Wedding Day Photoshoot Locations in Nice

Wedding Day Photoshoot locations for any weather in Nice

With a bit of spontaneity and time you can get some beautiful wedding day photos in Nice in any weather or light if you know where to look and when to strike. 

Most of the images on this page were taken within 10 or 20-minute walk of Nice Mairie in and around the old town. Photographically it’s potentially a daunting task - getting amazing imagery in such a busy, bustling city in harsh light, while respecting couple’s timelines. There’s often throngs of slow-moving tourists and my favourite places aren’t always available (such as these arches pictured below – which is now used as a seating area by a next-door café).

But I digress – if you want stunning wedding photos around Nice, allow for 60 or 90 minutes after the ceremony to stroll around with your photographer and ask them to get creative. It’s a great way to wind-down after what might have been an intense ceremony.

Some of my most favourite memories from my own wedding day were the calm moments after the ceremony, calmly driving away with my wife and daughter in the car on the way to the venue while we enjoyed a break from being ‘on ceremony’.

A wedding day photoshoot around old town

For many of these images I found what I think is the best light or backgrounds available and then made the best use of them. We visited lots of streets and places, but very few of them ended up getting used.

There’s lots of places worth visiting – la Course de Saleya (the flower market) which can be stunning, the Promenade des Anglais, a few streets around old town I often use, and even a carousel which is there all year round and is wonderfully Victorian-era-esc (pictured above) and located at Jardin Albert 1er.

I also love the Italian-inspired arches of Place Macena (I’ve yet to try the ones at Place Garibaldi), along with its distinctive black and white flooring. Even though I’ve walked around this city hundreds of times, I always try to approach it with a fresh eye to spot locations I might have missed before, and I almost always do – perhaps because the light changes throughout the day.

How to get the most out of your wedding day photoshoot

Planning this doesn’t have to be complicated – in fact the best images I’ve taken rely on the body language and vibe of the couple, so first of all I think the best way to capture feel-good images of yourself is to simply be yourself while you’re psychologically in a good place.

No one can guarantee they’ll be in a good mood on any given day – but we can tilt the odds in our favour by reducing stress on the day, wearing clothes that help boost our confidence, and doing whatever we need to on the day to clear one’s head and stay positive. I always have a penchant towards authenticity over aesthetics, and while it’s easy to fake a lot of things with a camera, it can be tricky faking genuine happiness.

Another piece of advice would be to visit contrasting areas on your photoshoot – Nice has a few different environments that are all situated close together. Visiting a broader range of light and environments as possible will stack the odds in your photographer’s favour. Nice is blessed with a handful of contrasting environments all within 10 minutes’ walk: the Promenade des Anglais, la Cours de Sayela (pictured above), Parc de Colline de Chateau, the streets of old town, those arches on the Quai des Etats Unis, and certain parts of the Parc de la Coulée Verte.

And if you want to make absolutely sure your wedding day photos are amazing...

If you want a fail-safe photographic environment that will look beautiful in any weather on the French Riviera, during any season, then I’d visit an olive grove on the way to the reception. The best one I’ve visited was Parc Départemental du Pian in Menton (where the image below was taken) and there’s one in Nice at the Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez next to the Matisse Museum. 

About Me

I'm a British wedding a couple photographer based in the French Riviera, where I live with my wife and two children. I specialise in light, candid, natural couple photography and give people all the advice and information they need for their photoshoot. I also organise elopements and family photoshoots. You can contact me here, or see more of my work here.