Tom Cruise pops question at Eiffel Tower

In seemingly every interview, Cruise has proclaimed that Holmes is “magnificent.” His acrobatic, gaga appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” last month was so over the top, it amazed everyone.

But the romance that refused to play by the rules of Hollywood PR etiquette culminated in a remarkably traditional way. After all, the Eiffel Tower is almost a cliche locale for a marriage proposal.

“I’ve never actually been to the Eiffel Tower,” Cruise said of the choice. “It’s Paris, you know. It’s beautiful, a beautiful city. It’s very romantic.”

Cruise has been married twice — to Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman. Holmes had a long-standing engagement with actor Chris Klein.

Slideshow   Top gun A look at Tom Cruise's career and relationships.

A wedding date hasn’t been set. “We haven’t discussed that — one step at a time,” Cruise said. “Let’s see. We’re not sure.”

There will likely be plenty of potential difficulties. Cruise is 16 years older than Holmes and is a devoted follower of the Church of Scientology. (Holmes has said she’s embracing the religion.)

More threatening could be their dramatic openness.

“Public discussion and public consideration of their relationship is on the table,” says Hackett. “It will be exceedingly difficult if not impossible to remove that.”

He adds that actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez turned much more tightlipped after going through tabloid-heavy romances.

However, Fuller thinks the candor may be a positive, more natural existence.

“In some ways I think that’s very smart,” she says. “I do wonder why certain celebrities insist on trying to hide the fact that they’re having a relationship. ... In some ways that fuels the gossip much more than being completely open and public about it.

“I think, actually, they’re going to make it easier for themselves.”

Still, psychologist Joyce Brothers, for one, is concerned Cruise and Holmes have been caught up in their own momentum.

“People easily get pushed into relationships in Hollywood,” Brothers says. “When you have two people, it’s double the publicity. It’s cubed. There’s an enormous amount of desire to push it along.”

But, Brothers adds, “A lot of people have lost their heads and hearts in Paris.”

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