A Paris Proposal at Hôtel Alfred Sommier

Lately, I’ve been going through the photoshoots I did while I was living in Paris last year, and it’s been so fun to revisit these memories. Each one is a little time capsule, and it brings me right back to that chapter of my life—wandering cobblestone streets with my camera, always looking for beauty, always chasing light.

There’s something endlessly romantic about Paris. It’s not just the architecture or the history—it’s the feeling. The kind that makes your heart slow down and beat faster at the same time. That’s exactly the kind of moment I had the honor of capturing during a proposal at Hôtel Alfred Sommier—a hidden gem tucked in the 8th arrondissement, just a short stroll from the Palais Garnier.

This wasn’t just any wedding proposal. It was a rooftop moment overlooking the City of Light as the sun dipped low, painting the buildings in that soft, creamy golden light Paris is famous for. The Eiffel Tower shimmered in the distance, and the couple was standing at the edge of it all—completely in their own world.

She said yes (of course), and we captured the kind of joy that you don’t need to stage or pose for—it just spills out. Celebrating with champagne and tears.

But here’s the fun part… behind the scenes, things looked a little different. Just outside the frame? A giant crane. Yep. Right in the skyline. It hovered like a sore thumb, and while it’s part of city life, it definitely wasn’t part of this dream.

So, after I delivered their gallery full of beautiful moments—smiles, tears, kisses, that look when someone realizes they’re about to spend forever with their favorite person—I also spent quite a bit of time delicately removing that very modern piece of construction equipment from the background. You won’t see it in the final images. That’s part of what I love about this job—creating the kind of magic that feels effortless, even when it’s not.

A Glimpse into Hôtel Alfred Sommier‘s  Past

What makes this location even more special is its rich history. Built in 1860 by sugar magnate Alfred Sommier and his father, the mansion was designed to reflect the prosperity of their business and to serve as a family residence. Renowned architect Joseph-Michel Le Soufaché was commissioned to create this Haussmann-style building, complete with a central courtyard and a serene garden. Alfred Sommier lived here with his wife Jeanne de Barante and their children, making it a true family home.

In 2018, the mansion was transformed into the luxurious Hôtel Alfred Sommier by Richard de Warren de Rosanbo, a descendant of the Sommier family. The renovation preserved the soul of the family mansion, maintaining its historical features like marble fireplaces, gilded mirrors, and oak flooring. Today, guests can experience the elegance and charm of 19th-century Paris in this beautifully restored hotel.

Proposals like these are always a little bit nerve-wracking (for them, mostly!) and electric with anticipation. And when it’s in Paris? There’s just an extra layer of magic in the air. I feel lucky every time I get to witness such personal, once-in-a-lifetime memories—especially in a place as iconic and meaningful as this one.

Experiencing a romantic moment in Paris adds to the magic of these proposals.

If you’re dreaming of a Paris proposal (with or without cranes in the background), I’d love to help you make it timeless. I helped this lovely couple plan their surprise wedding proposal and would love to help you out as well. Trust me, it’ll take the stress off popping the question.

Be sure to check out a gorgeous autumn engagement in Paris I photographed last September.

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A Bit About Hôtel Alfred Sommier

A few steps from La Madeleine in central Paris, Hôtel Alfred Sommier is the kind of discovery that makes you understand why the French phrase hôtel particulier carries such specific weight. This is not a hotel in the generic sense — it is a 19th-century private mansion built in 1860 by Alfred Sommier, a prominent sugar magnate, designed by architect Joseph Lesoufaché in the Haussmannian style with classical 18th-century inspiration throughout. Alfred’s descendants have owned the property continuously for more than 160 years. In 2024 it opened as a five-star hotel, transforming one of Paris’s most architecturally significant private residences into one of the most distinctive hotel wedding venues in France.

The architectural details are genuinely extraordinary. Monumental marble staircases. Original gilded woodwork preserved across 160 years of family ownership. More than 70 antique mirrors throughout the building. Six historic reception salons, three of which are classified as French historical monuments in their own right. The combination of these elements — the scale of the spaces, the quality of the original materials, the sense of a building that has been deeply loved rather than commercially renovated — creates an interior environment that I find among the most photographically rich of any hotel in Paris.

The property offers multiple distinct wedding experiences. The My Wedding Day Package provides a full celebration using the hotel’s private event spaces, garden, and Champagne Ruinart open bar. The On the Roof of Paris Package is an intimate experience for two — a private rooftop dinner with panoramic views over the Paris skyline, essentially 360 degrees of the city visible from a single terrace, that is among the most romantic elopement options I have encountered anywhere in France.

The 100-square-meter garden is one of the most unexpected and most beautiful outdoor spaces in this part of Paris — a quiet private garden at the center of a Haussmann block that creates a ceremony setting of genuine intimacy in one of the world’s most densely urban environments. The Salon Doré, with its original Louis XV-style elements, is the interior room I most frequently use for bridal portraits — the quality of the gilded woodwork and the window light in this room produces images that feel like they belong in a fashion editorial and a documentary simultaneously.

From London, guests arrive via Eurostar to Gare du Nord, approximately 15 minutes by taxi or metro from the hotel. From Charles de Gaulle, the journey is 45 minutes; from Orly, 40 minutes. For couples who want a Paris wedding in a property with genuine history, genuine family character, and genuine architectural beauty — rather than the anonymous luxury of an international hotel chain — Hôtel Alfred Sommier is one of the most compelling hotel wedding venues in France that has opened in recent years.