A Paris couples photoshoot on Île Saint-Louis was the perfect way for Sheila and Jeff to celebrate their honeymoon, their new marriage, and a love story that neither of them takes for granted.
Married in September 2022, Sheila and Jeff traveled to Paris for a February honeymoon that included Valentine’s Day, charming Parisian streets, and a very special portrait session with our team at Katie Donnelly Photography.
What made their session particularly meaningful wasn’t just the occasion. It was their perspective on love, time, and finding happiness together after experiencing profound loss.
And honestly, we couldn’t wait to meet them.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
- Before the Paris Couples Photoshoot: Getting to Know Sheila and Jeff
- Planning Their Paris Honeymoon Photoshoot: From Vision to Locations
- Behind the Scenes: How Our Paris Photography Studio Prepares
- During the Photoshoot: Making the Magic Happen on Île Saint-Louis
- What to Wear for a Cold-Weather Couples Photoshoot in Paris
- After the Paris Couples Photoshoot: Sheila and Jeff’s Artwork
- Turning Your Paris Couples Photographs into Fine Art
- Paris Couples Photoshoot FAQs
- Ready to Book Your Paris Couples Photoshoot?
Before the Paris Couples Photoshoot: Getting to Know Sheila and Jeff
Every great Paris couples photoshoot begins well before we pick up our cameras.
We want to know who we’re photographing, what makes their relationship special, and what they’ll want to remember about this particular chapter of their lives.
For Sheila and Jeff, the answers were especially moving.
Both in their seventies, they had found each other after experiencing significant loss. Jeff had previously been married for more than 46 years before becoming a widower. Finding love again was something they both considered extraordinary.
As Sheila beautifully described it, they had found “love after love.”
Jeff shared his excitement about bringing his bride to Paris for their honeymoon, while Sheila was looking forward to celebrating their new life together in the city of love, a place she already knew and loved.
When we asked what they hoped to see reflected in their photographs twenty years from now, they told us:
“Our joy and gratitude at finding each other at this time in our lives. We are committed to making the most of each day and whatever time we have left. We have both experienced many significant losses and know how precious time and relationships are. We are a miracle!!”
How wonderful is that?
We also asked where they might display their portraits at home. Their answer? A room affectionately called the bistro, where they enjoy meals, listen to music, and spend time with their two Goldendoodles, Sophie and Sadie.
Immediately, we could picture the kind of artwork that would feel at home in their everyday life.
That’s why these questions matter. We’re not simply planning photographs in Paris. We’re getting to know the people who will look at those photographs for years to come, and helping them preserve unforgettable memories along the way.
Planning Their Paris Honeymoon Photoshoot: From Vision to Locations
Once we understood what mattered most to Sheila and Jeff, it was time to plan the experience.
Sheila had visited Paris at least ten times (isn’t that amazing? A woman after our own hearts!), while Jeff was preparing for his first trip. Naturally, they had slightly different ideas about their ideal Paris photographs.
Jeff imagined an iconic Parisian backdrop, somewhere that would instantly tell the story of their honeymoon. His dream photograph involved the two of them smiling, holding hands, and embracing with the Eiffel Tower behind them. It’s easy to understand the appeal of those iconic landmarks and the breathtaking views that make Paris so recognizable.
Sheila, meanwhile, loved the historic doors and beautiful streets of Île Saint-Louis, where they would be staying. She also liked the idea of photographing along the Seine River.
We loved that combination. A little Parisian grandeur, a little neighborhood charm, and plenty of room for their personalities to come through.
Located in the heart of Paris, ile Saint-Louis offers a charming atmosphere, beautiful architectural details, and the kind of intimate setting that feels wonderfully personal. Its narrow streets and historic buildings make it a perfect location for a relaxed couples session.
Their custom Paris photoshoot itinerary included three stops:
- Café Saint-Régis: One of Sheila’s favorite Paris cafés and a great place to meet before exploring the neighborhood.
- Their Parisian apartment doorway: A personal location that would forever remind them of their honeymoon home.
- Place Louis Aragon: A beautiful spot along the river, with classic Paris views and space for relaxed portraits together.
The locations were all within a short walk of one another, allowing us to spend more time photographing and less time traveling across the city.
Rather than rushing from the right bank to the left bank to squeeze in every famous monument, we focused on places that had meaning for them.
Sometimes the most memorable Paris photoshoot locations are the ones that tell your own story.
Behind the Scenes: How Our Paris Photography Studio Prepares
A relaxed photoshoot doesn’t happen by accident. There’s quite a bit of planning happening behind the scenes so our clients can simply arrive and enjoy themselves.
At the beginning of each week, our full Katie Donnelly Photography team meets to discuss and workshop our upcoming client sessions. We review each couple’s story, their questionnaire answers, their vision, and any special considerations.
It’s a collaborative process. We share ideas, talk through locations, consider the best light, and make sure everyone is aligned on how to create an exceptional experience.
For Sheila and Jeff, that meant balancing Jeff’s wish for recognizable Paris scenery with Sheila’s love of the quieter, historic details around île Saint-Louis.
We also consider the timing of each Paris photo session. Early morning can be especially lovely for portraits, with fewer people around and golden morning light illuminating the streets of Paris. The best timing always depends on the season, the location, and the experience our clients envision.
And because their honeymoon took place during the cooler months, we also needed to think about the weather.
Fall and winter in Paris can be chilly, windy, and occasionally quite wet. We keep an eye on the forecast, think through sheltered options, and plan for flexibility when conditions aren’t ideal.
If the weather looks particularly difficult, we can explore schedule adjustments when possible. Otherwise, beautiful cafés, covered streets, and a few strategically placed umbrellas can help us work around the rain.
Our goal is always the same: make the experience feel easy, personal, and genuinely enjoyable.
You can read more about how our Paris portrait sessions work, from your first inquiry to the finished artwork arriving at your home.
During the Photoshoot: Making the Magic Happen on Île Saint-Louis
With the planning done, it was time for the fun part!
We planned to meet Sheila and Jeff at Café Saint-Régis, a neighborhood favorite of Sheila’s and a wonderful place to begin their Paris honeymoon photoshoot.
One of our favorite things about photographing couples is watching their personalities emerge once they become comfortable in front of the camera.
We give gentle direction when it’s helpful, but we never want a session to feel like an endless series of stiff poses.
Instead, we create opportunities for natural interaction. Walking together, holding hands, sharing a laugh, or simply looking at one another can produce some of the most meaningful photographs.
For Sheila and Jeff, the goal was to celebrate the joy and gratitude they had described so beautifully before their session.
Their chosen neighborhood gave us plenty to work with, too.
The cobblestone streets and old Parisian doorways offered intimate backdrops, while the riverbank at Place Louis Aragon provided a more expansive view of the city.
There’s something special about finding a hidden gem in a neighborhood like ile Saint Louis. A beautiful doorway can become the perfect backdrop for a portrait, while a quiet corner can be the perfect place to capture a spontaneous moment together.
We love incorporating a mix of portraits into our couples and engagement photography in Paris. Some photographs highlight the beautiful surroundings.
Others focus entirely on the people and the connection between them.
After all, the city of light is a pretty spectacular setting, but Sheila and Jeff were the reason we were there.
What to Wear for a Cold-Weather Couples Photoshoot in Paris
Fall and winter in Paris call for a little extra wardrobe planning.
For a cold-weather couples photoshoot, we love outfits that combine warmth with classic, polished style. Beautiful coats, scarves, and thoughtfully coordinated layers can look wonderful against the city’s historic architecture.
The trick is choosing clothing that allows you to move comfortably while still feeling like yourselves.
Layers are especially helpful because they make it easy to adjust between locations, and a great coat can become part of the look rather than something you need to remove for every photograph.
If you’re considering outfit changes during your photo shoot, we recommend keeping them simple and practical, especially when photographing outdoors in cooler temperatures.
We guide our clients through wardrobe planning before their session, so they’re not left wondering what will photograph well or whether their favorite outfit is practical for the season.
Our Paris fall packing guide is another helpful starting point for dressing for cooler weather in the city.
After the Paris Couples Photoshoot: Sheila and Jeff’s Artwork
One of the most exciting parts of a Katie Donnelly Photography experience happens after the camera is put away.
We invite our clients into our beautiful Paris studio to view their portraits in a cinematic setting and select the photographs they’d love to turn into artwork.
For Sheila and Jeff, we already knew there was a special place at home where their photographs might live: their bistro.
We love imagining a portrait from their honeymoon becoming part of that room, surrounded by the music, meals, and everyday moments they share with Sophie and Sadie.
What Our Clients Ordered:
Sheila and Jeff ordered a Fine Art Acrylic in Color and a Fine Art Album of Black & White portraits.
They sent us photos of the artwork hung up on their walls are we’re OBSESSED. Look at how gorgeous these are.
There’s something especially meaningful about creating artwork that brings an extraordinary experience into the spaces where ordinary life happens.
Turning Your Paris Couples Photographs into Fine Art
At Katie Donnelly Photography, we believe photographs deserve to be enjoyed beyond a phone screen.
That’s why we’re a full-service Paris portrait studio specializing in beautiful, museum-quality artwork.
Our custom Paris photography artwork collection includes premium acrylic wall art, framed fine art canvases, hardwood-framed archival photographs, fine art albums, and smaller prints.
During your studio viewing appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to see the different finishes in person and choose the pieces that feel right for your home.
We’ll help you think through sizing, placement, and how different photographs work together. Whether you envision one statement piece for your living room or an album you can enjoy over coffee, we’ll guide you through the options.
Our artwork is professionally finished using archival materials, and we arrange worldwide delivery directly to your home.
We want the photographs you love today to remain part of your life for decades.
Because twenty years from now, when Sheila and Jeff look at their honeymoon portraits, we hope they’ll see exactly what they told us mattered most: their joy, their gratitude, and the remarkable love they’ve found together.
Paris Couples Photoshoot FAQs
Absolutely! We photograph couples celebrating honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, birthdays, and all sorts of wonderful milestones.
You don’t need a special occasion, either. Sometimes simply being together in Paris is reason enough.
Our sessions are personalized around your relationship, your interests, and what you’d love to remember about your time here. In fact, a couples session can be one of the most romantic ways to celebrate a meaningful trip together.
We monitor the weather and do our best to plan accordingly. When conditions are particularly challenging, we may be able to adjust the session timing, depending on availability.
Otherwise, we can incorporate umbrellas, covered locations, and charming Parisian cafés into the experience.
A little rain doesn’t have to mean missing out on amazing photos!
Our most popular custom mini session lasts approximately 30–45 minutes and works wonderfully for photographing within one Paris neighborhood.
We also offer longer sessions for couples who want more time or additional locations.
You can explore our Paris photography FAQs for more information about timing, preparation, and booking.
Not at all!
Most of our clients aren’t professional models, and we certainly don’t expect them to be.
Our photographers guide you through the session with easy prompts and natural direction. We’ll help you feel comfortable, find flattering light, and create a lovely combination of candid and gently posed portraits.
Whether we’re photographing in a quiet neighborhood or against an iconic Parisian view, our goal is to create the perfect setting for genuine connection. The best photo is often the one where you’ve forgotten about the camera entirely.
The most important thing you can bring is yourselves.
Ready to Book Your Paris Couples Photoshoot?
Contact Katie Donnelly Photography to Plan Your Paris Photoshoot
Whether you’re celebrating a brand-new marriage, decades together, or an unexpected new chapter, we’d love to help you document your story in Paris.
Sheila and Jeff reminded us just how much love, gratitude, and possibility can exist in every season of life.
And those are the stories we’re happiest to photograph.
We can’t wait to hear yours.
