Wedding photography in France
Paris limestone, Provençal courtyards and a Riviera that saves its light for the evening.
We photograph weddings and elopements in France — in Paris, across Provence and on the Côte d’Azur, from Nice and Antibes to the hill villages behind them.
The planning truth that matters most is that civil marriage in France generally requires a period of residence that visiting couples rarely meet, so most destination weddings here are symbolic ceremonies, and that frees both the hour and the place.
France
Where we photograph in France
Marrying in France
What a France wedding is like
Paris is a city of pale limestone and soft, often overcast light, which is kinder to faces than a clear Mediterranean sky. The quays of the Seine, the bridges and the quiet courtyards of the Marais photograph beautifully early in the morning, before the city fills, and a portrait session at that hour gives a very different Paris from the one most visitors see.
Provence is stone farmhouses, plane trees, courtyard dinners and fields of lavender in early summer. The afternoon light is strong and the heat is real in July, but the evening is long and warm, and a table laid under the trees at the end of the day is as good a scene as a photographer can be given. The mistral can blow for days at a time, and a good plan always knows which side of the house is sheltered.
The Côte d’Azur faces the sea, and its villas and hotel terraces were built for the evening. A French wedding dinner is long and unhurried, with speeches between courses, a cheese course that nobody skips and dancing that starts late. We cover the day at the same pace, and we plan the portraits for the hour when the coast turns gold rather than the hour the schedule happens to leave free.
Practicalities
Before you plan
May, June and September are the most comfortable months in the south: warm, bright and less crowded than July and August, when Provence is hot and the coast is at its busiest. Lavender is at its fullest in early summer. Paris works in every season, and spring and autumn give the softest light. For peak summer dates in the south, booking nine to fifteen months ahead is typical.
A legal civil marriage in France takes place at the mairie, and the rules generally require one of the couple to have lived in that commune for a period beforehand, which most visiting couples cannot meet. Most destination couples therefore marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in France. Your planner or the local mairie will confirm what applies to you.
High-speed trains link Paris with Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, and Nice airport serves the Riviera. The villages of the Luberon and the Alpilles need a car, and the coast road is slow in summer. A welcome evening in Paris and a wedding in the south is an easy combination by train.
We quote France in euros. Half Day coverage starts at €1,450 for one photographer and up to five hours; Full Day coverage at €2,250 for up to ten hours; Destination Wedding at €2,950 for the full day; and Elopement at €850. These are starting figures: travel and accommodation are quoted separately, itemised and at cost, and the exact price comes in reply to your inquiry.
Pricing · EUR
Wedding photography prices in France
Starting prices. Every wedding is quoted individually, with travel itemised at cost.
01
Elopement
The two of you, a place that matters, and an unhurried hour or two.
From€850
Preview in 7 days · complete set in 4 weeks
02
Half Day
The ceremony, the portraits and the heart of the celebration.
From€1,450
Preview in 7 days · complete set in 8 weeks
03
Full Day
From the quiet of the morning to the last dance.
From€2,250
Preview in 7 days · complete set in 8 weeks
04
Destination Wedding
Full coverage of a wedding away from home, planned around the place.
From€2,950
Preview in 7 days · complete set in 8 weeks
FAQ
Getting married in France
How much does a wedding photographer cost in France?
Our weddings in France start at €1,450 for Half Day coverage of up to five hours with one photographer, €2,250 for Full Day coverage of up to ten hours, and €2,950 for a Destination Wedding covering the full day. Elopements start at €850. Travel and accommodation are quoted separately, itemised and at cost, and exact pricing is on request through the inquiry form.
Can we have a legal wedding in France?
Usually not as visitors, because civil marriage in France generally requires a period of residence. Most couples marry legally at home before or after, and hold a symbolic ceremony in France that can take place anywhere and at any hour. Your planner or the local mairie will confirm the details for your situation.
When should we book for a summer wedding in Provence?
Nine to fifteen months ahead is typical for a Saturday in June or September, the two months most couples want. July and August are hot and busy but can be easier to secure, especially on a weekday.
Can we have portraits in Paris without the crowds?
Yes, by starting early. The quays, bridges and squares are quiet in the first hours after sunrise, and the light off the limestone is soft. Some monuments and gardens have their own rules for professional photography, so we check the places you have in mind before the day rather than on it.
What is the best time of year for photographs in Provence?
June for the lavender and the green, and September for the harvest colour and the gentler heat. In high summer we move the portraits to the last hour of the day, when the stone walls glow and the heat has gone out of the light.
Do you photograph elopements in Paris?
Yes. Our Elopement commission starts at €850 for two hours with one photographer, and includes planning the route and the hour. A Paris elopement is usually an early morning along the Seine and through a few quiet streets, finished with breakfast somewhere you choose.
Check availability
Planning a wedding in France?
We reply personally to every inquiry, usually within 24 hours, with availability, the photographer who would be with you and a clear quote.