Edouard is a native French man, trained as a pastry chef and working at a patisserie in Paris. He has been on his own since age 16, and quickly learned self-sufficiency. Malaika is an American expat who was transferred to Paris for a job in luxury retail. She was the only child of a single dad, who passed away from a long-term illness a few years prior.
The couple met at a cafe one morning, shortly after she arrived in Paris. When they made eye contact, she smiled. Enchanted, he greeted her and asked her name. She stumbled over her French, not because she spoke the language poorly, but because she was immediately captivated as well.
They immediately recognized a strong chemistry, and talked for hours. It only felt natural to spend all their days together after that. Time grew their relationship into a bonded companionship. They value honesty and trust in each other and living in the present. Life is too short to take little moments for granted.
Although they wanted to become engaged months ago, she was unsure of her permanence in Paris. Last week she was offered a long-term position at her boutique. In order to celebrate, they decided to do a photo session together at one of the most iconic Parisian locations, the Louvre. Oui Mon Coeur helped them pull together the style and locations and Malaika had her hair and makeup done by Reina Kim Artistry. Inspired by luxury brands and the fashion industry in which she works, Malaika designed her own pair of tulle clip dot fingerless gloves to accentuate her sleek satin gown and ankle bow heels. She dawned a faux fur coat from a local vintage consignment boutique, as a subtle nod to the aristocratic locations of the photos. Mordi Photographie photographed this captivating session.
But what was supposedly just a photo session in Paris turned into not just an engagement, but an elopement as well. Is there anything quite so spontaneous as saying “I WILL” and “I DO” on the same day? These two embraced the moment and chose each other over a full wedding, a guest list, a sea of florals and even the white dress. In the very hour they agreed to be married, they wrote their vows, exchanged rings and mutually declared their love and commitment in matrimony. Then Edouard and Malaika sealed the deal with a champagne toast and bites of macarons, rather than wedding cake.
They later did a brief after-wedding session, just for their own enjoyment, which was photographed on the rooftop of their Paris apartment, and the couple wore traditional wedding attire.
There are three take-aways the couple has highlighted from this elopement. 1. Life is too short to take little moments for granted. 2. Simply embrace what you have already. 3. Above all else, choose love.
