We’re spoilt for locations here in Sydney when it comes time to plan your engagement session. From sandy beaches, to harbourside backdrops, to iconic landmarks, and rustic parklands there is no shortage of options. In fact, some of our couples find it too difficult to decide, so we’ll head to two or three locations during the session!
The great thing about a lot of these locations is that we’re often able to photograph them in a way that makes it look like we’ve been to several of them, when in fact we visited just one. For example, one of the nicest parks in the city is right on the harbour, and only a quick stroll away from urban Sydney. Or if you chose one of our favourite beaches you can also take advantage of the nearby clifftop scenery, not to mention the natural bush setting only a few steps away.
We’ve highlighted 11 of our favourite locations for your pre-wedding or engagement session below, but please reach out if you’d like a longer list to choose from - we’ve been photographing couple sessions in Sydney for years, so we have quite a long list to choose from.
Botanic Gardens
Looking for the perfect pre-wedding session that combines immaculate parkland with harbourside views? Then look no further than the Botanic Gardens as the location for your engagement session. No matter the season the gardens are full of colour, and with a huge 74 acres of space, it’s always easy to escape the crowds even though we’re right in the heart of the city. Oh, and those views back towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House aren’t too bad, either :)
Photos here are recommended for couples who love nature and gardens, but also admire Sydney’s architectural icons.
Kirribilli
Kirribilli is on the north side of the harbour, and makes for one of the best locations for your engagement session, particularly if you’re from out of town. The views back towards the city skyline are breathtaking, especially if you can time your couple session for the late afternoon, as the sun begins to set and the magical dusk light begins to take over.
Photos here are recommended for couples who love sunsets and Sydney’s harbour.
The Rocks and Circular Quay (including the Sydney opera house and harbour bridge)
If you’d like to get up close to Sydney’s most famous landmarks, the area around the Rocks and Circular Quay is the perfect choice for your engagement session. With some of Sydney’s most historic buildings lining the streets, you’ll be treated to beautiful architecture, hidden laneways, and incredible views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Photos here are recommended for couples who want Sydney’s history and landmarks at the forefront.
Yaralla Estate, Concord
Think rustic gardens, roses, and a few leafy feature gardens grown more magical with each passing year. Yaralla Estate (or Dame Eadith Walker Estate) is full of character - the type of place you could spend hours exploring, and where children could play endlessly, their games only limited by the size of their imagination. It is a mystical place, where sunlight scatters through huge trees. It is often deserted, making it seem like an ethereal location for your engagement session.
Photos here are recommended for couples looking for a great mix of natural, organic locations, with mature gardens, beautiful light and serenity high on the list.
Palm Beach
This unique spot at the tip of Sydney’s northern beaches boats unmatched views and both a harbourside beach and ocean beach within walking distance. In between are dramatic sand dunes, and wild bushland. For those with extra energy we can hike up the trail towards the Barrenjoey Lighthouse for photos with incredible views back along the entire stretch of the northern beaches.
Photos here are recommended for adventurous couples who love the ocean, appreciate magical views, and aren’t afraid of a little hiking.
Turimetta Beach
Turimetta is quite possibly our favourite beach in Sydney. Hidden between some of Sydney’s more well-known beaches, Turimetta is off the radar to all but a few hearty locals who don’t mind trekking down a steep slope to access the waves. But the walk down is well worth it - it’s almost like you’re the on a deserted island when your feet touch the sand, as all man-made structures are almost entirely hidden by the cliffs at either end of the beach. This gives your photos a very natural, wild feel. The cliffs themselves make for some dramatic scenery, and the crashing waves are definitely fun to play in at the end of your session. We often start sessions here in the hidden walkways scaling the top of the cliffs - pathways that are thick with beautiful bushland and gorgeous light filtering through the natural tree ‘tunnels’.
Photos here are recommended for nature-loving couples, with an affinity for the ocean.
Freshwater Beach
Similar to Turimetta in that we’ll have access to a gorgeous beach, natural bushland, and clifftop scenery for your engagement session. Freshwater is a little further south (and so closer to the city), but is very approachable. The waves are often smaller here, and the sand a long gently-sloping plain out to sea, rather than a dramatic drop-off that you might find elsewhere. The Freshwater Lookout not only provides a spot for stunning panoramic photos, but the rocks below make for an almost moon-like textured landscape. So much variety in one small location!
Photos here are recommended for beachy couples who love texture.
Watsons Bay
While Watsons Bay is a popular day-tripping destination for tourists and Sydney-siders alike, it’s easy to get away from the crowds and explore the unique features of this stunning stretch of coastline. The area features small, secluded beaches, stunning clifftop scenery, historic military outposts, and a candycane-coloured lighthouse.. The distant views back to the city are all-encompassing, with nothing but endless stretches of ocean in the other direction. A quick warning - it can be windy here and it is very open to the elements, but if we keep a close eye on the weather forecast the area around Watsons Bay and Camp Cove can make for one of the most spectacular locations for your engagement session.
Photos here are recommended for couples who want a little bit of everything in their session - water, bushland, lighthouses and cliffs.
Ballast Point Park
Recently landscaped to highlight the rich history of the area, Ballast Point Park makes for a very interesting spot for your couple session. Nestled between Balmain and Birchgrove, the park was previously a fuel depot, but was re-opened to the public in 2009. It features recycled bubble walls, steel stairways, artworks, Australian native gardens, and industrial structures that make for super interesting photographic backgrounds. The park sits right on the harbour, so you’ll also have access to panoramic cityscapes and gorgeous water views.
Photos here are recommended for arty couples who also love being in nature.
Centennial Park
This huge park in Randwick is the perfect place for photos if you love getting away from the crowds. While it is very central, the sheer size of the park means it’s easy to escape and feel as though we are the only people there. The park has manicured gardens, swamplands, lakes, tree-lined pathways, but the area I enjoy exploring the most is the rugged bushland. It’s like you’re in the middle of the Australian bush in some areas of the park, even though it’s only a short drive to the centre of the city!
Photos here are recommended for couples who love nature, trees and rugged bushland.
Observatory Hill
If you love the Sydney Harbour Bridge, then this is the spot for you! (Kiribilli is also a great spot for views of the bridge). The main feature here is the view of the bridge itself, but there are also a few gorgeous old elm trees that compliment the landscape photos with a natural, organic setting. It can be busy here on weekends, so we often recommend aiming for a weekday if Observatory Hill is your location of choice.
Photos here are recommended for couples who love Sydney’s iconic architecture.
More information about our engagement / couple sessions
If you’d like to know more about booking your session please get in touch. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours!
If you’d like to see some of our recent pre-wedding sessions please see a few of our galleries below. We’d also be glad to share the photos from a complete session or two with you in case you’d like to see more. Please simply contact us here and we’ll send you all the details.
