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Wedding photographer
Newcastle & the Hunter

(02) 5550 7136

Noah's on the Beach wedding photographer: Surf across the road

A Noah's on the Beach wedding puts the whole night on the corner of Shortland Esplanade and Zaara Street, with Newcastle Beach just over the road. It's a favourite of ours in the city because the surf, the old Ocean Baths and the East End's streets can all be reached on foot from the reception.

Check your date at Noah's on the Beach(02) 5550 7136

A bride laughs on the sand with three bridesmaids in pale blue, the surf behind them
From the studio
2 km east
Sunset, January
8:04pm
Sunset, June
4:53pm

The city beach behind glass: why we love a Noah's on the Beach wedding

The hotel calls itself Newcastle's only beachfront hotel, and from a photographer's side that's exactly the appeal: the function rooms sit on the ground floor behind floor to ceiling glass, so the beach and the coastline are the backdrop for speeches, first dance and all.

Outside, the beach faces the sunrise, which means the evening light comes over the city behind you and lands softly on the sand and the water.

A short walk along Shortland Esplanade brings you to the art deco pavilion of the Ocean Baths, formally opened in 1922 and one of the most recognisable buildings on the Newcastle coast.

Getting there

From our studio in Cooks Hill it's only a few minutes through the city to Newcastle East, and for guests coming from out of town the hotel is within walking distance of the CBD.

Noah's offers free parking on site, subject to availability, so guests who drive should arrive early or share cars.

The hotel has rooms, many with ocean or harbour views, and its wedding page lists accommodation for the couple and guests, which makes it easy to get ready upstairs and come down to the reception without a car at all.

How the day runs

Noah's doesn't advertise a ceremony space of its own, so many couples marry nearby: Newcastle Beach and King Edward Park are both on the City of Newcastle's list of ceremony locations, and both need the council's approval first.

Council rules ban confetti on parks and beaches, though rose petals are fine if you tidy up.

Because the beach faces east, the sun sets behind the city, so we'd take the beach portraits before the city's shadow stretches across the sand, then head inside for the blue hour over the ocean.

Before your day

A week or two out we'd walk the route together at the hour you'll marry: from your ceremony spot, along the promenade to the Ocean Baths and back to the hotel, timing each stop so nothing runs into dinner.

Where we'd photograph you near Noah's on the Beach

  1. Newcastle Beach

    Straight across the road from the hotel. The sand gives us the classic barefoot frames with the surf rolling in behind you.

    It's a busy public beach on a warm evening, so we'd work around swimmers and walkers rather than ask anyone to move.

  2. Newcastle Ocean Baths

    A few hundred metres along Shortland Esplanade from Noah's. The art deco pavilion was formally opened in November 1922 and is now on the State Heritage Register.

    Its long, ordered facade gives a strong, symmetrical backdrop, and the council itself notes the baths as a photo spot near Newcastle Beach.

  3. Shortland Esplanade

    The seafront road and footpath that runs past the hotel toward the baths, with the ocean on one side the whole way.

    It's a gentle walk in wedding shoes, and stopping every hundred metres or so gives us a new angle on the beach without leaving the guests for long.

  4. King Edward Park

    About a kilometre from Noah's along the coast, on the slope above the ocean, with its Victorian rotunda and the Obelisk up the hill.

    Too far to stroll to between courses, so we'd use it for a ceremony or a short car trip before the reception begins.

Questions about photographing a Noah's on the Beach wedding

Is a ceremony on the sand opposite Noah's allowed?

Newcastle Beach is one of the City of Newcastle's listed ceremony locations, so yes, with the council's approval. Book early: the council handles the application, and its rules mean no confetti and no alcohol on the sand. Your celebrant will usually help with the paperwork, and we'll plan the photos around the spot you're given.

When is the best light at Newcastle Beach?

The beach faces east, so sunrise is over the water and sunset is behind the city. In the evening the light on the sand goes soft and golden, then the buildings start to shade the beach. We'd book the portraits for that last hour, and if you fancy a sunrise session the morning after, we're only minutes away.

What do we do if it's windy on the day?

Wind is the usual challenge on this stretch of coast, more than rain. We pack clips for veils, find shelter in the lee of the Ocean Baths pavilion, and turn you so your hair blows away from your face. If it really howls, the hotel's glass-fronted rooms give us the ocean without the gusts.

Can we get ready at the hotel?

The hotel's wedding page includes rooms for the two of you and your guests, so you can book a room and get ready on site. A room on the ocean side gives us good window light for the dress and details, and it means your bridal party walks straight down to the ceremony or the reception.

Is there parking for our guests?

The hotel has free parking on site, but it's subject to availability, and a wedding night in the East End can be busy. We suggest letting guests know to arrive early, share rides or catch a taxi or rideshare, since many will want to stay on for a drink by the beach anyway.

How far is the walk to the Ocean Baths for photos?

It's a short walk along Shortland Esplanade, a few minutes at a relaxed pace even in heels. We usually head there straight after the ceremony while guests settle in with drinks, and we're back at Noah's before anyone wonders where the two of you went.

Walk to the baths at golden hour.

Write to us with your date and where you hope to say your vows. We'll map the walk from the sand to the baths and back to Noah's in time for dinner.

Check your date(02) 5550 7136

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