Alli & Alex | Stunning anniversary session in Nice, France
Alli and Alexa are a couple in love. It was clear from the moment I met them. Living in Indiana, they were visiting Nice, France to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. It was truly a joy to meet them! We began our day at our meeting spot in Old Town Nice (Vieux Nice). From the moment I met Alli, she gave me a big hug. How nice is that? We’d been worried about the forecast for rain the week prior. The weather looked to be really rainy, but the day of, we were blessed with sunshine! For this Nice engagement photographer, it was a relief to see the sun!
What do you do if it rains in Nice for your photo session? First off, no one comes to the French Riviera to enjoy the rain! But, what can you do about it, not a whole lot. The good news is that Nice is colorful, and the old town has very narrow streets, which protect a little bit from the rain. The images won’t be too drab, because of the color, and the sea is still blue, even when it’s raining. Rain is more of a bummer, and inconvenience, but not a show stopper.
However, you just can’t beat a sunny day like the one we had this day! I took Alli and Alex on a walking tour of the old town, stopping for photos at some cute and quaint spots. Many clients worry that they’ll be photographed the whole time, and that it will be very tiring. I cannot lie, it will become tiring after awhile (yet still fun!), why do you think those super models get paid so much? Modeling is hard work! That said, I do everything in my power to make things fun and moving, you won’t be standing in one place for long periods of time, I like to keep things moving and fresh.
Much of our time is spent walking from place to place. So, never worry about being photographed, for example, for a full two hours, much of that time will be spent walking.
Alli’s dress was absolutely perfect for their anniversary session. She chose a long white dress, and white is a great color in Nice because it reflects light. Light colors like white, cream, tan, light blue, are best. Neutral colors, because the light from the buildings will bounce off onto your outfit and then absorb into your face. This is a colorful place as is, so having a neutral color palette works best.
Alex looked stylish in nice jeans and a white top, which he later paired with a chic dusty rose blazer, which was perfect at the beach, with the blue water and blue skies. Their footwear was also excellent for walking. In Nice, you can wear heels, of course, but a flat sandal, espadrille, or slide works great.
I love photo sessions in the morning, because the city is just waking up and it’s a lot easier to navigate. There will be a lot of delivery trucks, delivering supplies to the restaurants, and during the school year you’ll see a lot of kids and their parents going to school. Morning time is also the time where you’ll see tons of people taking their dogs on their morning walk. Nice, despite being the fifth largest city in France, with a population of 350,000 (and many more along the Riviera, of course), still has a laid back and genuine feel to it. The residents are friendly and happy to help tourists too. It’s a bit of a different feel than Paris, where things are a bit more formal.
In fact, as I was photographing Alli and Alex in one of my favorite colorful spots in Nice, a lady walking her small terrier passed by. The dog didn’t want to go inside, rather, it seemed he wanted to become part of Alli and Alex’s anniversary photo shoot! It was so cute!
This couple is really in love, and it really showed. Ten years married and blissfully happy, with two young children. Their love of travel and family binds them, and you could feel the warmth and passion from them. This warmth definitely came through in their images, and made me so happy. I love to see other people happy.
We managed to quickly enter a courtyard I love, which is usually locked, for a few quick shots. It was absolutely dreamy! From there, we wound our way around the old town closer to the boardwalk, called the Promenade des Anglais. We stopped at my favorite fountain in Nice, in an area with a lot of Italian restaurants. I think it’s so cute!
Now, it was time to tackle “the hill”. The most famous hill in Nice is called the Colline du Chateau (Castle Hill). It’s the site of a former castle, and offers a park and stupendous views of Nice on all sides. My favorite area is overlooking the marina, because the morning light is quite magical from this area. Anyone visiting Nice should make an effort to visit Castle Hill. The staircases are a real workout to get to the top. Often there’s a functioning elevator to help, but it isn’t always in service. Therefore, take your time and climb to the top, it’s worth it!
After our venture up the hill, we finished off our amazing morning together with a few images at the beach. The beach in Nice is made of rocks, and not sand, and can be challenging to walk on. But with the beautiful blue water behind you, it’s totally worth it. Later in the morning, the sun is often quite strong, so having a chic pair of sunglasses is a great idea!
Alli and Alex were an absolute joy to photograph and spend time with. I so enjoyed learning more about them and their lives together. I’m so thankful they chose me to capture their love story, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, and I wish them a continued life of happiness, joy and lots of fun!
