Beach wedding photography is a love hate relationship for us. Why? Because beach weddings are incredible. The atmosphere of it all. The sound of the waves hitting the shore, the smell of sea salt in the air, the sun shining down. Two people promising their lives together is a beautiful thing, and there is no doubt that a beach wedding is a beautiful setting.

But there is the other side to beach wedding photos. The darker side. Beach wedding photos can be tricky. Sure, the waves may look refreshing in the distance – but it also might be 108 degrees fehrenheit, and your mouth so dry and thirsty that watching all that water so close and yet so far is almost torture status. The sea salt in the air is beautiful, but a hot humid day can play major games with camera lenses, and spray from waves can be a photographers nightmare.

Then there is the sun. Beautiful yes. Photo flattering – not often. On a beach there isn’t much shade, and most beach weddings seem to happen in the afternoon when the sun is at its harshest, meaning raccoon eyes and harsh shadows. The direct sun on a camera can also on rare occasions cause it to overheat.

So as you can see, we love beach weddings – but as photographers we’re captive to the elements far more on the beach than any other location. When conditions are right, you can’t beat a beach wedding. Kieran & Tonia’s wedding day was one of the good ones. The ones you dream of, because the sky was overcast and the light was soft. The location was perfect at the picturesque Long Reef Golf Club in Collaroy NSW Australia. End result? We had a ton of fun and creative options for photos, and we can’t wait to share them! Hopefully this gives you some insight into the different factors to consider when planning beach wedding photos – But enough writing, lets get to the good stuff!!

We are always thrilled when we get a chance to photograph weddings in Sydney Australia and every destination around the world. Beach weddings are fun. Beach weddings are romantic. Beach wedding photos can be amazing or they can be amazingly difficult. The truth is there ARE things you can do when planning a beach wedding. Have guests facing TOWARDS the sun, not away. This will minimise harsh light and shadows. Have a shady dark background this will help immensely. And if you can, have an earlier morning beach wedding ceremony or in a perfect world, sunset or early evening beach wedding. Kieran & Tonia had a brilliant spot. The ceremony was supposed to be an outdoor beach wedding, but due to rain at the last second it was moved indoors. This is also a good option – have your wedding on the beach, but inside incase there is rain. Mainly having a backup is the biggest thing. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this beach wedding photo inspiration – if you have any questions about beach weddings let us know in the comments below. OR if you have additional tips, make sure to share them with future brides getting married on the ocean or on a lake!

All the best, and happy planning!
Ryan

p.s – Recently engaged?! Tailored Fit Photography offers you a FREE engagement session in the Kelowna or Vernon area with every inquiry. Contact Us Today to book yours!