are free to enjoy the evening as husband and wife!!Have fun!
Probably one of the best reasons to elope is that you bring that intimate part of a wedding and carry it throughout the entirety of the day. Enjoy every moment, soak in every emotion and have the biggest adventure yet! No matter what weather we come across, I have seen and done it all and it always comes out amazing.
Like I said before, I will help guide you throughout the ceremony so you two can feel everything and be in the moment as much as possible. This way it will feel like nothing else in the world matters beyond what is happening right in front of your eyes.
Timeline Example
7:15 Arrive at Location 1 around sunrise
7:30 Ceremony
7:45 Ceremony ends, photos at location
8:30 Breakfast at cafe or in park
9:30 Arrive at Location 2
10:30 Activity (Private Boat Tour?) https://www.victoriasloep.com
12:00 Activity Ends! Head back to Airbnb
12:30 Getting ready shots (Just for added content/I'll go more fun depth later)
Break
5:30 Sunset shots around town; river, streets, bridges, etc.
7:30 Romantic dinner
More than just your photographer
Hey you two!
I can’t express to you both how happy, grateful, honored and ecstatic I am to capture your big day! Family is everything to me and to be able to join you on this adventure means so much.
I am here to help guide you throughout the entire process from start to finish and give you an unforgettable experience. There is so much you can do and it is my job to fuel you both with ideas so you may cherry pick what you want to do on your big day.
My services include:
Finding locations to explore and shoot at.
Locating local vendors for you (florists, hair & make-up artists, rentals, etc.)
Building your itinerary and figuring out travel logistics.
& being your biggest hype-man of course!
so excited to work with you again!!
“I can not recommend Nick enough. He made us feel comfortable and made everything easy for us. None of us on the trip had ever been to Norway but somehow he found the most beautiful locations. We let him have creative freedom and we’re blown away with the photos we got back. These are memories we will cherish forever. We will forever recommend him. We had so much fun we have already bought tickets to shoot with him again in June! Thank you so much Nick for everything. You are a master of what you do..”
-Greg
Paris Elopement Package
Here’s what you get:
All Day Coverage of your Custom Elopement Day
I am with you all day and however long suits you best to tell the story of your day! Every elopement is just as unique as the couple so your day will be completely customized to you two and how you wish to spend it.
Itinerary and Planning Assistance
I will assist you with planning your day including: finding vendors, places to shoot at, where to stay, what to do, personally designed timeline + unique activity ideas.
All your photos + complimentary album design
You will receive your full gallery of edited, retouched and high resolution images within 2 weeks of your elopement date. Your online gallery allows unlimited downloads (straight to phone or computer) and is shareable if you want to send to friends and family. I will also help you design your photo album of all your favorite images of the day.
All of my travel fees are included in this package. ($3k discount applied)
$5,000
FAQs
What airport do we fly into?
You will most likely fly into the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport! Flights look to be around $600-700 roundtrip.
We’re terrible and award in front of the camera- will you help pose us?
Yes! Trust me, I hear this 99.99% of the time. My posing style is all natural and all about you two being in the moment and having fun. While we will get those killer posed shots that will leave you speechless, we will also capture candid shots throughout the day. Just like the shoot we did in Downtown Chicago, it will be carefree and fun!
Are we allowed to invite guests to our Elopement?
Contrary to popular belief- yes you absolutely can! Elopements can have under 20 guests and can be involved in your day as much as you want them to. However, if you do decide to invite family or friends along, whether it’s just a celebratory meal, the getting ready portion of the day, just the ceremony, or the whole day, make sure they’re fully on board with your vision and understand that you’re not having a big traditional wedding—but a unique celebration that’s authentic to your relationship. Remind them that this is for you, not anyone else.
You officiate elopements too? Who photographs the ceremony?
Just like elopements aren’t traditional- neither is the ceremony setting! Instead of being in front of you with an awkward cloak on reading from a book I am leaving you two the complete focus of the ceremony; which sounds right doesn’t it?
I am positioned a few feet from you and as I read from the ceremony script (custom to each couple) I am taking photos of it all. I am capturing your vows, ring exchange, everything. This leaves you two the main focus of the photos with the gorgeous backdrop you both have chosen for your ceremony spot! Take a look at the video below to see what I am talking about!How many photos do we get?
You will receive upwards of 400 final images. Of course, the more to the elopement day (excursions, multiple locations, activities, etc.) will result in more images. There is no maximum cap but you will receive a minimum of 400. All images are fully edited and fully sized; whether you want to blow up a photo on a canvas or just post it to Instagram, it will be good for both.
When do we get our photos?
You will receive your entire gallery within two weeks from your elopement date. Highlight photos will be uploaded to this webpage and you will receive an email to a link to your online gallery with all of the photos. Please download them within 2 weeks before the link expires; I also recommend to back them up on your cloud, an external hard drive or a USB and even Google Images.
Your Ceremony
Two weeks prior to your elopement, I will ask you send you a little questionnaire and incorporate your answers into your ceremony script. I will be capturing your ceremony as well and you can watch the video below to see what that looks like!
This way there is no third person up there with you, no one to block the view, just the two of you sharing your vows and committing your lives to one another- the way it is suppose to be.
And don’t worry about me being confined to one spot or angle during your ceremony. When you share your vows, exchange rings and any other ceremony rituals, I am getting everything we need. Just sit back, relax and enjoy every moment of it because it goes by in a flash!
“Life is short and the world is wide”
TESTIMONIALS
