Encore St Kilda Beach Wedding Photos
Floor-to-ceiling glass onto Port Phillip Bay from the St Kilda Sea Baths, with a rooftop for summer vows
Encore St Kilda Beach is a reception venue inside the St Kilda Sea Baths on Jacka Boulevard, right on the sand at St Kilda Beach. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows onto Port Phillip Bay, an outdoor terrace over the beach, a built-in dance floor and operable walls, so the space scales from about 50 guests to 400 seated. Ceremonies happen indoors, or on the rooftop between October and April with the bay behind the couple, and there are two bridal suites on site.
We have photographed and filmed weddings at Encore since 2018. The day usually runs entirely along the foreshore: ceremony on the roof or the sand, portraits on the beach and the St Kilda Pier, drinks at the neighbouring bars while the room is turned, then the reception with the sunset in the windows. It is one of the few Melbourne venues where the couple session needs no car at all.
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.
Photographing a wedding at Encore St Kilda Beach
St Kilda faces west, so the reception windows catch the sunset directly; we plan the entrance or the first dance for that half hour. Before it, the pier and the sand give two quite different backdrops within a five-minute walk. Wind is the thing to watch on the rooftop, and the fallback for a rough day is the dance floor room with the bay still in the glass. Blue hour on the terrace is worth the detour.