Ernest Hemingway once said that Paris is a feast that stays with you forever. For Zoila and Richard, it truly was quiet, mature and intentional. They chose to celebrate their wedding in Paris, shortening the guest list to ten to preserve a sense of closeness. The day unfolded naturally: from the morning light to the chic street photos, and finally to the glow of candlelight at night.
Florals by Be The One Paris set the tone from the very first moment. Red was not an accent for the day, it was an intention. Here, the color was neither cold nor aggressive, it felt warm, tender, and deeply in tune with the city’s muted palette. Its depth mirrored the golden light of Parisian architecture and the gentle fire of the evening reception.
Location: Paris, France
Style: Romantic, Chic, Elegant
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 10
Setting: Church and Hotel
Season: Summer
Zoila and Richard met as teenagers during a vacation in Miami, Florida, with family friends. They shared a kiss and never saw each other again. After 17 years, they ran into each other at a family event in Tampa, where both were already living. They began dating and fell in love.
During a trip to Maui, Hawaii, Richard proposed to Zoila on a secluded beach in front of the most gorgeous sunset. What started as a “cute photo session” turned into the moment he was on one knee holding the ring. Their story is not about spectacle but about return and resonance.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Morning began in soft, milk-beige light, the kind that makes everything look calm and unhurried. The suite felt serene, touched only by the rustle of satin and the quiet shimmer of glass. Details told the story: macarons on a tray, ivory Jimmy Choo heels catching the light on the balcony.
From Ivory & Lace Bridal Boutique in Tampa, Zoila chose a satin A-line gown with a sweetheart neckline: simple, structured, and timeless. A cathedral-style veil completed the look, softening the lines and catching the Paris light as she stepped onto the balcony. It was a classic silhouette, handled with restraint, made to belong to the architecture around her rather than outshine it.
Groom’s Fashion
Richard’s look followed the same principle: precision over display. A black tuxedo from Milano Exchange, crisp white shirt, and a bow tie set just right. His shoes, Christian Louboutin, added a subtle gloss; his cufflinks, Cartier, engraved and gifted by Zoila, carried quiet sentiment beneath the formality. A Rolex on his wrist completed the composition. Everything about his attire echoed the wedding’s tone: classic, edited, confident without noise.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place at the American Church in Paris, a neo-Gothic landmark on the Seine known for its vaulted ceilings, soft acoustics, and quietly intimate atmosphere. Inside, red velvet curtains framed the altar, a subtle echo of the day’s color story.
With only a handful of guests, the atmosphere turned profoundly intimate. Every sound, a step, a sigh, a note from the piano, seemed to matter more. When Zoila entered the church on her father’s arm, time slowed. She and Richard had decided not to see each other before the ceremony, saving that moment for the aisle.
Zoila held a mono-bouquet of pink peonies, her favorite flowers, crafted by Be The One Paris. Along the pews, small white floral arrangements added a layer of purity and calm, echoing the innocence of the scene.
Moments Together
After the ceremony, a classic black limousine awaited the guests outside the church. The couple and their closest circle took a short city ride together, laughter and champagne filling the quiet avenues.
Soon after, Zoila and Richard slipped away for their portrait session, captured by Luisa Apanui. A vintage black car with deep burgundy leather became their frame for the afternoon.
Luisa’s lens rendered everything in her signature bold editorial tone: rich light, clean geometry, cinematic calm. The Eiffel Tower appeared between the rooftops, as if by chance, threading itself into their story.
The sequence felt spontaneous yet styled: part old-Hollywood drive, part Parisian reverie, until the couple returned to the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, where evening light began to turn gold.
Decor
The evening unfolded in white-and-gold interiors lined with crystal chandeliers and mirrored walls. Be One Paris set the tone with one clear statement. Monochrome stretches of crimson roses ran in dense lines along the tables, drawing the geometry of the room while leaving pauses of white linen in between. That single-flower approach stripped the palette to its essence, letting the color speak in depth.
Candlelight became part of the design. Slim taper candles and silver candelabras extended the room’s vertical rhythm, mirrored in the glass and gilding, multiplying their glow into the quiet theater of the evening. The reflections built the sense of candlelit fire, the visual heartbeat of the night.
The floral logic was less variety, more volume. Be One Paris worked with compact, low rose compositions, without filler greens, creating modern, architectural tablescapes that made a small guest list feel grand. According to the couple, guests immediately thought of Beauty and the Beast: red, mirrors, candlelight, a touch of theater wrapped in romance.
Reception
Zoila changed into her second look, a lace-fit gown from Ivory & Lace Bridal Boutique. The silhouette traced her shape with precision, featuring a sweetheart neckline and delicate floral embroidery over sheer tulle. It was softer, more fluid than her ceremony dress.
The cake stood as a reflection of the couple’s tone: understated and refined. An ivory base with fine vertical pleating, topped with sugar flowers and tied with a single red ribbon. They cut it together, laughter breaking the stillness of the moment, as if the day exhaled.
Their first dance followed: slow, unhurried, almost whispered. No choreography, no spectacle. Just a small circle of family watching as they moved together under the chandeliers.
Later, they stepped onto the balcony, champagne in hand. The sky was still pale, but the building’s facade had already come alive. The hotel glowing with its signature red geraniums, nearly 1,900 of them cascading from every window. As the cork flew, the Eiffel Tower shimmered in the background, and for a brief moment, the city felt suspended — Paris holding its breath for them.
Advice from the couple:
• While it is totally up to each couple and their preference, we really enjoyed not doing a first look and seeing each other for the first time on the the aisle.
FLORAL DESIGN Be One Paris — Cassia Ferreira | PLANNING & OFFICIANT Stefania Celardo | PHOTOGRAPHER Luisa Apanui | VIDEOGRAPHER AKS Visuals | MUAH Adele Langlois MUA | RECEPTION VENUE Hotel Plaza Athénée | BRIDAL GOWNS Ivory & Lace Bridal Boutique | BRIDAL SHOES Jimmy Choo | EARRINGS Swarovski | BRIDAL PERFUME Miss Dior | GROOM’S ATTIRE Milano Exchange | GROOM’S SHOES Christian Louboutin | GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Rolex, Cartier
