BEST WEDDING PHOTO LOCATIONS IN PERTH CBD

MY Top 5 Perth City Wedding Photoshoot Locations

If you're getting married in or around Perth and want photos that reflect the beautiful architecture and light that is available around the city, here are my top 6 choices and why I love them so much as a wedding photographer.

One of the things I talk about all the time is light, and how using the light and the environment together creates magic. Well Perth has some of the most iconically aesthetic places for photos as well as a few hidden gems. So let's talk about them.....

• Como The Treasury/ St Georges Square/State Buildings



Even though this is a very popular area with wedding photographers, it is still one of my favourites as there are so many different backdrops, textures and iconic landmarks in a one block so we don't have to go far. Besides, every photoshoot has it's own personality and magic.

We could spend 2 hours here and not exhaust all the hidden spots I love. It is worth mentioning, that the area directly around the state buildings is private property and you may be asked to move off. However, we can usually manage a few shots, especially as I shoot with a long lens and you are allowed to shoot from the public street side. I don't mind what time we shoot here - there is always interesting light, but in winter, I do love around d 3pm as the afternoon glow comes in from the west and bounces off the buildings creating beautiful warm light. In summer around 5/6 pm is ideal.

If you are staying at the Como it is worth asking if we can shoot on the mezzanine level. It is breathtaking! And the light within the corridors is magic.

Just waking the streets near post and Wildflower make the most beautiful documentary style images.

• Lamont's Bishop House

This one is a true gem! One of my favourite CBD photoshoot spots, and it's not just because of the venue itself, it's everything around it. Heritage-listed gardens, towering buildings framing the edges, old-world architecture juxtaposed with slick modern doing all the visual work. You get a genuine sense of escape from the city without actually leaving it. Again, we could spend 2 hours here and feel like there is still more to use.

From topiary tree lined gardens and water features, to old world lamps, and dramatic light, no matter the time of day. I will say it again, my preference is the warm sunset glow. From bold editorial-style shots to more romantic documentary style with real texture and depth in the background , this is another location that hits the mark.

What most people miss: the streets and laneways around Lamont's are just as usable as the venue itself. Hidden gardens between buildings, heritage façades, quiet courtyards, laneway art a few minutes' walk away. This means a single session here doesn't have to look like one location. You get the elegance of Lamont's grounds and the edge of the city in the same shoot, without driving anywhere.

I've shot here enough times to know the light holds up all day, which is rare for a CBD location. Whether it's a full wedding day or a dedicated portrait/elopement session, Lamont's Bishop House gives me more range in one spot than almost anywhere else in Perth.

• The State Library / Perth Cultural Centre

Sitting between Northbridge and the CBD, this precinct is one of the most underused photoshoot spots in Perth. Most people walk straight past it on their way to the Art Gallery or the museum next door. Set against a mix of state heritage buildings and striking modern architecture, it's home to the Art Gallery of WA, WA Museum Boola Bardip, and the State Library, all within a couple of minutes' walk of each other. The combination of heritage stone facades, brutalist concrete, and clean modern lines gives me way more range in one location than most people expect.

The Alexander Library building itself is one of the city's genuine architectural landmarks, and its exterior alone photographs beautifully with strong lines, texture and real scale.

Nearby, the plaza and open exhibition spaces around the precinct give a completely different, more contemporary feel if you want something that reads as bold and current rather than romantic or heritage.

What I love about this spot is the contrast you can get in a single session. Step one direction and you've got heritage architecture and warm stone. Step the other and you're in clean, modern lines against open public space. It's a great option if you want portraits that feel distinct from every other CBD garden shoot, or if you're after something with a bit more edge for engagement or elopement photos.

Good to know: it's a genuine public precinct with foot traffic most of the day, so early morning or golden hour gives you the cleanest backgrounds. It's also right next to Perth Station, so it's an easy add-on if you're already shooting Lamont's or the CBD laneways and want one more location without adding real travel time.

• UWA (University of Western Australia)

UWA is the mix of heritage and green space rolled into one campus, and it's one of the most versatile locations I shoot in Perth. (Although not technically in the heart of the CBD), it is still a very short Drive for the most part, and can be booked in conjunction with Kings Park.

Cathedral-like Winthrop Hall with its grand limestone columns and steps, the amphitheatre-style Sunken Garden, historic red brick facades, shaded garden pathways, the Tropical Grove, you can move between five completely different looks without leaving campus.

The Sunken Garden is the standout. Sunken (as the name suggests), tree-lined, and it has a genuinely secluded, almost European feel despite being minutes from the city. It's popular for a reason, but that popularity means you need to plan around it.

Good to know: UWA is not a free-for-all location — it's private university land, so photography here comes with real rules. Non-commercial personal photography is fine, but wedding and portrait photography requires a paid Photography Ticket, and each ticket covers one hour on campus. If you're booking a ceremony at the Sunken Garden or Tropical Grove specifically, those spaces are restricted to wedding parties who've booked through University Theatres, and a ceremony booking comes with one complimentary Photography Ticket included. I recommend booking well in advance as the Sunken Garden isn't normally available on summer weekends without nine to twelve months' notice, given how popular it is.

Timing matters here too. Campus is far quieter during university semester breaks, so if you're doing portraits rather than a full ceremony, that's when I'd aim for. Weekdays during term time can mean event clashes, exam periods, or graduation ceremonies taking priority, and UWA makes no guarantee your preferred spot will be free even with a ticket booked.

If you're after that grand, old-world architecture feel without driving out to the hills, and you don't mind sorting a permit in advance, UWA gives me more range in one campus than almost anywhere else in Perth.

• Perth Laneways

If you and your partner want something a bit more quirky, edgy or less traditional, the laneways tucked between Murray and Hay Street are full of character. Add in a stop at the bustling Yagan square precinct and we can create something truly magic and unique.

Wolf Lane's large-scale mural is a favourite for a bold, colourful backdrop, while King Street's heritage façades give a more timeless, elegant look. You can move between two or three completely different aesthetics without leaving a two-block radius. With the added bonus, we can stop in at one of the cool bars for a celebratory drink.

Good to know: These are working laneways in the middle of the city, so evenings and Sundays tend to be quieter. No permit is typically required for public laneway photography, but it's worth checking current signage or council requirements closer to your date.

• Elizabeth Quay

If you want photos that are unmistakably Perth and not remotely like the other CBD locations we've talked about, Elizabeth Quay is where I go. It's the most modern of the lot, the white arched pedestrian bridge, the reflective water of the inlet, the surrounding glass and steel architecture. And sunset is brilliant - especially for images on the bridge.

The bridge itself is the hero shot for most people, but I get just as much use out of the wider promenade and buildings with long lines, water reflections, and if you time it right, the Perth skyline lighting up behind you as the sun goes down. It's also one of the few CBD spots where you genuinely get the Swan River in frame, which opens up a completely different colour palette to anywhere else on this list.

Good to know: it's a busy public precinct, so weekday mornings or the tail end of golden hour will get you the cleanest backgrounds. Weekends and evenings bring crowds, especially near the bridge and the amphitheatre. There are also covered walkways through the precinct, which make it a solid wet-weather backup if your day doesn't cooperate.

Elizabeth Quay pairs naturally with Supreme Court Gardens or the CBD laneways if you want to combine a modern riverside look with something more heritage or editorial in the same session. It's all within a short walk.( But make sure you bring comfy walking shoes so you're not traipsing around in uncomfortable heels.)

FAQs

Do I need a permit to take wedding photos in Perth's CBD?

It depends on the location. Public laneways and footpaths generally don't require a permit, but formal locations like Kings Park do require a booking and an hourly fee for wedding and proposal photography. Your photographer can usually advise on what's needed for the specific spots on your list.

What's the best time of day for city wedding photos in Perth?

Golden hour!

Roughly the hour before sunset, gives the softest, warmest light, especially at Elizabeth Quay and along the river. If you want moodier, high-contrast shots in the laneways, blue hour just after sunset works beautifully too.

Can I visit more than one location in a single session?

Yes! That's one of the best things about shooting in the CBD. Kings Park, Elizabeth Quay, the laneways, and Supreme Court Gardens are all within a short drive or walk of each other, so most couples comfortably fit two or three locations into one to two hours.

What happens if it rains on the day? Have a backup in mind before your date. Covered walkways at Elizabeth Quay and the State Buildings precinct are good wet-weather options that still give you a genuine Perth city backdrop.

Planning your Perth wedding or elopement and want help choosing the right locations for your day? Get in touch and I'll help you build a shot list that fits your ceremony, your timeline, and your style.