An Elegant Elopement at Hotel Ritz Paris and the Rodin Museum

Jinyan and Chang's elopement at Hotel Ritz Paris and the Rodin Museum, with two couture gowns, sunset Parisian portraits, and balcony champagne. Captured by Daria…

By Elena Moretti | Published 18 April 2018

An Elegant Elopement at Hotel Ritz Paris and the Rodin Museum

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Jinyan and Chang's elopement unfolded across two of Paris's most iconic settings: the Rodin Museum and the legendary Hotel Ritz Paris, a luxury wedding venue in the heart of the city. So Special Events guided the day from suite preparations to sunset portraits at Parisian landmarks in Ile-de-France, while Daria Lorman captured each moment with cinematic precision.

Photography

Daria Lorman

Venue

Hotel Ritz Paris

Region

Ile-de-France, France

Couple

Jinyan & Chang

Getting Ready

A couple poses outdoors in a Paris courtyard, with the groom spinning the bride as he holds her hand overhead. The groom wears a fitted navy blue suit, while the bride wears a strapless blue floral-embroidered gown with a dark embellished waistband and a flowing skirt; she holds a small bouquet with light pink flowers and greenery and has her hair styled in an updo. The setting features formally clipped conical topiary hedges, a classical French limestone building to the left, and the gold-domed Hôtel des Invalides visible in the background. The shot is a medium-distance portrait taken in natural daylight with a bright, airy exposure.

A bride stands alone at the altar end of a grand Gothic cathedral interior, facing the camera in a full-length white ball gown with a long cathedral veil and a trailing skirt. She holds a large, richly colored bridal bouquet with deep jewel tones. The cathedral features soaring ribbed vaulted ceilings, a large ornate stained glass window above a prominent pipe organ, decorative tapestries flanking the altar area, and multiple heraldic banners and flags hanging from the upper nave walls. The black and white diamond-patterned marble aisle floor leads from the wooden pew rows to the bride's position. The composition is a wide shot taken from the back of the nave, placing the bride small within the vast architectural space. Potential venue feature image.

A close-up detail shot of a getting-ready or welcome amenity display set on a marble side table in what appears to be a hotel suite, with a teal upholstered sofa visible in the background. A glass cloche covers a tiered silver stand holding small pastries and petit fours, accompanied by a bottle of Ritz Paris Reserve Champagne Brut and two crystal champagne flutes, one partially filled. Loose cut flowers in hot pink, magenta, and red tones — including dahlias, peonies, and ranunculus — are scattered around the base of the display alongside a fuller floral arrangement behind the bottle. The overall styling palette is bold and romantic with deep jewel-toned florals against the soft blue-grey tones of the room.

A bridal portrait taken indoors at what appears to be a grand French classical building, featuring a sweeping curved staircase with ornate black and gold wrought-iron railings and carved plaster wall medallion detailing in the background. The bride stands alone on a black and white checkered marble floor, wearing a strapless ball gown in cornflower blue with an all-over floral and botanical print pattern. She holds a loose, garden-style bouquet featuring blue, red, and green mixed flowers, and wears blue drop earrings that coordinate with her dress. Her dark hair is styled in an updo. The composition is a full-length portrait shot, with the diagonal line of the staircase framing her figure against the pale stone wall. Potential venue feature image.

The morning began in a Ritz Paris suite, where makeup artist Tatiana Zinchuk prepared Jinyan beneath gilded ceilings and crystal chandeliers. The bride descended a sweeping curved staircase with ornate black and gold wrought-iron railings, her gown catching the light of the hotel's grand classical interior. A quiet first look between the couple set the emotional tone before they departed for the American Cathedral.

Bridal Portraits

A couple cuts their wedding cake on an outdoor balcony with Haussmann-style Parisian buildings visible in the background. The groom wears a navy blue suit with a patterned tie and glasses, while the bride wears a short-sleeve lace fitted gown and a delicate crystal hair vine with her hair in an updo. The two-tier cake features a watercolor blue and teal design with peach and blue sugar flowers on a white base with a navy blue base board. The round table is dressed in a champagne sequined linen and holds two blush taper candles in gold candlesticks, crystal champagne flutes, and a floral arrangement of hot pink, red, and blush dahlias and garden roses. The shot is a medium portrait framing both subjects from the waist up.

A couple poses on the grand stone staircase in front of a classical French neoclassical building featuring arched windows, ornate sculptural pediment, wrought-iron balcony railings, and carved stone detailing. The groom wears a navy blue suit with a bow tie, and the bride wears a floor-length blue floral-print ball gown with a long trailing skirt, holding a small bouquet with warm-toned flowers. The groom holds the bride's hand as she stands a step below him, with the full facade of the building centered behind them. The shot is a wide portrait framing the couple against the full height of the building exterior. Potential venue feature image.

A couple poses with a vintage cream-and-tan open-top classic car in front of what appears to be the Ritz Paris on Place Vendôme, identifiable by the iconic striped dome awnings and the Ritz signage. The groom wears a navy blue suit and the bride is seated on the car in a layered tulle ball gown in a soft grey-blue tone, holding a small bouquet with blue and white flowers. A uniformed doorman in a dark green coat and peaked cap stands beside the car, while hotel staff in white uniforms and other bystanders are visible in the background. This is a wide portrait-style shot with the ornate Haussmann-style hotel façade, French flags, and manicured topiary as the backdrop. Potential venue feature image.

Jinyan posed on the grand stone staircase of a neoclassical building, her gown framed by arched windows and carved stone pediments. Later, she changed into a floor-length blue and white floral ballgown for portraits in the formal gardens, standing between tall ivy-covered hedge arches. Daria Lorman captured the interplay of Parisian architecture and couture with quiet, editorial composure.

Flat Lays

A close-up detail shot of wedding ceremony programs laid on a rustic wooden surface. The printed programs reference 'A Thanksgiving Ceremony for their Marriage' for Chang Yao and Jin Yan Li, held on Friday September 6 at the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris, France, officiated by Michel Rannou. The programs feature an illustrated line drawing of a cathedral with a spire. Alongside the programs sits a floral arrangement featuring pale blue delphinium, blue thistle (eryngium), yellow craspedia (billy balls), white blooms, and eucalyptus, along with an empty stemmed wine glass, suggesting a reception table setting. The overall styling palette combines blue, yellow, and white florals with natural wood tones.

A nine-image collage showcasing a Paris wedding editorial shoot. Top row: a wide establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower from a Parisian street; a couple portrait outdoors with the gilded dome of Les Invalides in the background, the bride wearing a blue floral ball gown and the groom in a navy suit; and a full-length portrait of the bride standing on a black-and-white checkered marble floor beside a wrought-iron staircase inside a classical French interior. Middle row: a wide exterior shot of a grand Haussmann-style mansion with formal gardens, a central fountain, and sculpted hedges; a couple kissing beneath ivy-covered stone archways in a formal garden; and a flat-lay detail shot of stationery, wax seal stamps in blue and red, ribbon, and small decorative items on a marble surface. Bottom row: a flat-lay of ivory lace bridal heels surrounded by vivid red and pink peonies and dahlias; a styled table detail showing a champagne bottle, a glass cloche with macarons, and an arrangement of red, coral, and pink peonies; and an outdoor balcony scene with the couple cutting a blue and white tiered cake, with a Parisian mansion visible in the background. The overall palette combines the bride's blue floral gown with bold red and pink florals and classic Parisian architecture.

A flat lay detail shot of a pair of Badgley Mischka bridal heels in ivory lace with pearl-embellished ankle straps and gold insoles, arranged on a white surface surrounded by loose flower heads. The flowers include deep red dahlias, hot pink peonies, bright pink gerbera daisies, and light pink dahlias, creating a bold, vibrant color palette against the neutral shoes and white background. The composition is styled with flowers scattered around and between the shoes in a deliberate, decorative arrangement.

A flat lay detail shot of bridal getting-ready accessories arranged on a white fabric surface. The composition centers on a bottle of Chanel Chance Eau Tendre perfume in its signature pale pink round bottle, surrounded by three loose blooms — two hot pink garden roses and one large blush-to-cream dahlia. In the upper right corner sits a gold hair comb adorned with small white florals and pearl or crystal accents. The overall styling palette is pink and white with gold hardware, suggesting a romantic, feminine bridal aesthetic.

A nine-image collage revealed the full scope of the Parisian elopement: the Eiffel Tower from a quiet street, couple portraits before the gilded dome of Les Invalides, and detailed shots of Sweetness and Cook's sweet table. Stationery, accessories, and the bride's two gowns were arranged against the Ritz's ornate interiors. A gold-framed glass bar cart on the balcony overlooking Place Vendome completed the scene.

Venue

Wide exterior shot of a grand 18th-century Haussmann-style French mansion with a slate mansard roof, cream stone facade, and large arched windows with white shutters. The formal garden in the foreground features a circular reflecting pool with a bronze sculptural group at its center, flanked by manicured lawn, trimmed hedgerows, and topiary. No wedding party or guests are visible in this image. Potential venue feature image.

A wide-angle outdoor location shot in Paris featuring the Eiffel Tower rising between classic Haussmann-style cream stone buildings with wrought iron balconies. No people or wedding subjects are visible in the frame. The composition is a vertical wide shot captured from street level, with the iron tower centered between the surrounding architecture. Potential venue feature image.

Wide-angle exterior shot looking upward at a white Gothic-style church with a tall pointed spire, rose window, and ornate stone detailing, set within a Parisian urban streetscape. The church is partially framed by mature trees and flanked by classic Haussmann-style apartment buildings on either side. No people are visible in the frame. The image appears to be a venue establishing shot taken in natural daylight. Potential venue feature image.

A wide exterior shot of a classic French hôtel particulier with pale stone façade, tall arched windows, and a slate mansard roof with decorative dormers. The formal garden features a circular reflecting pool in the foreground with a bronze sculptural figure at its center, flanked by manicured lawns, trimmed hedgerows, and topiary. No wedding party or guests are visible in the frame. The composition is a straight-on wide shot captured in soft, even daylight. Potential venue feature image.

The Eiffel Tower rose between Haussmann cream-stone buildings with wrought-iron balconies, a scene that needed no embellishment. Inside the Ritz Paris, gilded mirrors, marble floors, and silk drapery created a setting of rarefied luxury. The Rodin Museum's sculpture gardens and intimate courtyards offered contrast to the hotel's opulence, framing art and love side by side.