Top Wedding Photo Locations in Adelaide CBD
Over the years of being an Adelaide wedding photographer I’ve been able to explore the Adelaide CBD and find a multitude of spots that are suitable to take wedding couples to to have their photos done without having to worry about having photo permits of permission to do so. So I thought I’d put together this list of wedding photo locations in Adelaide so that other have no need to do the scouting themselves.
I’ve purposely put this list together for those who do not wish to purchase a photography permit to use the area, and are only of those locations within the Adelaide CBD that are considered ‘public space’ and therefore need no prior arrangements to be made to have photos taken there. A good example of a popular wedding photo location in Adelaide that will not be on this list would be the Adelaide Botanic Gardens – as couples need a photography permit to have their photos taken within the gardens.
List of my favourite Wedding Photo Locations in Adelaide
Veale Gardens
If you’re planning on also having your ceremony in Veale Gardens, then you will need a permit from the council, but if you’re just looking to have your photo shoot done, then no such permission is needed. Located in the southern park lands, Veale Gardens boasts beautifully manicured lawns and a man made river sweeping through the whole garden area.
There are a number of different rock pools that also make for a great setting for wedding photography. One of the best things about Veale Gardens though is the variety of photos you can take here, as just behind the gardens is a small gum tree forest and a rather unkempt area for a more rustic feel to your wedding photos – something you’d usually have to travel outside of the city to find.
Himeji Gardens
The Himeji Gardens are also located in the southern park lands, and right nearby Veale Gardens. Himeji Gardens is build to commemorate Adelaide’s sister city relationship with the Japanese city of Himeji. The whole area is designed to look pretty as it’s a properly designed garden with the Japanese aesthetic in mind. Wedding ceremonies are not allowed to take place within the gardens, but you are able to walk through and take your glamour photos within.
Just be sure you try to use the gardens during it’s opening times. The best times to visit are during the autumn months as the Japanese maple’s start to show some incredible colours.
North Terrace
The old buildings along North Terrace, coupled with some of the nice trees and art installations along the road make North terrace one of my go to wedding photo locations in Adelaide. Many of the old buildings along here belong to the Adelaide University campus, but I felt as though the campus itself deserved it’s own mention on this list.
Adelaide University
The Adelaide University campus itself has some wonderful spots hidden around the place as it’s such an old campus. One such spot has romenesque columns lining a walkway towards a door. This one spot – quite close to the Torrens footbridge – has become a huge hot spot for wedding photography often having to queue up behind other wedding couples wanting to have photos done there on a Saturday.
Old Police Barracks and Migration museum
The old Police barracks are located right behind the South Australian Museum and library. It’s a beautiful old building which is very much hidden from view and you’d be forgiven for not knowing it was there unless you had specially sought it out. It is public space, however can also be booked for wedding ceremonies so it would be best to enquire before your wedding day if it was being used or not before heading down there to have photos done.
Rymill Park
Rymill Park is one of the main venues used for the famous Adelaide Fringe festival held each year in February and March so if you want to have photos in Rymill Park during that period of time, it may be tricky. Rymill Park has a wonderful pond and beautiful trees and path ways meandering about the area which makes the spot one of the popular wedding photo locations in Adelaide.
Rundle Mall
Rundle Mall is the home of Adelaide’s defacto mascot of the Mall’s Balls art installation. Everyone from Adelaide knows the spot in Rundle Mall as an easy point of reference within the city. As a wedding photo location, it’s better suited at night, as there will not be as many random people in your photos, and it allows for the pretty lights that line the area to be used in your photos.
Adelaide Arcade
When thinking of wedding photo locations in Adelaide, the oldest shopping precinct in the city fits the bill nicely, with centry old architecture, and the ability to explore above the main shops a bit, it makes for a nicely unique spot to have your photos done.
Old Adelaide Market Area
One of the lesser known wedding photo locations in Adelaide is the old market area on East Terrace. The lane ways off Charlick cct and Vardon ave have some great scenes available for a wedding photographer – particularly during the autumn months as the trees are starting to turn some nice shades of yellow and red.
Wilson Parking Hindley St
Bit of an odd place to think about having your wedding photos done is in a car park, but the Wilson Park on Hindley street actually opens up onto it’s roof enabling your wedding photographer to get a unique perspective on the Adelaide skyline if that’s you’re thing. Sorry I only have some shots of batman to demonstrate what I’m talking about 🙂
Elder Park
Elder park is the area where every postcard of Adelaide is shot from. The park is surrounded by a lovely stretch of the river Torrens, Adelaide oval, the Festival theater and convention center. One of the main draw cards as one of the best wedding photo locations in Adelaide is the huge rotunda sitting surrounded by beautifully manicured lawn. There is also the King William street bridge and of course the river itself.
Adelaide Botanic Park
Leading straight next door to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens though is the Adelaide Botanic Park. A popular spot to hold wedding ceremonies and have photos taken with the multitude of pretty Moreton Bay Fig trees. The area is often used for live music events so some of the park may be cordoned off, and is a nice spot to hold a family picnic so if it’s a nice day, expect a lot of other people using the area while you’re taking photos.
The fig trees scattered throughout the park have amazing roots that lend themselves well to wedding photos and at certain times of day the sunlight will seep through the foliage nicely.
Torrens foreshore & footbridge
The Torrens meanders throughout the northern part of the Adelaide CBD and winds past the northern entrance to Adelaide University. At that point there is a pretty footbridge that traverses the Torrens river. You can use the footbridge itself as one of the great wedding photo locations in Adelaide, but there are also some hidden spots nearby like weeping willow trees and some nice footpaths.
Adelaide is a very pretty city, and it was designed to be so! This list is therefore not an exhaustive list of wedding photo locations in Adelaide, but more of a guide to give you an idea of some of the more popular, and in some cases lesser known spots to head to with your wedding photographer!