The Only Eiffel Tower Proposal Guide You’ll Ever Need

The location decision is so consequential that we dedicated an entire section to help you identify the perfect Eiffel Tower proposal spot. Why? Simple. Because the setting determines privacy, timeline flexibility, weather contingency, and a host of other vital factors.

Critically, the environment (and ambiance you create) will affect your partner’s five senses and how she remembers the marriage proposal.

You need to differentiate between:

• public Eiffel Tower settings (free of charge and widely accessible to anyone); an
• private Eiffel Tower proposal settings (you pay a premium in return for exclusivity and privacy).

A private setting—such as a residential rooftop, hotel terrace, or yacht—is not always prettier than its public alternative. Yet, meaningful benefits accrue to those who privatize their setting.

Here are the most popular public spots with Eiffel Tower views (in no particular order):

Trocadero (Eiffel Tower view; public): the most iconic and instantly recognizable place to have your engagement photos taken. We only recommend a marriage proposal at Trocadero around sunrise unless you enjoy curious onlookers.

Seine River (Eiffel Tower view; public): a pretty spot that is a little more private than Trocadero. However, the approach to getting to the perfect spot can be challenging in high heels. Plus, since this location is very close to the Eiffel Tower, your photographer will need to use a wide-angle lens, which is less flattering than a zoom. The Seine River works pretty much any time of the day except when the nearby wall casts a shadow on your proposal spot while the sun exposes the Iron Lady.

Bir-Hakeim Bridge (Eiffel Tower view; public): a famous bridge with instantly recognizable architecture. It works better at sunrise than in the evening; it is neither romantic nor private. Flanked by streets on the left and right, the bridge can be stressful. On a positive note, it’s a fantastic rain alternative when you have your heart set on an Eiffel Tower proposal.

Alexander III Bridge (subtle Eiffel Tower view; public): among the most elegant and beautiful bridges in Paris, Alexander III photographs well any time of the day. However, for enhanced privacy, try sunrise or Midnight in Paris.

Here are a few incredible private proposal locations with Eiffel Tower view (in no particular order):

The Peninsula Paris (Eiffel Tower view; private): unlike some other Parisian hotels with Eiffel Tower view, The Peninsula Hotel is easily accessible without giving away the surprise. It’s reassuring that things always run smoothly at the Peninsula with time-tested, proven processes and palace-level service. Expect maximum privacy and unpretentious luxury. The most romantic time to pop the question is around sunset. A seasoned vendor team and Paris proposal planner are compulsory.

The Shangri-La Paris (Eiffel Tower view; private): the Shangri-La is an exceptional alternative to the Peninsula and is considered by many to be the best Paris proposal spot. You’ll need to rent an Eiffel Tower suite with an exclusive deck. Typically, a floral designer will embellish your terrace while you’re out exploring the City. Hire a professional vendor team and enlist an experienced planner. Consider surprise-embellishing your hotel suite and enjoy private dining with a butler as the Eiffel Tower twinkles at a distance.

There are no rules that say you cannot propose on the Eiffel Tower.

However, it’s not recommended since many curious bystanders will surround you. Getting engaged on a wrought-iron tower in plain public view does not even sound romantic. There’s no real chance for personalization, so forget about impressive photos.

The entire idea of an Eiffel Tower proposal is to actually see the iconic Iron Lady in your pictures, right?

We suggest exploring the monument with your fiancée after she says “yes” and capturing some fun selfies 108 stories off the ground.

People get engaged in Paris because it’s a fantastic place to pop the question when your sweetheart values a romantic destination engagement.

The City of Love is not for everyone … and does not even pretend to be. Yet, we think Paris is the ultimate playground for lovebirds, and here’s why:

• From its trendy shopping streets to the carefree Bohemian spirit of the Left Bank, Paris tempts and inspires with lively cafés, world-renowned art & architecture, and countless hidden nooks to steal a few innocent French kisses.
• Paris boasts so many postcard-worthy spots ranging from iconic public Eiffel Tower proposal settings to ultra-chic private yachts, palace-level hotel rooftops, and straight-out-of-a-movie French chateaux.
• It’s surprisingly easy to identify talented English-speaking vendors to help you pull-off a fairytale marriage proposal across time zones and from thousands of miles away.
• Paris is always a good idea, right? You’ll certainly not run out of fun things to do as freshly minted fiancés. Here are the 6 most romantic places in Paris to kiss.

Really, that’s why we published the most comprehensive Paris proposal guide.

Like in any other city, there are no rules on how to get engaged in Paris except to make your proposal meaningful to your partner.

When you pop the question in Paris, you’re already ahead of the curve just for smartly deciding to treat your loved one to a romantic destination proposal. Yet, you still need to do a little homework:

• Secure her dad’s (parents) blessing; asking your future father-in-law for his daughter’s hand in marriage is neither old-fashioned or cliche. Quite the opposite—it’s a signal of respect to him, her, tradition, and the romantic institution of marriage.
• Set a date and time when your partner will definitely be available. Do not delay locking in flights, hotels, restaurants, and core vendors (talented folks and popular places book out quickly).
• Identify (and reserve when it is a private setting) an epic location to propose in Paris;
• Work out her ring size, and buy a diamond ring that speaks to her style and is within your budget.
• Book your Paris proposal photographer and videographer;
• come up with a killer marriage proposal speech;
• Personalize the proposal setting to demonstrate effort and forethought. This could range from a simple Champagne table and a bouquet of long-stem red roses to over-the-top floral arrangements with romantic candles, musicians, fireworks fountains…
• Come up with an ironclad proposal concept (if you’re starting to feel a little overwhelmed or just need an experienced local professional to help, enlist a Paris proposal planner);
• Book a romantic Parisian restaurant to celebrate your first evening as fiancés;
• Commission a couple photoshoot for the next day. You’ll likely get so-called engagement photos before your wedding anyway and might as well do so with a photographer you know and trust. Hey, you’re engaged, so when better to do engagement photos, right?

The way we understand cliche is that it’s something that has lost its appeal due to overuse. The truth is that Paris is and will always be special. No other place on the planet even comes close.

Sure, the City of Love is not for everyone and does not even pretend to be. Still, thanks to its iconic locations to propose, uber-romantic hotels and restaurants, and experienced English-speaking vendors, it’s hard to conceive of a better choice.

Ultimately, it depends on the scope of your Paris proposal. Some minimalists could theoretically get away with “just” hiring a local photographer; that would run approximately 300 Euro. Clearly, we would, at a minimum, recommend adding a beautiful bouquet of long-stemmed red roses and chilled Champagne. It is relatively affordable and will show effort.

But when you want to go beyond basic to create something beautiful where every detail feels personalized, you’ll have to invest accordingly.

Privatizing a hotel rooftop, adding sumptuous floral designs, a red carpet, master musicians, fireworks fountains, Marry Me Letters, and coordinating talented vendors comes at a cost. In fact, luxury surprise proposals can easily run you many thousands of Euros.

When your engagement ideas involve many moving parts, or you are just a busy person and don’t have the time to negotiate with local vendors, consider a local Parisian proposal planner.

A seasoned Paris proposal planner will help with anything from simple to extraordinary and anything in between. Her job is to listen, inspire, organize, and execute.

All you need to do is show up and celebrate this profoundly life-changing moment with your partner.

Frequently requested services include sourcing the perfect place to propose (i.e., exclusive residential rooftop or hotel terrace, private Seine River yacht, charming French Château), orchestra-level musicians, dazzling decor & floral designs, fine-dining with butler, hotel suite embellishment, photo & video, and much more.

We encourage you to use the jump-tabs above to skip to Chapter 3 for a deep-dive on why to hire a local event planner for your Paris engagement.

The best time of the day to propose in Paris is when you feel most energized and happy.

Factors such as biorhythm, jet lag, availability of vendors and locations, dinner reservations, and other factors can make a real difference.

That said, our favorite times of the day are sunrise and evening (including the so-called Blue Hour).

Sunrise Marriage Proposal—The “Golden Hour.”

Sunrise is the time when the sun slowly appears over the horizon in the morning. Specific sunrise times depend on the time of the year and can start as early as 5.45 AM in June and as late as 8.45 AM around New Year.

Advantages of doing your Paris proposal at sunrise:

• it is the only time of the day to get popular Parisian public photo spots largely devoid of distracting crowds and overzealous vendors;
• expect some of the softest and most flattering lighting conditions;
• excellent opportunity to transition into a fun couple photoshoot and get actual engagement photos;
• You may already get a same-day edited sneak peek of your proposal photos to share with family and friends.

Reasons not to do a Paris proposal at sunrise:

• You need a compelling reason to shake your partner out of bed in time and without spilling the beans. Being late is not an option.
• Sunrise tends to be less romantic than the evening.
• Waking up early often means less sleep and hurried (or no) breakfast, which may result in stress—the last thing you want before such a life-changing occasion.

Evening (twilight) photo sessions—the “Blue Hour.”

The period when the day ends and the night begins. Specific sunset times depend on the time of the year and can start as early as 4.50 PM around New Year and as late as 10:00 PM in June.

Advantages of doing your Paris proposal in the evening:

• the most magically romantic time of the day for marriage proposals in Paris;
• soft, flattering light ensures no squinting in photos, no blown out shadow details in your outfits, and no distracting shadows;
• priceless opportunity to get daylight, the Blue Hour, and even some nighttime photos within a single hour;
• you also have time to incorporate a game-changing themed marriage proposal concept (e.g., Midnight in Paris) and/or a scavenger hunt;
• dinner reservations and other entertainment flow more naturally;
• A later starting time means you have the opportunity to hire a professional beauty artist.

Reasons not to propose in the evening:

• some popular public Paris proposal locations will not be an option due to crowds;
• You are less likely to already receive a preview of a few same-day edited proposal photos.

The best day of the year to propose in Paris will be different for every couple. For example, men seem to favor Christmas Eve while women slightly prefer Valentine’s Day and the anniversary of your first date. Other popular options are Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

Expect to pay a premium for travel and vendors during high season and on popular dates. January tends to be the cheapest month to stay and propose in Paris. Conversely, Valentine’s Day, Christmas through New Year, and May, June, and September are relatively more expensive.

The summer months attract many tourists. Yet, Paris feels particularly empty, considering that most Parisians escape the City during the warm season from late June to early September.

As such, it’s easier to flag down a cab and commute between locations. Notably, it’s an excellent opportunity to get ridiculously unique photos in otherwise busy spots like Bir-Hakeim, Pont d’Iéna, and Place de la Concorde.