A Parisian Extravaganza at the Ritz Paris

25 Sept

A Parisian Extravaganza at the Ritz Paris

The Venue

The Ritz Paris doesn’t need much of an introduction as the hotel, founded in 1898, is famous around the world as is said to be one of the best hotels in Europe, so it was a pleasure ot get to work here during a heatwave in May

The couple opted to have their ceremony in the Ritz’s Grand Jardin - this exclusive garden is an oasis of tranquility in the heart of the city, providing an intimate setting for couples to exchange their vows. The lush, manicured garden and the beautiful architecture of the hotel provide a stunning backdrop for wedding photos. The couple then had dinner and dancing in the grand ballrooms.

Getting married at the Ritz Paris is a truly unique and luxurious experience. As one of the most prestigious hotels in the world, it provides an unparalleled backdrop for a wedding. With its rich history dating back to 1898 and its timeless elegance, the Ritz Paris embodies the romantic charm of the city.

The grand ballrooms at the Ritz Paris are perfect for a lavish reception. With their opulent decor and high ceilings, these ballrooms exude grandeur and sophistication. The hotel's exceptional service and exquisite cuisine ensure that the wedding dinner is a gastronomic delight.

In addition to its stunning venues, the Ritz Paris also offers luxurious accommodations. The bride can prepare for the ceremony in a suite overlooking the garden, while the groom can make use of the coveted Suite Marcel Proust. These rooms not only provide comfort and privacy but also offer unique photo opportunities.

The Ritz Paris also has a prime location in the heart of the city, making it convenient for guests. Its close proximity to iconic landmarks like the Pl. Vendôme offers additional photo opportunities and adds to the overall Parisian experience.

A wedding at the Ritz Paris is more than just a ceremony; it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience infused with romance, elegance, and grandeur. It's an opportunity for couples to start their married life in a place synonymous with love and luxury.

Teaser film

Patrick and Samantha’s Wedding Day Plans

As an American couple flying all of their friends and family over from the States to Paris, Samantha and Patrick wanted to make the most of their time by starting their celebrations the evening beofre the wedding with a private cruise down the Seine, taking in the river side sights of Paris as the sun set, culminating with a stop at the Eiffel Tower as its lights began to sparkle.

This gave me and the photographer plenty of opportunities to get some great shots of the couple to incorporate into their film.

The next day took place entirely at the Ritz Paris, where both Samantha and Patrick got ready for their ceremony. Samantha was in a lovely suite overlooking the garden they would be getting married in and she allowed plenty of time for her preparations, giving me plenty of time to get really creative with this part of the day.

The couple also got access to the coveted Suite Marcel Proust for some groomsmen shots which gave me something to contrast the light and airy shots of Samantha’s preparation portraits with.

The ceremony took place in the lovely gardens at the centre of the Ritz Paris (the Grand Jardin) and both Patrick and Samantha’s personal vows were so well written and presented, they make up the entirety of the narrative audio for the couples film. Personal vows are a great way to weave your personal story into your wedding film!

The drinks reception took place on the Terrace and during this time both me and the photographer took the couple out into the beautiful Pl. Vendôme for some portrait shots.

Dinner was in one of the Ritz’s many beautiful Salons before moving to the lower level ballroom for the party, which was most definitely the highlight of this wedding film. The couple had everything needed for a cinematic party- great lighting, smoke machines, dancers and guests who were ready to dance the night away giving me so much great footage to work with and turn into an epic sequence in their film.

Wedding Videography Approach

My main aim as a wedding videographer is to produce cinematic, yet authentic, mementos of a wedding day. I want them to be stylish, filled with all the emotions of the day while being infused with a classic cinema flair, which I always have in the back of my mind when choosing which lens to use in a certain moment, how to frame a shot, the sounds and music I will use to tell that part of the story and thinking always about the edit.

Me filming a wedding in Portugal with my minimalist set up.

I knew the party was an important part of Samantha and Patrick’s wedding so I made sure this part of the day had a great sequence in the film and I also deicded to incorporate shots taken on the river cruise the day before like romantic cinematic flashbacks, which i think worked really well.

Once I have these all story telling elements in place I make sure my films are as cinematic as possible, and what I mean by that is I use every tool and technique at my disposal, from the filming style on the wedding day, to the editing and colour grading techniques afterwards, to create a piece of work that feels like a mini-movie, like a short piece of classic cinema, with a proper beginning middle and end, establishing people, place and story as elegantly as possible, woven together with music I choose carefully for each project.

Most importantly though, I use equipment and a filming style on the day that allows me to capture these moments without leaving a heavy footprint on the day- I use very minimal equipment, similar to a photographer, and avoid stage managing the day in any way because the most important element of making a great film is authentic moments and emotions and the only way to achieve these is allow them to happen naturally, unhindered by over posing/staging and manufacturing the events.

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Ritz Paris