Waterside Wedding Photos
Water doubles the light and hands you a horizon to build the frame on
A waterside wedding sits on a lake edge, a harbour deck, a marina lawn or a river bank, and the water does two things for the pictures: it throws light back up into faces, and it gives every frame a flat horizon to sit on. Still water in a sheltered cove reflects; open water in wind does not. The best light comes off the water in the last hour before sunset and again in the blue half hour after it.
We photographed Becky and George’s reception at The Boat House in Barton, beside Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, and stepped out between the speeches for a short sunset session at the water’s edge. At Prince Deck in St Kilda the rooftop looks across St Kilda Marina to Port Phillip Bay, and Georgia and Michael’s sunset portraits beside the bay followed a bright afternoon ceremony. At Crittenden Wines in Dromana the ceremony lawn sits under willows beside the estate lake.
Ashley & Lane
Michele & Nicolas
Anna & Brendan
Emma & Sean
Becky & George
Camilla & Jason
Aasher & Nick
Sabine & Arthur
Jacqueline and Gionatan
Peter and Elena
Lauren and Adam
Sarah and George
Arielle and Darran
Clare and Emlyn
Nicole and Michael
Joanna and Sam
Edwina and Jonathan
Markala and Gavin
Boat House, Barton wedding
Imogen and Jordan
Rebecca and Geordie
Melanie and Damian
Sumaira and James
Liana and Matt
Caitlin and Dylan
Bayview Yacht Club BYRA wedding
Shirley and Darren
Sharon and Daniel
Jacquie and Steve
Emmett and Karmen
Rayane and Arthur
Tatiana and Gennady
Bec and Brent
How to prepare for your wedding photos (without overthinking it)
Seven small things that make a real difference on the day — learned across hundreds of weddings. None of them involve practising poses.
In motion, unposed · FR 15A1. Be yourselves — that's where the magic is
You don't need to perform or worry about what you look like. The best photos come from real moments: a glance, a laugh, a shared breath. Let go a little — we'll guide when needed, and the best unfolds naturally.
2. Build buffer time into your timeline
A little breathing room between getting ready, the ceremony and couple portraits makes all the difference. It gives us space for spontaneous shots — and gives you time to soak it all in.
3. Choose locations that feel like you
A quiet lane, an open field, a textured wall — we love meaningful or interesting spots. Trust us to find great light, but if you've got a place you love, let's work it in.
4. Consider an unplugged ceremony
Phones can distract from the emotion (and your photos). Asking guests to be fully present makes for cleaner frames and a more heartfelt atmosphere.
5. Get ready in calm, light-filled spaces
Clutter-free rooms with natural light are a photographer's dream, and calm energy in the morning sets the tone for the day. Keep the space tidy — or assign a friend to do a quick sweep before we arrive.
6. Keep a drink and snacks nearby
Especially during portraits — hydration and a little sugar go a long way in keeping energy and moods high.
7. Trust the process
We've worked at hundreds of weddings and we're here to make you look and feel amazing. Trust us with the light, the angles, the pace — we've got you.
Waterside weddings
Work out which way the venue faces before the day. A west-facing deck gives you backlit sunset frames; an east-facing one gives soft, even light with a lit sky behind the couple. Piers, jetties and decks give strong lines, so we use them for the wide frames and keep the close portraits at the water’s edge where the reflection is. Wind off open water moves veils and hair, and a sheltered corner is worth knowing about in advance. The galleries below are the waterside weddings we have photographed in full.