A Garden Ceremony and Seaside Dinner on the French Riviera, Nice

Olivia and Sam's French Riviera wedding with a garden ceremony near Nice and seaside dinner at Paloma Beach, featuring roses by Au Nom de la…

By Elena Moretti | Published 30 March 2015

A Garden Ceremony and Seaside Dinner on the French Riviera, Nice

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Olivia and Sam's wedding split between a hilltop villa garden and a seaside dinner at Paloma Beach, capturing the full spectrum of the French Riviera near Nice. Au Nom de la Rose created the floral arch for the ceremony while Julie Michaelsen documented every Mediterranean moment, from cicada-filled vows to lantern-lit dining beside the water.

Photography

Julie Michaelsen

Venue

Paloma Beach

Region

French Riviera, France

Couple

Olivia & Sam

Getting Ready

A portrait of two women posing together outdoors on a gravel path, shot in warm natural light with a softly blurred garden background. The bride on the left wears a fitted white lace gown with cap-style lace straps, a small bow detail at the waist, a cathedral-length veil, and a long train; her blonde hair is styled in a loose updo. The woman on the right, likely a bridesmaid or close family member, wears a sleek ivory short-sleeved gown with a V-neckline and minimal detailing, with her dark hair in an updo. The overall styling is classic and polished, with a predominantly white and ivory palette.

Olivia prepared with her mother in the villa's bright garden, her fitted white lace gown with cap-style sleeves catching the warm morning light. Nearby, custom ceremony programs and white umbrellas waited on the lawn, ready for guests arriving to a garden transformed by months of careful tending from Sam's parents.

Ceremony

An aerial wide shot of an outdoor wedding ceremony taking place on a lawn beside a rectangular swimming pool. Approximately 60-80 guests are seated in chairs arranged in rows, many shading themselves with white parasols due to bright sunlight. The bride in a white gown and groom in a dark suit stand at the altar on the left side of the frame, accompanied by what appears to be an officiant and bridal party members. The aisle is scattered with pink and white flower petals leading up to the ceremony area, which is flanked by arrangements of pink roses. Neatly trimmed topiary balls in planters line the right side of the space, and a section of additional guests are seated on a terrace in the lower portion of the frame. The overall decor palette is white and soft pink with a classic, garden-party aesthetic.

A close-up portrait of a bride during what appears to be an outdoor ceremony, framed from the shoulders to the knees. She wears a fitted white lace dress with wide lace-trimmed straps, a square neckline, and a satin bow belt accented with a rhinestone brooch, paired with a lace-edged cathedral veil. She holds a compact round bouquet of soft pink hydrangeas and cream peonies tied with a white satin ribbon. A figure in a dark suit is partially visible to her left, and blurred floral arrangements in pink tones are visible in the background.

The couple married beneath a romantic archway of blush pink and cream peonies and roses created by Au Nom de la Rose, the Nice-based florist. Pale hydrangeas and English roses framed the ceremony space against the Mediterranean landscape. Guests fanned themselves with custom programs as cicadas hummed in the background, while white umbrellas dotted the sunlit lawn.

Bridal Party

Portrait of two young children dressed for a wedding, standing side by side on a gravel path with lush green bamboo in the background. The flower girl wears a knee-length ivory tulle dress with a blush pink satin sash tied at the waist, silver sandals, and holds a small stuffed animal toy; the page boy wears a navy blazer with a white pocket square, a white shirt, navy shorts, and grey boat shoes. Both children face the camera directly in a classic upright portrait composition shot outdoors in natural daylight.

A bride descends an outdoor staircase of a modern white villa or venue, accompanied by two young children acting as flower girl and page boy. The bride wears a slim-cut white dress with short flutter sleeves and carries a small bouquet of pink and coral flowers. The flower girl wears a cream dress with a blush sash and carries a white wicker basket, while the page boy wears a navy suit with a pink tie. The setting is a contemporary white rendered building with columned upper terrace and metal railings, shot as a medium full-length portrait from a slightly lower angle.

A diptych of two wedding images. Left image: an outdoor garden or grounds scene where a small group of guests walks along a path lined with olive trees and lavender plants, following a small white directional sign reading 'THIS WAY'; guests are dressed in casual summer attire including a light blue floral dress. Right image: a close-up portrait of a young flower girl, approximately toddler age, standing in a doorway; she wears an ivory tulle dress with a champagne/gold satin sash and has curly hair, with her hands raised near her face in a shy or curious pose.

Two young attendants stole the scene: the flower girl in a knee-length ivory tulle dress with a blush satin sash, and the page boy in a crisp white shirt with navy shorts and suspenders. The bridal party posed together on the gravel path with lush green bamboo behind them, their soft palette echoing the Mediterranean garden setting.

Reception

A diptych image showing two detail shots of an outdoor coastal wedding venue. The left panel is a close-up of a white picket fence with a white arrow-shaped sign reading 'PARTY' attached to it, with soft bokeh greenery in the foreground. The right panel is a wide shot of a beach club venue at golden hour, showing a row of grey sun loungers with white umbrellas arranged along a pebble beach, backed by a white picket fence, white parasols over a terrace area, and pine trees on a hillside with sunlight breaking through. The venue has a casual coastal aesthetic with a white and grey color palette. Potential venue feature image.

This black-and-white portrait captures a bride and groom sharing a kiss at what appears to be an evening reception. The bride wears a fitted lace dress with cap sleeves and holds what appears to be a jacket or wrap in her hands, while the groom is dressed in a dark suit with a light-toned tie. The setting is a covered outdoor or semi-enclosed terrace with a wooden pergola ceiling, white curtain draping visible in the background, and a crystal chandelier with candle-style lights in the upper right corner. The image has strong contrast with deep shadows and warm ambient lighting glowing from the interior space behind the couple, shot as a close-up portrait with a shallow depth of field.

At Paloma Beach, round dining tables dressed in white floor-length linens were arranged directly beside the sea, with candles and lanterns glowing as night settled in. The couple arrived by speedboat, greeted by applause and sparkling water. Jazz singer Alex Stewart performed an intimate live set while guests enjoyed sea bass, artichoke salad, and a cheese wedding cake smuggled from England.

Design and Details

A two-image detail collage showing rustic wedding decor shot outdoors. On the left, a whitewashed wooden card box with a white pennant banner spelling 'CARDS' sits on a surface in front of naturally growing lavender stalks. On the right, a small white enamel milk jug holds a single bright pink rose alongside sprigs of white baby's breath. Both shots are close-up detail compositions with soft background blur, consistent with a rustic or boho decor style using a palette of white, grey-blue, and pink accents.

Detail close-up of a wedding decor arrangement featuring five small periwinkle blue ceramic pots lined up on a white surface, each containing mini bouquets of pink and white roses with white gypsophila. In the background, slightly out of focus, is a white decorative sign or plaque with raised lettering, likely displaying the wedding date or couple's initials. The overall color palette is soft and muted — periwinkle blue, blush pink, and white — suggesting a pastel-themed wedding. The setting appears to be indoors against a light grey wall.

A group of approximately 15 wedding guests descends a wide stone staircase with metal railings at an outdoor venue, likely a coastal or hillside property in the south of France or similar Mediterranean setting. The guests are dressed in smart-casual to formal attire, including a coral-pink dress, a red dress, a light blue dress, and dark suits. Small white votive candles are placed along the base of the stone steps as decorative lighting elements. The wide shot captures the full length of the staircase framed by dense green foliage and a stone retaining wall.

Small periwinkle blue ceramic pots lined with mini bouquets of pink and white roses and gypsophila set the decorative tone. The seaside venue featured a white picket fence with a hand-painted arrow sign reading 'PARTY,' guiding guests from cocktails to the waterfront reception. Each detail balanced English charm with Riviera ease.

Flat Lays

A close-up detail shot of two wedding styling items placed on a reflective glass surface. On the left is a Jo Malone London candle in a clear glass vessel with a silver lid and a black satin bow. On the right is a white wedding stationery booklet printed with 'Olivia & Sam' and the date '6th September 2014' in black script font, tied with a blush pink satin ribbon bow. The composition is a horizontal detail/flat-lay style image with a soft, bright background.

A close-up detail shot of a white arrow-shaped directional sign reading 'WEDDING' in grey lettering, hung from a tree branch using white ribbon. The sign points to the right and is suspended in the fork of a textured tree trunk with small leafy branches growing nearby. The styling is classic and simple, using a white metal or painted wooden arrow sign as wayfinding decor for guests.

A close-up detail shot of a cigar station set up at a wedding reception. Two open cigar boxes are displayed on a white linen-covered wooden table — one containing individually wrapped cigars in white tubes with dark red bands, and another with unwrapped cigars. A small chalkboard sign on a wooden stand reads 'Cigars' in handwritten chalk lettering. A small votive candle in a glass holder is visible at the right edge of the frame. The styling is clean and rustic, consistent with a relaxed reception atmosphere.

An outdoor waterfront wedding reception setup, photographed in a wide portrait composition showing multiple round dining tables arranged directly beside the sea. The tables are dressed in white floor-length linens and set with white plates, folded white napkins, silver cutlery, and an assortment of wine and water glasses. Centerpieces consist of clear vases holding loose arrangements of cream and pink garden roses and peonies, with scattered pink flower petals and small neon yellow and pink paper accents spread across the tabletops. A gold glitter table number marker is visible on the foreground table. Small votive candles are placed between the glasses. The chairs are modern gray molded chairs. Large white market umbrellas shade the tables, and the overall decor palette is white, pink, and neon yellow with a modern, clean aesthetic. No guests are present, suggesting this was taken during setup or before guests were seated.

The waterfront reception setup stretched along the Mediterranean shoreline, with white-draped round tables, canvas parasols, and crystal glassware catching the late afternoon light. Table cards hung on blush satin ribbon from a display board, while napkins were folded with sprigs of lavender. Every paper detail reflected the couple's blend of English heritage and French Riviera style.

Venue

This image does not depict a wedding photograph. It is an aerial wide shot of a Mediterranean coastal city, showing a harbor with a jetty, lighthouse, marina with moored boats, and urban architecture extending up a hillside. No people, wedding events, or wedding-related elements are visible. The image appears to be a cityscape or venue location overview shot, likely of Nice, France. Potential venue feature image.

Close-up shot of a red metal entrance sign reading 'Paloma Beach' in white cursive lettering, mounted on two red posts. The background shows a coastal setting with pine trees, Mediterranean-style architecture, and water visible in the distance. No people are present in the frame. Potential venue feature image.

Wide shot taken from the water looking toward a white villa perched on a rocky coastal cliff, surrounded by pine trees, with a calm bay in the foreground where several yachts and sailboats are moored. Rolling hills dotted with buildings extend across the background in soft haze. No people or wedding elements are visible in this image. Potential venue feature image.

An aerial view of the Mediterranean coastline revealed the harbor, lighthouse, and marina with moored boats stretching along the urban shore. The villa's elevated position above Nice offered sweeping views across terracotta rooftops and lemon trees, while Paloma Beach's private cove in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat provided the intimate seaside setting where Sam had proposed.