- winter wonderland in paris
I had been living in Paris for nearly three years before I found out that it never snows here. I had been blaming it on El Nino/global warming/dumb luck until finally my husband broke down and told me the bad news (he knows how much I love a white Christmas. Sigh.) Part of the reason that I hadn’t noticed it sooner was because Paris is just so beautiful at Christmastime. The Champs Elysees, Grand Magasins and most of the other popular streets are strung with thousands of twinkling lights and decorations. Tons of Christmas Markets are set up all over the city- little villages made up of “chalet-style” wooden huts with people selling regional treats, decorations, cider, wine and santons. There’s a huge ice-skating rink in front of the Hotel de Ville, and people sell roasted chestnuts on nearly every corner ( a good thing if you like the smell of roasting chestnuts…)
As summer is the height of tourist season, many people haven’t had the opportunity to see how beautiful Paris is during the winter holiday. So when they think of getting married in Paris, they typically think of Spring and Summer: they imagine themselves in a beautiful manicured park overflowing with flowers, or drifting along the Seine, or on a private terrace somewhere in Montmartre. Couples who plan Paris or French-themed weddings in their home country often go the same route- choosing pale summery Monet-inspired palettes, or whimsical pink and black Art Deco inspirations. I’d like to pay homage to Paris at Christmas by highlighting my newest addition to the Paris themed celebration: the French-inspired Winter Wonderland Wedding. It’s chic and sophisticated, as well as warm and inviting at the same time. Take a look:
- christel seiderer
A Winter White gown with fox fur wrap, from Parisian designer, Christel Seiderer.
- plumes and rose bouquet
Tastefully incorporating feathers into your wedding decor will give it an authentic French flair- like in this bouquet made of plumes and roses.
scentd heart wreath
Heart wreath made of jasmine, mistletoe and olive branches interwoven with crystal beads, formed around a smaller heart (white hyacinths on floral foam). Photo © marie-claire
french winter white cocktail buffet
A simple refreshment table dressed with antique silver and glassware, offering cold champagne and scrumptious French goodies: chocolates from Fauchon, mini cakes from Lenotre, and guimauves from Lafayette Gourmet Photo © marie-claire
DIY glass cloche with etched design
Etch snowflake patterns onto small glass vases or bottles, then hang them around to hold candles or sprigs of mistletoe. Photo © marie-claire
curry oysters
Serve a contemporary twist on a classic French holiday appetizer, like warm curry oysters.
french dragées in feather sachet
These feathered goody bags filled with almond dragees are a perfect way to say “merci” to your guests.
weddings
Wedding Style
Paris, France
destination wedding
Don’t say it never snows! I remember one magical morning probably at least ten years ago when I managed to get into an empty, snow covered Tuileries. I’ve probably still got the photos I took somewhere…
It does snow, although since I’ve lived in Paris (10 years) its only stayed overnight on one occasion. My sister must have some sort of special curse (blessing?) hanging over her- every single time she has been in Paris in the winter, it has snowed! Because its so rare, no one moves once the snow starts to fall, so every time, I’ve had a chance to go out and see the city with a pristine white blanket over everything. My husband, who is Parisian born and bred, says that when he was little, they had much more snow and the lakes in the big parks around Paris would freeze over for a few weeks so that you could go skating.
Don’t give up hope of snow entirely. I spent a long Thanksgiving (Late Nov) weekend in Paris one year and was delighted to experience a light snow that made the city even more pleasant than usual.
Funny I just did a thing on feathers on my blog also. We do get snow here in AZ.either like we did in Oh.
OK, I have to admit that I did see it snow here once- about a year or two ago, but it had all disappeared by the time it took me to run in, get the kids in their coats and run back out again….I’ve seen some gorgeous photos somewhere of Place Vendome covered in snow, too…