Places I love to Photograph in Port Douglas
Port Douglas
Wedding Locations
Port Douglas has a way of making weddings and wedding photos feel effortless. One minute you’re barefoot in Rex Smeal park, the next you’re clinking glasses at the Sugar Wharf. There’s classic charm at St Mary’s by the Sea for your wedding ceremony and pristine four mile beach on the edge of town. Happy to tell you more when we speak but in the meantime please check our the Port Douglas Wedding locations below.
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Historic wedding chapel overlooking the Coral Sea, intimate, and perfectly Port Douglas.
St Marys by the Sea
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Iconic waterfront wharf, ocean breezes, gorgeous sunsets and relaxed receptions
Sugar Wharf
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Secluded grassy cove framed by tropical palm trees for an intimate wedding ceremony
Little Cove
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Luxury beachfront resort with serene lagoons, palm-lined views, and effortless tropical elegance
Sea Temple Resort
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Grassy headland park lined by palm trees with the best sunsets. Nearby Anzac Park also rocks for photos
Rex Smeal Park
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Intimate restaurant wedding venue with amazing food and great atmosphere.
Salsa
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Soft fine sand, endless shoreline, gorgeous light for fun wedding portraits.
Four Mile Beach
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My kinda paradise with clear creeks, filtered light and quiet locations for natural wedding photos.
Rainforest & Canefields
St Marys by the Sea
Historic wedding chapel overlooking the Coral Sea, intimate, and perfectly Port Douglas.
From a photographer’s point of view, St Mary’s by the Sea is one of those rare ceremony spaces that is both charming and difficult. The light coming in from the window behind the couple is strong and the stunning view from the window to the sea is first thing you notice. The big window creates a soft, consistent light around the chapel but it's bright behind the couple. I know what I'm doing so I make it work perfectly.
The chapel itself is quaint and simply beautiful. Timber floors, white walls, and stained glass windows keep the atmoshere where it should be — on what’s happening up front. I like to slip quietly up behind the couple and capture them and their guests, especially when its time to sign the certificate.
Outside, the surrounding gardens and chapel itself give plenty of photo backdrops. I always get a big group photo from the steps first and then move to the front of St Marys for family photos.
St Marys by the Sea is a personal favourite wedding ceremony location and one I would recommend you consider if you are getting in hitched in Port Douglas..
Iconic waterfront wharf, ocean breezes, gorgeous sunsets and relaxed receptions
I love the Sugar Wharf, its a gift for photos. The wharf reaches out into the Coral Sea, giving me clean lines, open space, and lots if light. There’s nothing cluttering the frame — just open sky, sea, and those magnificent ranges of the Daintree in the distance.
In the late afternoon, the light is soft and warm and ideal for natural candids as guests settle in. As the sun lowers and you arrive at your Sugar Wharf reception, we'll grab some shots of you along the wharf. Soon after, the horizon changes colour. Lots of pinks and purples. It's a photographers dream and I'll get some of you mingling with friends and family.
After dark, the atmosphere shifts again. Festoon lighting on the outside deck creates a fairy like atmosphere. Yep, you guessed it, more photos.
Most couples have their tables inside in case of rain. The rustic barn feel and the big doors make sure its never boxed in. The Sugar Wharf is the kind of reception that always turns into a party.
The Sugar Wharf
Little Cove
A secluded grassy cove, framed by tropical palm trees for an intimate wedding ceremony.
Little Cove photographs very differently to most beach ceremony spots, and that’s what makes it special. It’s not about big, open horizons or sand. It’s about containment. The cove wraps everything in, which means the focus stays tight on the people rather than drifting off into the distance.
A group of palm trees creates a natural background to your Little Cove ceremony with views through to the ocean and passing boats. There is still ample room for me to move around the couple to capture their expressions and emotions as the wedding ceremony unfolds.
What really stands out is how settled everyone feels here. Guests aren’t squinting. Couples aren’t shifting around. The shade does a lot of the work, and the light stays consistent without harsh shadows.
After the ceremony I like to use the nice gardens to the side of Little Cove as a backdrop and use the soft natural light falling on everyone.
Pullman Sea Temple Resort in Port Douglas is one of those venues that creates a very relaxed and classy wedding.
You’ve got the beach right there for the ceremony — wide, open sand, Coral Sea views, and plenty of space for guests without it feeling crowded. It’s relaxed, coastal, and very Port Douglas.
After the beach ceremony, I love to capture my couples on the beach, the boardwalk and the cute walkway back into the resort. The vegetation creates this tunnel effect and I really like it.
As guests move back to the resort for drinks (lucky them), I explore the gorgeous resort for photo locations. There is loads of variety for photos — palms, pools, clean resort lines, and the signature Sea Temple stone work for backdrops - all It’s ideal if you want a mix of beachy and polished images without leaving the venue.
Sea Temple suits couples who want a sophisticated destination-style wedding that still feels natural and calm. Everything is close, the resort is stunning and their staff do an amazing job. Did I mention the food? Yeah I always like to get a sample for quality control of course ;-)
Pullman Sea Temple Resort
Rex Smeal Park
Grassy headland park lined by palm trees with the best sunsets. Nearby Anzac Park also rocks for photos
Rex Smeal Park is one of Port Douglas’ most versatile spots for wedding photos, especially if you want variety without travelling far. The palm tree perimeter frames the park beautifully, creating clean, tropical lines that work for both close up portraits and big expansive shots. It’s classic Far North Queensland and never feels overdone.
One of the standout features is the open view across the Coral Sea toward the Daintree Rainforest. On clear days, those ancient layered mountains give photos real depth — unmistakably tropical. As the sun sets the colours are amazing and the backdrop becomes even more impressive.
Tucked through the park are old fig trees and meleleuca trees that are greeat backgrounds for drama and texture. I do love a good tree.
We usually walk to the adjacent Anzac park for more magnificent trees and the little beach behind St Marys by the Sea.
Together, the palms, rainforest views and fig trees make Rex Smeal Park a reliable favourite for my Port Douglas wedding photography.
Intimate restaurant reception wedding venue with amazing food and great atmosphere.
Salsa Bar and Grill is a great option if you want your wedding to feel lively, social, and right in the middle of town. It’s not a quiet, tucked-away venue — and that’s exactly the point. There’s energy here. Guests arrive already relaxed, drinks flow easily, and the whole night feels like a celebration rather than a formal event.
From a photography point of view, Salsa works great with it's tropical design, warm lighting, timber finishes, and open layout. It suits candid moments really well — people laughing, leaning in for conversations. I like grabbing a few quick shots out there while guests are settling in.
Salsa is the locals favourite. It suits couples who want good food and photos that feel real. Nothing staged. Just people enjoying themselves.
People who have their Port Douglas wedding reception at Salsa, often have their ceremony at St Marys by the Sea or Little Cove
Salsa Restaurant
Four Mile Beach
Soft fine sand, endless shoreline, gorgeous light for fun wedding portraits.
Four Mile Beach is one of those Port Douglas wedding photo locations that never really lets you down. It’s long, wide, open, and uncrowded, which gives you room to move and plenty of options without feeling rushed. The wide shoreline works just as well for relaxed walking shots as it does for those big, open-frame images with lots of sky and space. I love when the tide is low and can work the reflections of the couple.
What I like most is how the light behaves here. Late afternoon is especially good — softer light, warmer, no shadows, and enough cloud movement to keep things interesting. The mountains at the northern end of the beach add depth, and the water usually stays calm enough to get clean reflections near the edge.
Four Mile Beach is ideal if you want photos that feel natural and unforced. Bring the entire bridal party and a few cold drinks and its a really fun wedding shoot.
My kinda paradise with big skys, clear creeks, filtered light and quiet locations for natural wedding photos.
Wedding photos in the cane fields and rainforest streams around Port Douglas are a great option if you want something a little different and love nature like I do.
The cane fields not far from town are open, simple, and surprisingly striking, especually when in flower. Country roads, big skies, and that soft green backdrop give photos a dramatic feel. They work especially well late in the day when the light drops and warm colours come out.
Head a little further inland towards the Mowbray and you’ve got rainforest creeks and streams that feel completely removed from the coast. Shaded light, running water, smooth rocks, and dense greenery give you a totally different look within minutes. I like these spots for quieter portraits — nothing rushed, just letting things unfold naturally.
This Port Douglas wedding photo location works best when your ceremony is at 3pm otherwise its a bit tight time wise.
Rainforest & Canefields
