A honeymoon is a very special time in a couple’s life, fresh off of the exhilaration of the wedding day, it’s finally a time to slow down and reflect on this exciting new time in a couple’s life, the first weeks or months as a married couple. Now alone and free from any wedding-related stressors, honeymoons are a time to be free and have fun. I adore photographing honeymooning couples in Nice, France, so when I was contacted for this honeymoon photoshoot, I was thrilled to be a part of this special time!
Planning a Honeymoon in Nice, France
Nice, France is the capital of the French Riviera, and has around 5 million visitors a year, second only to Paris. As it’s the fifth largest city in France, you’ll find all kinds of big city amenities here. Fabulous restaurants, some seaside, high-end shopping, interesting museums, a charming old town with its sinuous little alleys, and of course, the gorgeous beach and beautiful blue water of the Mediterranean sea.
Nice is also great because of its transportation connections. The buses and trains will take you all along the French Riviera (Cote d’Azur) and stops at towns like Cannes, Antibes, Menton, Monaco and even, Italy! There’s no lack of things to do or beautiful things to see, but honeymooners sometimes just want to relax, and you can have that too, in Nice.
I was contacted by Amanda, who told me that she and her new husband would be honeymooning in Nice. She loves to capture their unique love story in images, and was keen to capture her honeymoon memories in Nice. What a great idea!
When planning a honeymoon in Nice, the best season, if you’re looking for warm weather and sun, are between the months of June and August. But during this time you’ll also experience record numbers of tourists and higher humidity than other times of the year, in addition to some afternoon storms. In the winter, you can expect a mix of rain and sun, and temperatures in the heart of winter hover between 40-50F. Amanda and her husband Tim were visiting in mid-September. It’s a great time of year to visit, because while there are still tourists in Nice in September, and it’s still considered high season (so some prices are higher), the temperatures have gone down a bit, the humidity too, and there are still sunny, warm days to be had beachside, as the beach clubs stay open typically until the end of September and then close for the season.
In terms of places to stay, my favorite 5-star hotel is Le Negresco, an Art Deco gem in Nice and feels to me like the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles (one of my favorite hotels in the world). There are hotels that suit all budgets and desires, as well as many Airbnb’s to choose from.
Meeting the Honeymooners
The night before, it poured buckets, and in fact was still raining at 6:00 am when I peeked my head out the window. The rain stopped by the time I met Amanda and Tim at 8:00 am in the old town, and they radiated energy and happiness. Amanda’s blue dress was perfect for the skies, which at that hour were still filled with blue-ish clouds which added some beautiful drama to the images.
We started at the beach, the beach in Nice does not have sand, it has large fine rocks called galets, which are tricky to walk on, but is cleaner than sand. The water was really blue this day, and the skies really interesting. With Amanda’s blue dress and Tim’s blue slacks, it looked amazing.
From the very beginning of meeting this couple, it was clear that they’re really in love. Really in love. In my work as a Nice engagement photographer, and also photographing honeymooners, I see so much love around me. It inspires my work, inspires my soul. These lovebirds, just a week from their wedding day, were still basking in the light and love that they feel for each other, and lucky me, I not only got to experience it, but photograph it naturally and candidly.
Honeymoon Photos at the Beach in Nice
When I photograph couples at the beach in Nice, I love to incorporate walking, laughing, dancing, kissing–and while I do give direction, as much direction as a couple would like, I also want the images to look natural, as if there was no camera there at all, and the couple was just enjoying a walk on the beach together.
My approach to couples photography in Nice is to use two distinct focal lengths for two distinct perspectives. One is to capture the entire scene around the couple, the other is to capture the couple more in a portrait style, with less emphasis on the background. Most couples love a mix to choose from in their gallery, and this ensures that my clients can choose what they love best.
After the beach, we headed up to the Promenades des Anglais, the famous boardwalk in Nice to check out the views heading toward the marina. It was so beautiful!
Old Town Nice is Perfect for Newlyweds
Amanda told me that they were looking forward to seeing the old town of Nice, and I was thrilled to take them there. This neighborhood in Nice, not far from the beach, is a treasure. The candy colored buildings house a mix of residential homes and restaurants and shops, too. The little streets make you feel like you are in a foreign land, not France, at least not to me. I feel more like I’m in Italy when I’m in Nice, and I love the melding of all the cultures.
You can find every type of cuisine in the old town too. In the morning, you can even smell pizza being baked, and as you walk around you’ll find Indian, Italian and Greek restaurants, so finding a good meal is never difficult in Nice.
Amanda and Tim looked amazing walking the streets of old town, laughing and even dancing. It was so fun to spend time with them!
Part way through, we came upon a cute little cafe with the cutest chairs, and took an espresso and croissant break, finally finishing next to my very favorite fountain in Nice and one of my favorite squares.
What a delight and joy this morning was! I wish Amanda and Tim so much happiness, I know they’re going to have an amazing life together, and I’m incredibly honored to have been able to capture their honeymoon in Nice!
Karina Leigh Photography
There’s no better place to soak up the sun and good vibes than Nice, it’s the perfect place to create and capture memories. To learn more about Nice and my photoshoot services, feel free to contact me!
