St Andrews Beach Wedding Photos
Bass Strait surf, a dune-top car park and a steep sand track down to open water
St Andrews Beach is an ocean beach on the Bass Strait side of the southern Mornington Peninsula, inside Mornington Peninsula National Park between Rye Ocean Beach and Gunnamatta. It is part of the 35-kilometre run of surf beach from Cape Schanck to Portsea, about 5 kilometres from Rye and roughly 70 from Melbourne. The car park at the end of Paradise Drive sits high behind the dunes and a short sandy path drops steeply to the water. It is unpatrolled and the rips are serious.
Veri photographed Simone and Sam’s portraits here between their ceremony at Rye Ocean Beach and their reception at St Andrews Beach Recreation Hall, which is the natural shape of a beachside wedding on this stretch: everything within a few minutes’ drive. The beach gives open sand, rock pools at low tide and dune grass behind, with the surf as a constant backdrop and very few other people in frame.
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 St Andrews Beach
Come in the last hour before sunset, when the sun is low along the beach and the dunes go gold behind the couple. Check the tide first: low water opens the rock pools and gives firm sand to walk on. The car park above the dunes is the easy wide frame when the wind is up, which is most afternoons. Stay on the marked path, since hooded plovers nest in the dunes. The gallery below is Simone and Sam’s peninsula wedding, with their portraits on this beach.