Paul Keppel

A Photographer Who Skis

Paul Keppel is a UK wedding photographer whose site includes a detailed account of an elopement-style wedding day in Zermatt, and who writes in the comments below it that this was his 7th wedding there. What makes him unusual for a mountain wedding is written in the middle of the story: he skied backwards down the slope to photograph the couple, adding "I've been a ski instructor for 15years". For couples who want part of their wedding day on skis, that combination is rare.

The site is entirely in English, and he mentions flying back to the UK after the wedding, so couples should treat him as a traveling photographer who comes to Zermatt for the day rather than one based in the Alps.

What the Zermatt Story Shows

The post, "Elopement wedding in Zermatt", follows Robin and Ryan's day and is the best guide to how he works. It opens with a coincidence: he had photographed a wedding on the same day a year earlier, at the same venue, in the same church and with the same vicar, for Marc and Corey.

The day nearly did not happen. He writes that two days before the wedding, the day he arrived in Zermatt, the pastor told the couple that a funeral was taking place on their wedding day and the ceremony would have to move to the next day. A compromise was found: the church ceremony would take place at 5.30 pm on the original day. Rather than wait around all day, the couple were given the keys to the Riffelhaus Hotel's chapel for a private ceremony of their own.

The morning began at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, which he describes as a five-star hotel in the heart of Zermatt and "the perfect place to get ready for your wedding". From there they took the Gornergrat Railway, which he describes as a small rack railway from town up to the summit of Gornergrat, with the couple in their wedding clothes plus "the added accessories that are a necessity in Zermatt – snow boots and skis!"

At the Riffelhaus Chapel, which he says has panoramic views of the Matterhorn, the couple said some words to each other in private, with him as the only other person present. After photos in the snow they skied down to Iglu Dorf, which he describes as a set of igloos above Zermatt with a bar, restaurant, accommodation and pool. There they had a drink, took portraits around the igloo village, and the bride threw her bouquet to the après-ski crowd, which he also filmed. A quick ski down to the lift followed, where the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof's horse and carriage collected them and took them back to the hotel to freshen up. After the ceremony at the Pfarrkirche St. Mauritius he left them to a private dinner, then rejoined them for night portraits in front of the hotel. He calls it one of his most action-packed days.

Two small details in the story matter to couples coming from abroad. Ryan brought a beer from his own brewery in America to Iglu Dorf, so this was a destination wedding for a couple traveling to Switzerland, much like many readers of this guide. And the private chapel ceremony had only three people present, the couple and the photographer, which he describes as a really intimate, moving moment that he felt honored to share. His role on a day like this is closer to a companion than a distant observer.

Photofilm and Video

Below the story he introduces a product he says he is adding to his packages: a photofilm, "A fusion of visual and audio content", which creates a highlight reel of the day. He presents it as suited to couples who want both photography and videography, and the post embeds a video of the Zermatt day. The site menu also has separate videography and proposals sections; his related posts are about proposals in Cornwall.

Weather and the Matterhorn

His replies in the comments give an honest note on mountain weather. On this wedding he writes "We were so lucky with the weather", adding that the last couple of times it had been so cloudy they could not even see the Matterhorn. In another reply he says he has been lucky overall and had only one wedding there that was a total whiteout. Couples planning a Zermatt wedding around a view of the mountain should build in a plan for cloud.

Language, Prices and Contact

Everything on the site is in English, which removes the language barrier for couples from the UK, North America or elsewhere. The menu includes a prices page, a contact page, praise from past clients, a portfolio and a blog, so couples can check costs and reviews before writing. The Zermatt post itself does not say how travel and accommodation for a Swiss wedding are charged, how many hours of coverage are included, or how long delivery takes.

What the Site Leaves Open

The post does not say whether he helps book mountain logistics such as the Gornergrat Railway, the chapel or Iglu Dorf, or whether the couple arranged those themselves; in this story the chapel access came from the Riffelhaus Hotel. It does not say whether he works with a second photographer, or how far ahead Zermatt dates book up. Beyond Zermatt, the page does not name other Swiss resorts he has worked in. These points belong in a first message along with the travel costs.

Who It Suits

Paul Keppel suits couples planning an intimate, active Zermatt wedding or elopement who want the day to move: a mountain chapel, a railway ride, skiing between locations and an après stop, then a church ceremony and hotel portraits in town. His ski-instructor background means he can keep up on the slopes and shoot while moving, as the Zermatt story shows. English-speaking couples will find planning easy, and the prices page gives them a starting point.

It is a less obvious fit for couples who want a photographer based in Switzerland for pre-wedding meetings in person, or who are planning a large wedding elsewhere in the country, since his Swiss work on the site is centered on Zermatt. Couples should also be prepared for mountain weather, which he openly says can hide the Matterhorn completely.