A Parisian engagement shoot in the Jardin des Tuileries
Spring light colors, creamy tones, and the most Parisian morning I've had all year.
There are Paris locations, and then there are Paris locations. The Jardin des Tuileries is the latter: one of those places that looks like it was designed specifically to make you feel like you're inside a French film. Which, honestly, is exactly what E & J's session felt like.
They flew in from Boston, newly engaged, and we spent a golden Tuesday morning wandering the garden's gravel allées before the tourist groups arrived. It was the kind of shoot where everything just clicks: the light, the outfits, the chemistry. E wore a beautiful neutral cream set that sat perfectly against the deep green of the manicured hedges. J matched in a camel-toned jacket and white sneakers. Effortlessly editorial. Not a single thing looked forced.
"We didn't want anything that felt cheesy or performative — we wanted it to feel like us, just in Paris."
That's exactly what I aim for with every Paris engagement session I photograph. The Tuileries makes it easy: there's so much architectural variety in one garden: the long open esplanade with the Louvre at one end, the formal topiary hedges, the iconic green iron chairs, the rose garden further in that you can move through completely different backdrops within five minutes of each other. I've done Paris engagement, elopement, and wedding sessions at the Jardins des Tuileries numerous times, and we always manage to create something fresh and unique, bespoke to each couple, and each season.
Why the Jardin des Tuileries is one of the best engagement session locations in Paris
I recommend the Tuileries Gardens to a lot of my couples, especially Americans visiting Paris who want something that reads unmistakably French without being a cliché. Here's why it works so well photographically:
The hedges and topiary provide a deep green backdrop that pops against cream, white, and neutral tones, basically built for the "quiet luxury" aesthetic that's everywhere right now.
The gravel esplanade with the Louvre behind you is one of the most iconic vistas in the world, but because it's so open, it reads clean and editorial rather than overcrowded.
In spring, the cherry blossoms near the central basin are extraordinary, that soft pink against the grey Haussmann stone is something I never get tired of shooting. Pink and green is also a stellar color combo!
You can catch the Eiffel Tower peeking over the western hedge line from certain angles, subtle, not screaming, which is always my preference. For my couples who want a bit of the Eiffel Tower in their Paris photoshoot, but not dead centre (I get it - and I hear this very often).
And, of course, the Tuileries green iron garden chairs are the most Parisian prop that doesn't feel like a prop. Couples always relax the second they sit down in them, and that's when the real photos happen. If you think they're ultra chic, you're not the only one. For the FW26 Dior Show, Dior used the iconic green Tuileries chairs as part of their official show invitation - and the Tuileries Garden itself is where Dior typically showcases their fashion week collections... so, need I say more?
What to wear for a Tuileries engagement shoot
E nailed it, and I always use this session as a reference when couples ask me what to wear. The Tuileries has a specific palette: warm stone, deep green, grey sky, and outfits that work with that palette rather than against it just sing on camera. My general guidelines for the Jardins des Tuileries: lean into neutrals and quiet tones (cream, ivory, camel, sage, soft grey). If you're going for a monochrome look, adding different textures instantly elevates the outfit (like how E's top is crotchet and her pants are a more ivory satin). Avoid anything too bright or pattern-heavy unless you want the outfit to be the focal point rather than Paris. Linen, satin, knit, and textured fabrics catch the garden light beautifully and photograph especially well on film. And please: comfortable shoes you can actually walk on gravel in (or a change of shoes!). If you have outfit ideas for your Paris photoshoot with me you're in between, I always tell my couples I'm happy to give input if needed!
How I approach engagement sessions in Paris
I moved to Paris from Canada a few years ago because I genuinely believe this city deserves more editorial and cinematic photography than it was getting: the tourist-trap stuff, the forced poses in front of landmarks, the over-edited digital look that flattens everything. I shoot primarily on film because it gives skin tones and natural light a warmth and grain that digital just can't replicate, especially in the Parisian overcast-but-luminous skies we get in spring. And my film photography informs my editorial eye throughout all my work.
I work often with English-speaking clients, mostly American and Canadian couples who are in Paris for a vacation, an anniversary, an elopement, or just because they wanted to do something romantic and memorable. I know how intimidating it can be to navigate a shoot in a foreign city, and the fact that we can communicate naturally, that I understand your references, your style, your sense of humour: it makes a difference in the final photos.
With E & J, we spent about ninety minutes together in the garden. We walked, we talked, we stopped when something looked good. No forced poses, no rigid shot lists. Just a genuinely lovely morning in one of the world's most beautiful places. E&J felt comfortable, at ease, and entirely themselves - and you can definitely see it in their Paris engagement photos.
Thinking about Paris engagement photos?
The Tuileries is one of my favourite locations to shoot in the city, but it's just one of many. I also love the Palais-Royal arcades, the Île Saint-Louis, the Canal Saint-Martin for a more relaxed editorial vibe, and the quieter corners of the Marais. Every couple gets a location recommendation tailored to their aesthetic and what they want the photos to feel like. There's no location guide, because I'm always up for exploring new locations. Whether it's a corner of the city I stumbled upon and saved in my Google Maps, or something that vibes with the inspiration board you have.
If you're planning a trip to Paris and want to do a couples session, an engagement shoot, or even begin planning a Parisian elopement, I'd love to hear from you. My calendar fills up quickly in spring and early autumn, so reach out early.
