STORY: This Texan couple have been dating for one year.And Josue Perales wanted extra special celebrations with his girlfriend Kayla Balboa. On a candlelit terrace, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, she says “yes”.Balboa had always wanted a Paris proposal. “She’s always been mentioning how…””This is my dream place.””This is her dream… well, here we are.”To make sure every detail was perfect, Perales employed the help of a local marriage proposal planning agency.And he’s not the only one.Paris is seeing a surge in demand for elaborate marriage proposals like this one.Thanks to social media, TV shows and events showcasing the “City of Love”, the entire industry catering to love-struck couples willing to pay thousands for unforgettable moments is booming.Les Entremetteuses, or “The Matchmakers”, helped Perales get his “yes”.Founder Pauline Le Tendre says Valentine’s Day is her “busiest day of the year.”But she says she’s busy all year round – after demand started growing in 2019, with a brief lull during the pandemic.”Once the borders reopened, it steadily increased. After that, there were a couple of boosts with (the TV show) ‘Emily in Paris,’ the Paris Olympics also. We had a lot of work after the Games.”The company’s proposal packages start at 590 euros, or just under $700, for a proposal on the Seine river banks.The average spend can go up to $2,400 – with some clients spending more for extras, like performers.:: Kiss Me in Paris/Artem Martynov & Anastasia KalynaFor those wanting to splurge even more, Kiss Me in Paris has them covered.The agency says its clients typically spend an average of about $12,000 on their experiences – or as much as some $118,000.:: Kiss Me in Paris/Tuan Nguyen FilmsLuxurious proposals are choreographed in high-end hotels, aboard yachts on the Seine, or in authentic French chateaux.”To just be able to, in your social circles, say, ‘We got engaged in Paris,’ is great, right? It has prestige, it has cachet.” That’s Cengiz Ozelsel, who co-founded Kiss Me in Paris with his wife Chantelle Marie Streete.They say bookings have more than doubled since 2015.While the more budget-friendly Oui Love Paris agency told Reuters, its bookings have quadrupled since 2020.For many planners, though, the payoff is more than just numbers.”I absolutely love it because… people are inviting you into their lives at one of the most special times in their lives.”Read More
Paris says ‘oui’ to booming business of romantic proposals
