When Keith and I (and the kids) decided to spend the month of July in Paris, we began reaching out to wedding industry professionals in Paris, specifically wedding planners that spoke english. We can’t be in the most beautiful and romantic city in the world and not photograph a wedding while we are there!

A quick google search and I came across Kim Petyt of Parisian Events – an American wedding planner in Paris. Her website and blog are so informative. Makes me wish Keith and I could get married all over again – in Paris.

We are so happy to make Kim’s acquaintance and look forward to meeting her this summer. I thought it would be fun to ask her a few questions and feature her on our blog.

What is your favorite part of a wedding day? I think I have 2 favorite moments. I always try to schedule a moment during the cocktail hour where the couple can come in and see the dining room all dressed, candles lit, etc. I LOVE seeing their faces, and it really is a nice little moment. The other time I like is just after the “first dance”- the party starts, nothing else is typically planned, and everyone can just have a great time. It may be different in the States since weddings are so short, but in France, once people hit the dance floor, there’s about 3 or 4 hours more to party!

What made you become a wedding planner in Paris? One of the main reasons that I started my wedding planning agency in Paris was because I desperately needed help planning my own wedding in France while I was living in the U.S.. I didn’t speak French, and my husband’s sisters didn’t speak English, which made me a complete wreck the entire time that we were organizing our wedding. Although at the time we didn’t have any definite plans to move to France, I remember thinking that if we ever did move, I would definitely consider becoming a wedding consultant (I was planning corporate and social events at the time- so it was a natural transition).

Not long after we were married, my husband’s company transferred us to Paris, and I settled into motherhood and expat life, all the while keeping my eye on wedding planning. When we arrived in France 7 years ago, there were (I believe) only 3 or 4 French wedding planning agencies with an internet presence in the Paris region. By the time that I was ready to start my agency, the number of wedding planning companies in Paris had grown. I would say that 2 years ago, there were roughly 8 or 9 companies with a strong online presence. Today, I feel like that number has doubled, if not tripled. The majority of the websites that you come across for planning weddings in Paris will also have a page in English, which sort of puts all of the agencies on the same, basic level. So, how do you go about choosing the right wedding planning company in Paris if they all have flashy, English-language websites? Please click here to view Kim’s full post about How to Choose a Wedding Planner in Paris!

Merci Kim!