The couple started dating in 2019 and now they’re parents of two
Paris Hilton has gone from Hollywood It girl to reality TV star to thriving DJ and businesswoman. Now she’s enjoying life as a parent, and sharing the experience with her husband, Carter Reum.
Hilton and Reum were friendly for quite some time before they became an item, but it was when they connected at a Thanksgiving dinner in 2019 that sparks between them really began to fly. Soon after, the pair started dating and things moved quickly. They got engaged in 2021 and married that same year.
Now, they’ve welcomed two little ones: son Phoenix and daughter London Hilton-Reum. In 2023, Hilton told SheKnows that she’s enjoying this new phase of her life. “I am loving being in my mom era. It’s my favorite era yet. I just feel like my life feels so complete.”
Here, we break down Hilton and Reum’s entire relationship, from their chance first meeting to their current life as parents.
May 2024: They coordinate looks on the red carpet
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Although they have two little ones in the house, Hilton and Reum find a way to sneak out for a date night, where they coordinate on the red carpet.
The two attend The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival, where they match in royal-blue ensembles. For her part, Hilton wears a nap dress with lacy hems along the neckline and sleeves and a matching skinny belt across the waist. The pleated maxi skirt falls to her ankles, and she accessorizes with black pumps and a heart-shaped crossbody bag embossed with “Paris.” Reum wears a steel-blue button-up and black slacks with matching sneakers.
Almost six months after welcoming their baby girl, Hilton and Reum pose for their first official family portraits with London, where toddler Phoenix is also present.
“Introducing London Marilyn Hilton-Reum💕👶🏼💕,” Hilton writes in the caption of an Instagram post of the photos. “I’ve dreamed of having a daughter named London for as long as I can remember🥹 I’m so grateful she is here😍 I truly cherish every moment I spend with her. Together with Phoenix, my angel babies have shown me a love that I never even knew could run so deep before I became their mother 💖 My incredible journey through motherhood has inspired a new, deeply personal song with my dear friend Sia called ‘Fame Won’t Love You.’ 🎶 The song serves as a reminder that the special bond I feel with my children, my husband & my family is more valuable than anything else in the world. It’s an anthem that will empower you to hold your most sacred relationships even closer to your heart – whether with family, friends, or yourself🥹 I hope you love it as much as I do 🥰.”
December 2023: Paris opens up about why she and Carter went the surrogacy route
A month after welcoming their second baby, Hilton opens up in the season two premiere of Paris in Love about why she and Reum decided to go with a surrogate to have Phoenix (and later, London).
“Surrogacy was a difficult decision to make,” she says on the show. “I would have loved that experience of growing the baby in your tummy and feeling the kicks and all of those exciting moments, but my life has just been so public. So even though the baby is biologically mine and Carter’s, we decided to have a surrogate carry him.”
In the same episode, Reum expresses his concern about their children’s safety, saying, “Now, having a family with Paris, we want our family to grow up and be normal and not always be known as Paris Hilton’s children. We have to think about safety. When we go to the farmers’ market, it’s one thing if someone stops and asks Paris for a photo. It’s a whole other thing with the baby in tow in a stroller.”
November 2023: Paris and Carter welcome their second baby
Less than a year after Phoenix is born, Hilton and Reum surprise everyone when they welcome their second child—a baby girl named London Marilyn Hilton-Reum, who is also born via surrogate.
Hilton shares the exciting news by posting a photo of the newborn’s monogrammed onesie. “Thankful for my baby girl🥹🩷👶🏼,” she writes in her caption.
The businesswoman had hinted at expanding her family a few months earlier, in July, when she posted an Instagram photo with her nieces and wrote, “Cherishing precious memories with my beautiful nieces. Being an aunt brings me so much happiness, and it fills my heart with so much love. 💖 Dreaming of the day when I’ll have a little princess of my own to share these incredible moments with…🥹🥰💗#AuntieParis.” Obviously, she was teasing something.
February 2023: Paris shares the first photos of baby Phoenix
A month after they welcome the infant, Hilton posts the first photos of her baby boy, writing, “Baby Phoenix. Our whole entire world. 💙” In the glamorous portraits, Hilton wears a white lace robe and Reum sports a navy blue crewneck. As for the newborn, he is wrapped up in a fuzzy white onesie and matching beanie.
January 2023: They welcome their first child via surrogate
Hilton and Reum kick off the year by making their family a little bigger. The couple welcomes a baby boy, Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum, on January 16, 2023, via surrogate.
The Confessions of an Heiress author shares the news on her Instagram account, with a photo of her son’s hand holding onto her thumb. In the caption, Hilton writes, “You are already loved beyond words 💙.”
Hilton kept the baby’s impending arrival a secret from everyone, even from her family and Reum’s. In a cover-story interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she says, “My entire life has been so public. I’ve never had anything for myself. We decided that we wanted to have this whole experience to ourselves.”
November 2022: They celebrate their first wedding anniversary
One the day of their first anniversary, Hilton posts a compilation of photos and videos from their wedding, along with a clip from 2019, in which she talks about falling in love with Reum. “The best part of life is falling in love and being in love,” she says in the flashback. “It’s the most incredible feeling in the world, and I haven’t felt it in so long.”
In her caption, the This Is Paris star continues showing her appreciation for Reum, writing: “This past year with you as husband and wife has been a magical whirlwind. 👰🏼♀️🤵🏻 No matter how far we travel and no matter where in the world we are, as long as we are together, I’m at home with you.🥰 I deeply cherish all of our adventures and memories, and look forward to a lifetime more by your side. Thank you for all of the love, happiness, and endless laughter. You are my rock and I’m so thankful to call you mine. Carter, as my partner in life, number one hype man, and best friend, I love you so incredibly much. Cheers to being your #Wifey for lifey, and to our one year anniversary together. My 11:11 wishes finally came true with you. 💫💘👰🏼♀️💍💞 #1111 #ParisInLove #ForeverHiltonReum #OneYearMarried #OneYearAnniversary.”
November 2021: Paris and Carter tie the knot!
After a nine-month engagement, the happy couple officially ties the knot on November 11, 2021, in an intimate ceremony on Hilton’s grandfather’s estate.
In an exclusive interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she opens up about the ceremony, saying, “It was just, like, three days of magic—a beautiful fairy-tale dream come true. Having the wedding at my grandfather’s old estate, there were just so many memories there since I was a little girl. And having my friends perform was just so beautiful and made me so emotional. Demi Lovato singing ‘I Will Always Love You’ and Kim Petras singing ‘Stars Are Blind’ as I was about to walk down the aisle—that was just iconic. And the neon carnival was so much fun. We rented out the Santa Monica Pier, and everybody was in neon. We had Diplo spinning.”
February 2021: Carter pops the question
After just a year and some change of dating, Reum pops the question to Hilton on a weekend getaway for the multi-hyphenate’s 40th birthday. Hilton documents the moment with another gushing post on Instagram, writing, “When you find your soulmate, you don’t just know it. You feel it. 💫.”
The news is revealed in a looping video clip that sees Hilton and Reum sporting all-white ensembles, and Reum down on one knee. At the bottom of the video, a caption reads: “Love. The Forever Kind.”
It’s unclear what The Simple Life star was told ahead of time, but her sparkling white dress is perfect for the occasion, and she pairs the design with a matching small tiara.
In the caption of the post, Hilton reveals the details of the proposal, writing, “My love & I have been together since our first date, and for my birthday, he arranged a special trip to tropical paradise. 🏝️ As we walked to dinner along the beach, Carter led us to a cabana adorned with flowers and dropped to one knee. 💍 I said yes, yes to forever ❤️ There’s no one I’d rather spend forever with. ✨ To see more photos of my birthday dream come true, visit ParisHilton.com. Here’s to Love – the Forever Kind 💋 #Engaged #SheSaidYes.”
December 2020: Paris commemorates their first year of dating
It’s clear things have gotten serious when Hilton celebrates one year with Reum on Instagram. In a video compilation, she includes clips of herself and the venture capitalist together on beachy vacays, out for romantic date nights, and in plenty of other settings (including lots of kissing moments).
In her caption, the reality star writes, “Happy 1 year Anniversary my love!😍 I love that we celebrate our love every month! I can’t believe it’s only been a year. It feels like I’ve been with you a lifetime! I have never felt so close to another person in my life. And that’s because you’re the first one who tore down the walls I built around my heart and opened up my heart in a way that I didn’t know was possible. I truly believe that we were custom-made for each other and meant to be. Nothing in my life has ever felt so right or so perfect! Every day I feel like I’m in a dream.🥰 There’s no one I’d rather spend forever with. I’ve heard of twin flames before but I never believed in them till you. Love you forever my twin flame, my best friend, my other half, my partner for life. And I can’t wait for our future and a lifetime of love and adventures. Because no matter what happens in life, I will always be happy, feel safe and at home in your arms and by your side forever. ✨👸🏼🤴🏻✨.”
February 2020: Paris says she is “so happy” with her new boyfriend
In an interview with Us Weekly, Hilton makes a rare statement about her beau while walking the red carpet for the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s An Unforgettable Evening. “I’m so happy. This is the best time of my life right now,” the “Stars Are Blind” singer says.
At the same event, Hilton’s sister Nicky walks the carpet alongside her, and gives Reum her stamp of approval. “He’s very sweet. He’s a nice, intelligent, smart, kind man,” she says.
November 2019: They connect at Thanksgiving dinner
Although Hilton and Reum have known each other for quite some time, their romantic connection doesn’t begin until November 2019, a year after Hilton called off her engagement to actor Chris Zylka.
According to People, Reum’s sister, Halle Hammond, invited both him and Hilton to Thanksgiving dinner, where sparks quickly start flying.
Hilton will later recall the story to People in September 2020, saying, “I’ve known [Carter] for 15 years. Then, [Halle] invited us to Thanksgiving and we just had this incredible chemistry. We had our first date and haven’t spent a night apart since. It’s pretty amazing.”
She adds, “After my last breakup, I thought I was going to be alone forever. I was like, ‘I give up. I’ll just focus on myself. I don’t need anyone.’ So to have actually fallen in love, I just feel so grateful.”