Taronga Zoo Sydney Wedding Photos
Harbour, Opera House and Bridge from a zoo hillside at Mosman, twelve minutes by ferry from the Quay
Taronga Zoo covers 28 hectares of hillside on Bradleys Head Road at Mosman, on the north shore of Sydney Harbour, twelve minutes by ferry from Circular Quay. It opened here on 7 October 1916; the name means beautiful view. Weddings use the Taronga Centre: the N’galawa Terrace with its wraparound balcony, the Dalang Ballroom for 220 seated, and the Gili rooftop for 60, all looking towards the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Outdoor ceremonies run on the Harbour View Lawns and the Bird Amphitheatre.
We have photographed one wedding at Taronga Zoo and have filmed others here as well. The venue is unusual in Sydney for putting both harbour icons behind the ceremony from a height, and a portrait walk through the exhibits runs straight off the lawns. The Wildlife Retreat on site has 62 rooms for guests who want to stay the night.
Photographing a wedding at Taronga Zoo Sydney
The city sits south-west of the zoo across the water, so afternoon sun comes in from the side and dusk turns the skyline into lights behind the couple; the sails read cleanest in the morning. Ferry arrivals land at the bottom of the hill, so allow for the climb or the shuttle. Animal encounters run to the keepers’ clock, not ours, and we fit the portrait walk around them. The Gili rooftop is the drinks-hour frame. Rain moves ceremonies inside the Taronga Centre, where the windows keep the view.