Wedding at Shangri-La Paris: a photographer’s guide
The former palace of Prince Roland Bonaparte, facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine
By Marion Pinel, destination wedding photographer · Updated
Shangri-La Paris is a palace hotel in the former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, built in the 1890s on avenue d’Iéna and listed as a historic monument, with views of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. Its historic salons and the Salon Roland Bonaparte host weddings of up to about 200 seated guests, with ceremonies possible in several spaces. The hotel publishes wedding packages per guest.
- Location
- Avenue d’Iéna, Paris 16e
- View
- Facing the Eiffel Tower
- Rooms
- 100 rooms and suites
- Guests
- Up to ~200 seated
The venue: a prince’s palace facing the Eiffel Tower
Shangri-La Paris occupies the townhouse built between 1892 and 1896 by the architect Ernest Janty for Prince Roland Bonaparte, grandnephew of Napoleon. It later belonged to the Suez Canal Company, and opened as a hotel in 2010 after a long restoration. The building is listed as a historic monument.
Today it has 100 rooms and suites, historic salons with gilding and parquet, and some of the most direct views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Where the ceremony and reception take place
According to the hotel’s weddings page and wedding brochure, the main spaces are (ceremony / cocktail / seated):
- The Grand Salon: 140 m², about 130 / 180 / 120.
- The Salon de Famille and the Salle à Manger: 105 m² each, for 80 to 100 guests.
- The Salon Roland Bonaparte: 230 m², about 220 / 310 / 204, for larger dinners.
- The Eiffel Terrace: for photos and drinks with the view.
Ceremonies can be held in several spaces (in France, the legal civil wedding takes place at the town hall). The hotel’s 2024 packages start from €355 per guest (minimum 20 guests), with in-house catering.
Photo spots to plan for
When I prepare a wedding at a venue, I study its layout, its orientation and its light beforehand, so that the day flows without anyone waiting for photos. At Shangri-La Paris, these are the places I would build the day around:
The Eiffel Tower view
From the terrace and the salons, the tower fills the window: the image to plan around, best at golden hour and at night when it sparkles.
The historic salons
Gilded panelling, chandeliers and tall windows for the ceremony and editorial portraits.
The Seine and the Trocadéro
A few minutes away on foot for a short portrait session before dinner.
Light and timing
The hotel looks south-east towards the Eiffel Tower, so the tower is lit by the evening sun and glows at golden hour. At night it sparkles for five minutes every hour.
In late June the sun sets around 21:55 in Paris, and around 19:35 by the end of September.
A wedding day here, hour by hour
An example timeline I would suggest for a late-June wedding:
- 14:00
- Getting ready in a suite facing the Eiffel Tower
- 16:00
- First look in the historic salons
- 17:00
- Symbolic ceremony in a salon
- 18:00
- Cocktail with the Eiffel Tower view, family photos
- 20:00
- Portraits at the Trocadéro or on the Seine
- 21:00
- Dinner in the Salon Roland Bonaparte
- 23:00
- First dance, and the Eiffel Tower sparkling
Getting there and where to stay
The hotel is on avenue d’Iéna in the 16th arrondissement, near the Iéna metro station and the Trocadéro. Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport is about 25 km away.
With 100 rooms and suites, the hotel can host family and close friends; its packages include a suite for the couple. Around the wedding, take your guests along the Seine or up to the Trocadéro.
Editorial wedding photography in Paris
See a wedding at the Ritz Paris and a wedding at Château du Prieuré, and my guides to the Ritz Paris and Château de Nainville, where I have photographed.
Paris wedding photographer →Questions about a wedding at Shangri-La Paris
Where is Shangri-La Paris?
At 10 avenue d’Iéna, in the 16th arrondissement, facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine.
How many guests can Shangri-La Paris host?
According to the hotel’s brochure, up to about 120 seated in the Grand Salon and about 204 in the Salon Roland Bonaparte.
Can we hold the ceremony at the hotel?
Yes, a symbolic or religious ceremony can be held in several of its spaces. In France, the legal civil wedding takes place at the town hall.
How much does a wedding at Shangri-La Paris cost?
The hotel’s 2024 wedding packages start from €355 per guest for a minimum of 20 guests, with in-house catering. Check current rates with the hotel.