J's Paris Destination Wedding at the American Church in Paris, followed by a river cruise on the seine | by Paris Makeup & Hair Artist Onorina Jomir
Photography: Gloria Villa Photography | Makeup & Hair Styling: Onorina Jomir Beauty | Venue: The American Church in Paris
Paris Destination Wedding at the American Church in Paris: J+M being showered with rose petals as they leave the church after their ceremony, Paris, France.
Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Paris Destination Wedding on the River Seine: Bride and bridesmaids walking to the ceremony at the American Church in Paris. Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography.
Paris is a wonderful city for a destination wedding — There is so much to see, but little time to experience everything the city offers, especially if you are only in town for a few days.
But one way to experience it all with your wedding guests is by hosting your wedding reception on a river cruise! By booking a river cruise on the Seine for your Paris destination wedding, you and your guests can enjoy the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Musée d’Orsay, Louvre Museum, and more, all while dancing the night away at your wedding reception.
Meet Jordan and Michael, my clients from Miami who got married on Bastille Day in Paris, France! For their destination wedding, they had a religious wedding ceremony at the American Church in Paris, followed by a privatized river cruise reception on the Seine river. Read on to learn about this real-life destination wedding in France, and to see Jordan’s bridal makeup and hair look for her summer wedding in Paris.
Paris Destination Wedding Planning
Jordan found my bridal makeup and hairstyling services via Instagram, about 6 months before her Paris Destination Wedding. She and her fiance wanted to see Paris in all its glory, so they chose Bastille Day as their wedding date! Since Jordan could not meet before for a hair and makeup trial, we got to planning her bridal look for her destination wedding right away via email!
As Bastille Day takes place on July 14th in the middle of summer, the weather is usually boiling hot, so I suggested a full bridal updo and we discussed her inspirations and ideas from there. Full Updos are the perfect choice for a Paris river cruise wedding reception — this classic bridal hair style will not budge against wind or high heat. Jordan doesn’t wear much makeup at all in her daily life, so we opted for a very natural look and focused on her bronze skin tone by highlighting key points of her face and collar bones.
Paris Wedding Tip: July is a hot and humid month for Paris, so I always encourage opting for a full updo during this month. No amount of product or hairspray is going to protect a down-do in hot sweltering weather, or the occasional rainy and windy days sprinkled in between.
Jordan’s Wedding Day in Paris: Beautiful view of Paris from Jordan’s balcony at her Air Bnb apartment in Paris!
Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Wedding Preparations
Paris Destination Wedding: Once hair and makeup was complete, the bridal party enjoyed the view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral from their balcony in Paris, France.
Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Early on the wedding day, temperatures were rising as I made my way to Jordan’s Air Bnb. The meteorologists were calling for Bastille Day to be the hottest day of the year, 40 degrees Celsius/104 Fahrenheit! Once I arrived, I swiftly got to work by setting up the space, while Jordan and her bridesmaids enjoyed mimosas and pains au chocolat from a boulangerie neaby.
Jordan’s Airbnb was a cozy apartment with a gorgeous view of Parisian roof tops and the Notre-Dame Cathedral in its glory (this was before the devastating fire at the Notre Dame, which sadly took place in 2019). I worked on everyone’s hair and makeup, starting at 7am and ending by 3pm – just before the ceremony at the American Church in Paris.
Once the bridal party was finished with hair and makeup, the wedding photographer, Gloria, of Gloria Villa Photography, whisked them out on the balcony for some getting-ready portraits. We could see the celebrations happening on the streets below as the girls posed away in their matching blue-and-pink-flower robes. Afterward, they swiftly changed, put on jewelry, exchanged gifts, and made their way to the ceremony.
Bridal Beauty Tip: Need ideas figuring out your hair and makeup look for your big day? Check out my Bridal Hair Guide Here, and my Bridal Makeup Guide Here, or visit my Pinterest page!
Paris Destination Wedding: The bride having her hair and makeup done by Onorina Jomir in her Paris Air Bnb Apartment. Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
The Bridal Look
Jordan has gorgeous medium-bronze complexion with an oval face, brown almond eyes, and black long hair with natural highlights.
For her wedding ceremony, she had a sweetheart mermaid dress with a full skirt and champagne floral lace appliqué on the bodice, trailing down to the edge of her court train skirt and finished with a long cathedral veil.
Jordan wears minimal makeup — therefore, she wanted the most natural bridal makeup look for her destination wedding in Paris. She had a lovely tan, so I enhanced her skin with a soft highlighter and a radiant foundation in the areas that needed it, and nothing more. Too much shimmer on a hot day can make a bride look oily, so it was important to keep the look balanced. We finished the makeup by adding a few individual faux lashes for a slight accent on her eyes and a soft pinky-nude glossy lip.
For her bridal hairstyle, Jordan opted for a polished, sophisticated structured updo with looped curls so we could see the beautiful reflections of her natural highlights.
Natural Bridal Makeup for Medium-Bronze Skin Tone for Wedding at the American Church in Paris: “My face-but-better,” neutral-toned bridal look, paired with medium-pink lip gloss. Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Classic Bridal Updo Look for Paris Destination Wedding in July: Full updo featuring curled bun and a smooth, glossy finish - perfect bridal updo for dark hair brides in hot weather! Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Paris Destination Wedding Look: Onorina Jomir, makeup and hair artist in Paris, securing Jordan’s cathedral veil for her American Church in Paris wedding ceremony.
Photo courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Like some destination wedding brides, my client did not have time before the wedding for a Look Design Appointment.
For instances like this, the bride will send me photos of her dream bridal look, and we will discuss the look in depth via email so we can be on the same page. Then, on the wedding day, I show the bride her look at each important phase to ensure she is happy with how it is coming together.
Jordan showed me several images of her dream updo before the wedding day and brought more examples on her phone that day. She also reiterated she did not want a lot of face makeup, and I reassured her by showing her the mirror to get her approval. She was a tad nervous at first, but became more relaxed as time went by and her friends complimented her look every step of the way. Her bridesmaids and mom kept ooh-ing and ahh-ing as the chignon came together beautifully, thanks to her healthy and shiny dark hair!
Bridal Makeup Tip: Whether you want a natural, bold or classic bridal makeup look, always know which features you want to focus on. Whether it be perfect skin like Jordan, or eyes like my client Dana, knowing what you want to emphasize in your makeup is the first step to creating a cohesive bridal makeup look. Learn more bridal makeup design tips here.
The Wedding Ceremony
After portraits on the rooftop, the bridal party got dressed and made their way to the ceremony at the famous American Church in Paris.
Paris Destination Wedding at the American Church in Paris: Jordan and Michael say "I-Do" for their Paris destination wedding, surrouded by family and friends. Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography.
The American Church in Paris is the first American church established outside the United States and is a popular church for American destination brides. This stone church features a vaulted ceiling and beautiful stained-glass windows, which made Jordan and Michael felt right at home. The ceremony was in English and they were thrilled to be able to have an American Protestant wedding ceremony in Paris. Once Jordan and Michael were pronounced husband and wife, everyone cheered them on and showered them with rose petals as they exited the church. Then the wedding party had their formal photoshoot nearby the church, followed by more portraits at the Louvre!
The Couple’s Paris Portraits
Paris Destination Wedding at the American Church in Paris: Couple poses around the Louvre Museum with their wedding party. Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography
Privatized River Cruise Wedding Reception on the Seine
Paris Destination Wedding Reception on a River Seine Cruise: Couple poses on the deck of their privatized river cruise reception, in view of the Eiffel tower, Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography.
Once wedding party portraits finished, Jordan changed into her reception dress—a vintage-inspired off-the-shoulder gown with beaded accents before embarking onto their cruise ship reception. Her hair held up perfectly despite the heat and did not budge one bit for the humid cruise on the Seine!
Paris Destination Wedding on the River Seine: Bride and groom getting ready to cut into their wedding cake. Can you believe they’re actually on a river cruise? Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography.
Their cruise was intimate; the bride and groom had time on their own, as well as time with guests. They traveled the Seine River throughout Paris, giving their guests up close views of Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Musée d’Orsay, Jardin des Tuileries, AND the Louvre, while dancing the night away!
At the end of the night, everyone enjoyed a magnificent display of Bastille Day fireworks up close from the comfort of the cruise, a wonderful ending to their destination wedding in Paris, France! After the wedding, the bride and groom stayed in Paris for an extra couple days to unwind before heading home to Miami, Florida. Then a couple months later, Jordan wrote me a beautiful review!
“I planned a destination wedding in Paris on Bastille Day and my first worry was finding someone I could trust to make myself, my mother and my wedding party gorgeous for my special day. I knew when I found Onorina I found that person. Getting ready with Onorina was like having your hair and makeup done by your best friend. She was so sweet and calming during the anticipation of the day ahead. Onorina was able to provide myself and bridal party with gorgeous hair and make up that lasted all day in the hot summer heat and throughout the night dancing away. Thank you Onorina for making me look and feel beautiful!
Thank you again so much!
Love,
Jordan”
See the review on Google.
Paris Destination Wedding on the River Seine: receptions on a Seine River Cruise is a fun way to show your guests all the Paris landmarks while dancing the night away. Because they got married on Bastille Day, they were able to enjoy the fireworks from their cruise! Photo Courtesy of Gloria Villa Photography.
Destination wedding receptions on a Seine River Cruise is a fun way to show your guests all the Paris landmarks. If you are looking for a makeup artist and hair stylist who will design you the perfect bridal look that will withstand the heat and wind of a cruise reception in Paris, then I am the bridal makeup artist and hairstylist for you! I have been a bridal makeup artist in Paris for several years and I am an expert in coordinating beautiful bridal beauty looks for brides and wedding editorials. Even if you, just like my client Jordan, cannot make a look appointment prior to your wedding day, you will be in expert hands. You will have a say in your look each step of the way and even though it may be your first time being styled by me, you’ll feel in complete control each step of the way.
FEATURED VENDORS
Makeup + Hair Styling - Onorina Jomir Beauty
Photography - Gloria Villa Photography
Ceremony - The American Church in Paris