Planning a Classy and Elegant Paris-themed Wedding

Tap to Read ➤ Sujata Iyer

Paris. The City of Love. The City of Light. The city of style. One of the fashion capitals of the world. The city that exudes craftsmanship with its very name. You can't need more reasons to plan a classy Paris themed-wedding. All you need is some help from us.

To render a truly Parisian atmosphere, you can hire: French (inspired) mimes to entertain guests Portrait and caricature artists to make portraits of you and the guests

If there ever was a theme for a wedding that defined love, the essence of every marriage, it's Paris. Paris, the wondrous city where everyone falls in love whether they want to or not. Paris, the city where the lights welcome you to be enthralled by the sheer beauty of all things romantic.

Paris, the classiest and most elegant theme you can incorporate into your wedding. Probably the most difficult wedding theme to pull off if you don't know what you want. Seems like Lady Luck is smiling upon you.

For you've chanced upon the page that will help you with some wonderful tips, ideas, and pointers to perfectly plan and execute a romantic, stylish, and breathtaking Paris-themed wedding.

Before You Begin

Yes, before we delve into all the pretty, let's focus on the one thing that will decide the course of your wedding planning: the style. Agreed Paris is quite a posh theme to begin with, but even within it, you need to decide what style you want to go with.

Do you want your wedding to have a street café like appearance, or do you want it to give a louder, moulin rouge-esque feel to it? While these two do qualify as Paris-centric styles, we recommend you go for a style more traditional and French-inspired which will fit perfectly with the classy and elegant factor that you wish to imbue into your wedding.

Keeping this in mind, we've devised for you some ideas and suggestions that you could use to execute the perfect Parisian mariage.

Setting the Mood

Think French. Think blush, white, and rich, luxurious purple. Think lace, ruffles, satin. Envision glamorous, ornate detail in everything you use to actualize the Parisian theme into your big day.

These are the words that you need to keep in mind when you pick out the various elements; from décor to favors, from your dress to the bridesmaids' dresses and the groom's attire even. Let's have a look at each aspect individually and the kind of things you can do for each of them.

The Invites and Save-the-Dates

The Eiffel Tower has got to be the most influential symbol of Paris. And it is, hence, one of the best elements to include in your wedding stationery. It will give your guests a hint about what your wedding will be about and that can never be a bad thing.

The key to an authentic Paris-inspired wedding lies in the kind of colors and fonts you use. Curly, delicate, cursive fonts are your best bet. Colors, well, bright but muted pastels like pink, white, powder blue, sage, etc., are great options.

The Décor and Tables

Elegance demands a sense of balance and charm. While over-the-top and elaborate décor can be elegant too, for a Parisian wedding, the lesser the noise the more convincing the theme will be. We're not saying don't get into the nitty-gritty of it all (how else can you plan a wedding, right?); we're just saying, keep it simplistic yet perfect to a tee.

The most popular elements of a Paris-centric wedding are these: the Eiffel Tower, the color pink, and birdcages. There's something so inherently classy about these three that you simply cannot go wrong if you fuse these into your wedding.

French phrases [tu es ma joie de vivre (you are the joy of my life), L'amour de ma vie (love of my life), to cite a few] strewn across the entire venue, mason jars with fresh pink roses, elegant handwritten table cards, these are some other elements that will render that ooh la la into your wedding.

The cake, well if not something as gorgeous as this one with the eternal Eiffel Tower on it, something in white and a pale pink will be très parfaite.

The Food

Oh! How the French love their food. Whether it's their delicious cheeses, wines, or their never-ending list of mouth-watering breads and pastries, you've got to include at least a couple of them in your wedding menu. The dessert table will be incomplete without croquembouche and/or profiteroles.

These, being the staples, are more likely to go down better with your guests than a dish the name of which they might not even be able to pronounce. It's wiser to refrain from springing culinary surprises on your guests on a day as important as your wedding.

We recommend it only if you're sure that the dish will be a) prepared authentically and b) well-received by your guests (kids, adults, and seniors included).

The Attire

If there's someone who knows how to dress to impress, it's the French. They're so impeccable in everything they wear (well, almost) that you wonder if they're born with it. Maybe they are. Whatever the reason for their stunning sartorial sense may be, pay homage to it by dressing like a classic French bride.

Aim to look sensational and glamorous with a touch of innocence. It's not as difficult as it sounds. A strapless dress with impressive detailing (maybe a hint of glimmer here and there) will take care of the glamor and sensational part.

Throw in some well-designed ruffles and a baby-pink bouquet and you have your innocence.

Shoes: stylish, high-heeled peep-toes, or a pair of unorthodox, colored shoes, the choice is yours.

Your hair, for that graceful Paris look, should definitely be in a neat and well-defined updo with some danglers to enhance your neck.

The groom can be dressed in a traditional coat with a white-flowered boutonnière and a top hat for good measure. To keep your bridesmaids in sync with the theme, short dresses in colors like (again) pink, sage, lavender, or teal are good options.

The Favors

Picking something to give away as favors for a Paris-centric wedding is probably the easiest of the lot. Think about small things that embody the sappy romance of the lovely city and use them as favors. Eiffel Tower trinkets are the most popular among most brides, but you can also go for the ever-famous French macaroons in elegant holders.

Small notepads with French-inspired stamps and phrases on the cover are also winners. Our favorite idea though, is giving away miniature perfume (Chanel No. 5 anyone?) bottles. Doesn't get more French than that, does it?

Hey, no one said planning a Paris-themed wedding wasn't going to be expensive. It's just not as tedious as it may be made out to be. All you need is well-planned research and attention to every little detail, which, let's face it, you would pay for your wedding no matter what the theme, right?