Brisbane Marriage Registry Photography Overview
INTRODUCTION
Having shot over 130 weddings at the Brisbane Marriage Registry since 2015, I have prepared this (hopefully!) helpful guide for couples to make their planning easier.
This advice is comprehensive and focuses on all the nearby parking options depending on the day of week, what the registry is actually like, and what you can expect.
The registry is located on the 32nd floor of the cleverly named '180 Brisbane' building in the heart of the Brisbane CBD at 180 Ann Street. This name could well be a play on the term ‘180 degree views’ in addition to the actual street number.
This is a stunning building, standing at over 150 metres tall and 34 stories high. It has a six star energy rating and was built by a Japanese property developer in 2015. Tenants in the building include Commonwealth Bank (the main tenant), Origin Energy (over eight floors), and the Queensland Government (Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages).
REGISTRY COSTS & TIMES
Pricing for the Brisbane Registry service are subject to change, but currently (as at June 2024) are:
Worth noting, the cost does not include the standard marriage certificate, unless you book an evening ceremony.
As this includes both the registry celebrant and the ceremony venue booking this compares very favourably to hiring an independent celebrant which will cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 on average (without a venue!). You are not permitted to bring or hire your own celebrant.
Most couples book the registry presumably because they want to save money on a celebrant and venue, but many just don’t want a fussy, long and complicated ceremony.
As most alternative wedding ceremony locations in Brisbane tend to be outdoors, you are are also buying peace of mind that bad weather will not affect your ceremony plans on the day.
Bang for your buck, you won’t find a better value combo of celebrant/ceremony venue anywhere in Brisbane, which is why thousands of couples get married there each year.
Based on the number of weddings reported by the Brisbane Marriage Registry in 2019, I have been lucky enough to photograph about 1% of these weddings on any given year.
Day of the Week Differences
What day you choose to get married at the registry will have an impact on the experience including the best time and location for guests to arrive together.
Saturday or Sunday Weddings
On weekends you will not be invited to take the lift to Level 32 until 15 minutes before the ceremony time. You can sometimes gather in the foyer on the ground floor if the CBA security guard on duty permits guests to come in early, or you can gather on Turbot Street entrance near the stairs. The lift will be electronically locked down until the security guard unlocks it if required for prams and those not able to climb the stairs (on weekends only - the lift is available during the week without asking the guard).
There is generally metered street parking available on Albert Street on Saturdays, and there are now 2H metered parks on Turbot St (pay by app on Turbot St). These parks are mainly up the left hand side of Turbot Street, but there are also a few just after the traffic lights on Albert Street on the right hand side near Sofitel Hotel. The app required to pay for these parks is called ‘Cellopark’.
The parking rate for the Brisbane Council operated Wickham Terrace Car Park and King George Square car park is a flat rate of $6 on weekends, making it a good backup option if you can’t find a street park.
There are also fewer cars parked at the Wickham Terrace Car Park on weekends, meaning you will probably find a park on one of the easily accessible lower levels. This alone saves at least 5-10 minutes of driving and anxiety getting up to the upper car park levels during weekdays.
Note: The council run ‘Wickham Terrace Car Park’ can actually completely fill up in the morning during the week, so you might be better off booking a park at the Secure Parking 179 Turbot Street or Secure Parking Post Office Square car park (noting that the 179 Turbot St car park is both closer and normally cheaper).
On weekends guests must assemble outside the registry on Turbot Street.Please emphasise Turbot Street to guests as the meeting point, as they may otherwise assemble at the main Ann Street entrance, and this is a common misunderstanding.
In terms of the meeting time for guests, I strongly recommend you ask guests to arrive 30 minutes (or more) before the ceremony time. So for a 4.30PM ceremony time, I would suggest a 4.00pm time on your invitation.
Recently in 2024 they have finally added signage on the name board on Turbot St indicating this is the location for the registry. This was the source of constant confusion and frustration for guests not knowing if they ‘were in the right place’. Thankfully this has been fixed so that now guests arriving Turbot St know they are in the right place!
There are surprisingly clean and spacious, public bathrooms located in the lobby of the building, just ask the security guard at the desk for directions if you can’t find it, because they are not clearly signposted.
If you are in an Uber, Limo or Taxi or being dropped off, it will be on the right hand side of Turbot Street (one way) so try to get into that lane as you approach 179 Turbot Street. 179 Turbot St is the ideal address to provide UBER or any limousine services or friends dropping you off, because it’s BEFORE the registry, and there are loading zones in that area.
On Saturdays there are very few motorbikes parked opposite the registry, and depending on the time of the year, this can provide a nice backdrop (stone wall) for quick portraits or group photos. During the week this area is packed with motorbikes and is less practical. See the photo below for reference (February 2024):
Photo by Chris Jack
Weekday Weddings
Weekday weddings at the registry are a different arrival experience as guests can enter Level 32 at any time from either Ann Street or Turbot Street.
Cafes and restaurants servicing office workers are open during weekdays, including a fantastic cafe in the lobby of the building (coffee service is quick, and excellent) called Espresso Emporium. These cafes are all closed on weekends, as is the excellent Metropole Bar & Eatery (trendy food hall) on the basement level.
METROPOLE BAR & EATERY
I know that a ‘food hall’ doesn’t exactly sound like a glamorous place to enjoy a drink with guests after your ceremony, but the Metropole Bar & Eatery (located in the same building as the registry) is actually pretty swanky. It’s sort of more like a trendy bar in terms of the fitout, and they do serve alcohol and other food.
It’s definitely worth checking out if you just want somewhere to go after the ceremony to chill out and have a drink with your guests (perhaps before heading off to lunch or dinner).
Metropole Bar & Eatery
Getting There and Parking
Secure Parking Turbot Street (100 metres FROM TURBOT ST ENTRANCE)
Firstly, forget about Wilson Parking (160 Ann Street). This is technically the closest car park to the registry if you look on a map, but it’s monthly parking only.
Secure Parking operates a paid car park right next door at 179 Turbot Street (the back entrance) about 150m from the registry. Please note that this car park does not have disability access. What this means is there is a compulsory short set of steep stairs on Turbot Street that must be used to access the lift. Also at least three times I have used the car park the lifts weren’t working, so it’s not a good option for people with mobility issues.
The secret with Secure Parking is to book online and get a six digit pin code to access the car park, so the cost comes down from downright extortionary pricing of $75+ for drive up, to around $30 for two hours. They call this pre-paid service ‘Secure-A-Spot’.
You can then walk to the Turbot Streert entrance to the registry, about 100m past the Turbot Street Secure Parking building at 179 Turbot Street. This entrance is open weekdays, and is the only entrance on weekends.
Having said that, this car park is not for the faint hearted or easily perturbed. Most of the available car parks at Secure Parking 179 Turbot Street are normally located on the higher floors (3 and above). That means having to negotiate the narrow, windy ramps up multiple floors with blind corners. Be extremely careful of cars from your left hand side as you exit and is there is almost no visibility and no mirrors.
I can’t emphasise this enough… on two occassions I have almost collided with cars coming down the ramp when I exited. Of all the car parks in Brisbane (and I have been to most of them) this car park is the scariest and hardest to negotiate and to actually park your car.
Parking here also requires careful maneouvering of your vehicle (especially large vehicles). If you have a small car or someone to guide you then that will make it much easier.
You will also sometimes have to use one flight of stairs to access the lift on the fifth level (no lift access on level 6 - if the lifts are operating - which they are ‘the vast majority of the time’). In this case, I find it easier just to walk down the ramps rather than use the stairs, although that is technically not the safest option ;)
But wait there’s more… If there are no parks available (even though you booked) and you call the Secure Parking customer services number to complain they will direct you at their call centre to the nearest available alternative Secure Parking building. This could be kilometres away, and would probably mean missing the ceremony altogether. Allow plenty of time to park somewhere else if the need arises and have a backup plan.
If you do choose to park at 179 Turbot Street (and it’s a good option for afternoon parking) allow at least an extra 15 minutes just to park and get back downstairs.
Tip: Be careful what times you nominate for the entry and exit from the car park. The entry time in particular should be as accurate as possible, but there is a 15 minute grace period for the entry time that is only mentioned in the fine print. So if you have specified 2.00PM as your entry time, you will find the pin code will work from 1.45PM onwards.
Finally, please be aware that the entrance to Secure Parking 179 Turbot Street is from the far right hand lane on Turbot Street (a one way street). Make sure you are in the right hand lane on this one way street or you will miss the entrance. If you drive past the registry stairs you have gone too far and will need to loop back again down Ann Street and approach again, which in rush hour city traffic could take 15 minutes.
Also be aware that the Secure Parking 179 Turbot Street car park closes at 6PM sharp, and will incur a callout fee if you try to exit after 6PM.
How much time should I book Secure Parking 179 Turbot Street for?
I would recommend booking 2 hours, or longer if you are with a photographer who may take portraits outside after the ceremony.
This might surprise you considering the ceremony is only 30 minutes, but here is a typical timeline for a 3PM weekday wedding allowing for plenty of buffer time
2.00PM-2.15PM PARK AT 179 TURBOT ST SECURE PARKING (ENTRY TIME: 2.15PM BUT WORKS FROM 2.00PM)
2.30PM-2.40PM MEET OTHER GUESTS SOMEWHERE E.G. CAFE IN FOYER
2.40PM HEAD UP EN MASSE TO LEVEL 32 (YES 5 MINS EARLY BECAUSE THE LIFTS TAKE SOME TIME)
2.45PM ARRIVE ON LEVEL 32 (NOT A MINUTE LATE!)
3.00PM CEREMONY STARTS
3.30PM CEREMONY ENDS
3.30PM-3.45PM FAREWELL TO GUESTS AND HEAD BACK TO CAR OR DO PORTRAITS OUTSIDE
4.00PM PARKING ENDS
Secure parking charges for extra time based on ‘drive up’ pricing so you don’t want to exceed your booked time by being late back to your car. Therefore, I recommend anyone attending a registry wedding book two hours of parking or more so there is no anxiety about that.
Secure Parking (Paid Car Parking) at 179 Turbot Street. Expensive if you don’t pre book but it is technically the closest paid car park to the registry. Enter from the far right hand lane of Turbot Street 100m before the registry. Photo by Chris Jack.
MISINFORMATION
Unfortunately there is some incorrect information in some other guides about the registry online including that all guests must pass through a security checkpoint and show ID! This is totally untrue, guests do not need to provide ID or pass through any ‘security check’.
Also untrue is that you can bring your own celebrant - you must use the registry provided celebrant. You certainly can bring your own music for the ceremony though, even your own device (but bring your own standard audio cables as well).
SECURE PARKING POST OFFICE SQUARE CAR PARK
Secure Parking also operates a car park known as ‘Post Office Square’. This is actually quite a good option for weekday weddings, but to make it practical you would want to meet guests on Ann Street in this case (not Turbot Street). To be honest, I don’t book this very often preferring the closer Turbot Street car park, but it remains one of the other closest paid car parks to the registry and is less daunting than 179 Turbot to negotiate.
King George Square Car Park (200-500 metres from Registry)
Another good option for registry parking during weekdays is the King George Square car park run by Brisbane City Council which is around $34 for up to two hours (and conveniently, no booking required online to get this price).
Even better, enter after 4.00PM Monday to Friday and the parking is just $10 and $10 for up to 3 hours anytime on weekends (subject to availability and current offers).
This car park can be confusing to find though, because there are actually two entrances. One is at 87 Roma Street, and the other 115 Adelaide Street.
The parking sign is almost impossible to see when approaching the Roma Street entrance. Wouldn’t it be nice if they put the tiny P sign before the entrance rather than after it (see picture below).
Even when you finally drive into the correct entrance you are greeted with a ‘King George Square Cycleway’ sign and absolutely no indication this is the entrance to the car park, at least for another 25 metres or so. Thankfully the Adelaide Street entrance is much easier to find!
The poorly signposted King George Square Car Park entrance from Roma Street. Photo by Chris Jack.
I would recommend entering the King George Square Car Park via the Adelaide Street entrance on weekdays. On Saturdays the Ann Street entrance to the registry is closed anyway. Therefore, the King George Square Car Park is not really the best option on weekends (I recommend the Wickham Terrace Car Park instead).
But wait you say… what about the Roma Street entrance/exit? You might assume pedestrians can leave the King George Square Car Park via the Roma Street entrance, but pedestrians can only exit the King George Square Car Park via the Ann Street side exit/King George Square exit.
Assuming you are getting married on a weekday, the vehicle entrance to the King George Square Car Park is right before the Brisbane City Hall on Adelaide Street. Ignore the anxiety inducing sign that says ‘Local Traffic Only’ when you are entering the final section of Adelaide Street. It’s the only way to enter this car park.
There is a lift inside the car park which will take you to the ground level of the Town Hall (Brisbane City Hall). This is directly behind the Pig and Whistle bar, and you can then easily walk around to Ann Street and the entrance to the registry during the week (only about 150 metres away).
If you park on Level A (the entrance level) you might be tempted to use these stairs which exit onto Ann Street. I wouldn’t recommend this, because there are about four flights of stairs to the top! The most elegant option is to take the the lift to King George Square and walk around to Ann Street.
Exit To Ann Street if you don’t mind climbing four flights of stuffy stairs in your wedding dress in the middle of summer. Mobile phone photo.
You can pay for parking at the King George Square car park using the kiosks located on the entry level from Adelaide Street, or just drive up to the exit where you can insert your ticket and wave your debit card/credit card to pay. Suffice to say, it is much easier to just swipe your ATM card/credit card at the boom gates rather than use the ticket machines. These kiosks are a relic now, and are only good if you have cash only.
Wickham Terrace Car Park (260m from Registry)
The second closest Brisbane City Council car park on weekdays (but the closest on weekends!) is the Wickham Terrace Car Park. This large multi-storey car park is open 24 hours a day and will cost $34 for up to two hours parking. They have lots of other parking options and a $6 flat rate on weekends so check out their website for details.
You can enter this car park from Turbot Street but finding the entrance is a challenge for your GPS or Google Maps because there is no listed address. Yes… nothing is easy. Therefore, I recommend you simply enter SOFITEL HOTEL into Google Maps (The Sofitel Hotel - the only one in Brisbane, is located directly opposite). It’s the pale yellow building shown in the Google Map below. The entrance to Wickham Terrace car park is shown on the left hand side where you can just see the ‘CAR PARK OPEN’ sign.
If you are entering this address into a navigation system, Google Maps or Waze, then the Sofitel is located at 249 Turbot Street.
The entry to the Wickham Terrace car park on Turbot Street is from the LEFT HAND LANE.
This car park can be confusing because the pedestrian exits are located near the lifts. Furthermore, the lifts are not clearly signposted. If at all possible, try to park on either Level 1 and then walk out on Turbot Street or on Level 5 which will allow you to walk straight out onto Edward Street without needing to use the lifts which can be slow at times (albeit up and down two very short flights of stairs).
Please be aware however, that this is a very popular car park for city office workers and people driving into the city for meetings. If you are trying to find a park during office hours you will not normally find one on the first five levels. You will have to keep driving up to level six or higher to find free parks, so allow plenty of time (say 20 minutes) just to find a park and make it to the registry on time.
Street Parking Options
There are ‘Pay by App’ parks on Turbot St mainly on the left hand side which are the cheapest, closest paid metered parks (if they are available). To prepare for this you will need to download, install and configure the Cellopark app (enter your card details etc) which can take 10 minutes or so.
On the weekend the first loading zone on Turbot Street immediately after Albert St where the pedestrian crossing is on the right hand side this is actually free parking (because the loading zone only applies during the week!).
My recommendation for metered, paid street parking that is normally available would be Albert Street, which crosses Turbot Street. That is the street that runs between the back of the Brisbane Transit Centre (Roma Street Station) and Wickham Park. This is a steep street though, so not recommended for guests with poor mobility.
You can see in the Google Maps Street View below where the parking starts on Albert Street. These are 30 minute parks though (three hours parks are further up the street).
The Brisbane Marriage Registry on the 32nd floor of the tallest building in the background with the Commonwealth Bank logo on the side.
There are often some metered parks on this street (both three hour and 30 minutes zones) — most of the time. If you have enough time, you may want to try and park here first and enter the registry from Turbot Street, before considering paying for parking at Wickham Terrace Car Park or King George Square Car Park.
In my experience, the chances of finding a street park on Albert Street at any time of the day is about 70% certain. Parks are often easier to find as you get further up Albert Street. Note: That means an uphill walk back to the car.
Wickham Terrace is also a good option for parks near the back of Wickham Park and Roma Street Parklands. You can then take a pleasant downhill shortcut through King Edward Park to get to Turbot Street.
Uber and Limousine Drop off Points
There is a loading zone that can be used for Uber or Limousine drop offs about 150 metres from the Turbot Street entrance, but just ask the driver to be on the right hand side of the one way street on approach or they will miss the drop off point. Please note also that this becomes a clearway at 4PM during weekdays.
There are actually two loading zones close to the registry for Uber drop-offs, but the first one near the traffic lights on the right hand side that crosses Albert Street becomes free parking on the weekends, and the second one 50m up (located outside 179 Turbot Street on the right hand side) remains a loading zone on weekends and is the perfect address to enter into Uber for your final destination.
Limousines or even Uber can also probably get away with quickly dropping off guests right outside the registry on Turbot Street on weekends if the loading zone is full.
Saturday Weddings
If you are planning a Saturday wedding the registry will ask you to enter from Turbot Street. The entrance is not through the centre automatic revolving doors as you might expect, but through one of the two single glass side doors to the left (or right) of the revolving doors, about 15m away from the security desk, at the top of the stairs to the (see the red arrow below but note it could be the other door too!).
When booking Saturday weddings, you will not be able to go upstairs until close to the booking time. You will be told by CBA security to wait until exactly 15 minutes before your actual booking time, and the lifts will be locked down until then.
If it’s exactly 15 minutes from your ceremony time, and the security guard has not appeared, I would suggest knocking on the door as they don’t always appear precicely on time.
The Turbot Street Entrance to 180 Brisbane (180 Ann Street) on a Saturday. Photo by Chris Jack.
Please also note that although the red arrow points to the left door, quite often the right hand door is used - it just depends on the security guard on the day!
Bear in mind (because this is very important) the Turbot St Secure Parking building next door is closed on weekends. Don’t fret, the Wickham Terrace car park 260m down Turbot street is open on weekends (entrance from Turbot Street) and is only $6 on weekends and has abundant parks (unless there is a major Saturday event on like a footy game or something on at Suncorp Stadium).
It’s also worth noting that Turbot St Secure parking closes at 6PM Monday-Thursday so don’t park here if you can’t get back before that time (or a $125 call out charge will apply).
Arriving at the Registry
First things first, there is no photography at all permitted in the foyer (ground level) of the building anytime or immediately outside on the property. This has something to do with it being associated with Commonwealth Bank and their security protocols (nothing to do with the Brisbane Registry). That is a real shame, because the light in the foyer is very nice. This might be something to mention to guests on their invitation, as the security guards are very strict.
In fact they even demand that photographers (including myself on multiple occasions) do not take any photos with the building in the background (even when shooting from the legal, public pavement!).
Please also note this applies to (literally) every inch of the property including the outdoor areas and walkway between Ann and Turbot Streets, and not just internal areas.
There is a comfortable waiting area in the foyer of 180 Ann Street (which is at the Turbot Street end) and there are several popular cafes in the building and up the street from Ann Street, mostly frequented by office workers during the week. On weekends though, all these cafes nearby are closed and the air con is switched off in the main lobby.
TIP: There is a very nicely maintained and en-suite style public bathroom on the ground floor foyer that can be used to freshen up before heading upstairs. It’s located just past the security desk on the right hand side.
Please note that the lift access to the 32nd floor is via the rear lifts and not the lifts immediately at the front. While you may already know this if you have had a tour of the registry, it would pay to mention this to guests as well.
Also the lifts are operated by a touch screen, you select the 32nd floor on the touch screen panel (there is no simple, conventional lift button). The touch screen then tells you which lift you have been allocated by indicating a letter. If there is no option for the 32nd floor shown on the screen that means the lifts are locked down (pending security guard intervention). On weekends only the CBA security guards can open the lifts for access.
For weekday weddings I recommend explaining to guests how these lifts work beforehand if meeting on Level 32, or having guests assemble in the ground level foyer at the cafe Espresso Emporium and going up in small groups. Allow at least 5-10 minutes for all guests to get from the downstairs foyer to the 32nd floor. Due to COVID restrictions there is now a limit of six people per lift.
Photo of Lift Access at 180 Ann Street. Mobile phone photo.
General Impression
The foyer overlooking Mt Coot-Tha and Roma Street Parklands. Photo by Chris Jack.
My general impression of the Brisbane Marriage Registry facility and the marriage ceremony service they provide is excellent. This is a world class facility that you wouldn't expect from a government department, that has been mostly well designed and decorated.
The large windows that face Roma Street train station and the Roma Street Parklands and Mt Coot-Tha in the background at the end of the foyer are quite spectacular. These are ideal for quick couples portraits both before and after the ceremony, if time permits.
Photographers just need to watch out for flash reflections in these windows, and be aware there is not much nice ambient light in the waiting area. The light can change very quickly, but there are shades that can be pulled down if required (both in the foyer and both ceremony rooms).
There is a convenient place for photographers to place their gear near this window above, and there is generally no-one else around. Yes you may be taking photos in a foyer, but it is off limits to the general public who visit the Marriage Registry, so it is often very private.
Whether or not the area is 100% free for use depends on whether (a) There is another wedding taking place around the same time (b) Whether those guests also have a photographer who is using the space near the window. In my experience, the space by the window is usually available either before or after the ceremony.
Note: You may also be asked to move from this foyer area if other couples are preparing to enter Ceremony Room 1 or 2 for their processional (walk down the aisle).
Ceremony Room 1
Photographers at the registry in Ceremony Room 1 may opt to use the natural light coming from the large floor to ceiling windows, or use flash to balance the interior light with the external light. I personally use natural light, even at night time which is possible by shooting at higher ISO levels (camera sensitivity) and wider open apertures.
Signing Table in Ceremony Room 1. Photo by Chris Jack.
There is plenty of space to setup light stands or off camera flash if required both inside and outside the ceremony rooms, and this would certainly be allowed in my experience. Having said that, there really won’t be enough time unless you have an assistant.
Almost every time I have photographed a wedding here it takes place in Ceremony Room 1. There is a second, smaller Ceremony Room 2 though, which I will explain in more detail shortly.
Ceremony Room 1 Guest Entrance. Photo by Chris Jack.
Makeup and Getting Ready Rooms (Containing a Mirror). Photo by Chris Jack.
Ceremony Room 1. Photo by Chris Jack. Note: These chairs have been replaced with white Tiffany Chairs.
Views from Level 32 Foyer across Roma Street Station & Parklands. Photo by Chris Jack August 2019.
Ceremony Room 1 seems to be used for both small and larger weddings (even four people!) and also has fantastic city and cityscape views across Brisbane from the 32nd floor.
The large and expansive windows cast good, but somewhat uneven natural light across the whole room. There is more natural light on the left hand side of the room.
Tip for Photographers: If you are shooting at f/2.8 on a fine day you can expect to shoot natural light at about ISO 800-1600 at most times, depending on the strength and position of the sun, and still maintain 1/250 second shutter. So any modern full frame camera should have no problem shooting with the natural light only (without flash).
Shooting at night time (yes, bookings are possible at times like 6PM when it’s dark) is also possible without flash, but I found this was only possible by shooting at ISO 1600+ at f/2.8. At times you may need to go with even higher ISO depending on the strength of the internal lights (as they are on a dimmer and change at every visit).
Group shots with more depth of field are a different story, but with almost full power bounce flash from an on camera flash pointing to the neutral white coloured ceiling, I am able to shoot at f/6.3 at ISO 400 hand held, about 1-2 stops under ambient exposure. This is a great way to show some of the view outside, while also providing nice soft light for the group photos. I normally shoot these group photos at just over 50mm of focal length, to ensure a nice flattering group photo.
If you don’t shoot group shots with a flash and place subjects at the front near the wall, they will be underexposed by at around 2 stops of light. Compensating for this underexposure in camera (exposure compensation) will fix this problem, but the windows will be blown out severely and you risk getting halos around subjects and loss of contrast. For this reason, I strongly recommend using flash for group photos!
Another option for group photos is to place guests on the gray wall on the right hand side of Ceremony Room 1, or take them in the foyer or outside the registry before or after the ceremony and have them face the windows, or place them on the wall (although this won’t work so well for larger groups e.g. 8+ people).
There are down lights near the ceremony area where the bride and groom stand. Unfortunately, these down lights often end up being behind the couple who are standing at the front. The light bounces off the main wall and softens it considerably which is great, but only if you are shooting from the right angle. If you shoot down the aisle onto the shadow side then you find the wall is overexposed and the bride and groom badly underexposed.
This also makes most guest photos or videos on their mobile phones look very ordinary as the bride and groom will likely be underexposed. A professional photographer should be able to overexpose for the backlight as required, avoiding this problem.
Having said that, this is a particularly frustrating feature in Ceremony Room 1 especially as there is rarely enough time (even 30 seconds) to experiment with adding flash lighting as an alternative.
You might think the solution would be turning down the artificial lighting in the room, but unfortunately the main lighting control located near the double doors from the foyer controls both the room light and the backlight on the wall and will only dim to a certain point. Therefore, turning this down dramatically reduces the light across the whole room, and does not entirely solve the backlit wall issue.
But the biggest problem with the lighting in Ceremony Room 1 is the green cast from the energy saving window tints. This can be eliminated by putting a flash on the camera and overpowering the ambient light, or by adjusting in post the colour channels that are affected (mainly green and cyan).
Ceremony Room 2
Ceremony Room 2
Ceremony Room 2 is the smaller of the two ceremony rooms.
This room is not actually used that often, and if more of a ‘backup’ room should other weddings run late.
The advantage (and challenge) of this room is that it normally receives stronger light from the rear of the room through the windows. This permits shooting without the backlit wall problem of Ceremony Room 1, and will also improve photos that guests take using the available light on their phones (depending on exactly where everyone is positioned!).
It does not suffer from the same lighting problems that Ceremony 1 has being the down lights that back light the front wall. This means it is possible to use flash in Ceremony Room 2 without fear of overexposing the front wall. You can also bounce light off the ceiling which is white.
As the front green wall does not have any obvious vertical or horizontal lines, it is actually the perfect place to take group photos. Group photos here work reasonably well with the natural light, but are much better using flash to reduce the stray ambient light.
That makes the bride processional (walking down the aisle) photos relatively easy to capture for a professional photographer with natural light from the windows, without needing to use flash. Having said that, the ‘aisle’ is only about 4-5 metres in length.
Before the Ceremony
Allow 5 minutes for paperwork before the ceremony. Photo by Chris Jack.
Before the ceremony starts and guests are ushered into the ceremony room the celebrant will do some paperwork with the bride and discuss final details. This tends to put a halt to any photography during that time, and takes about five minutes, so please be aware of this.
That will leave about 10 minutes to get quick couples portraits in the foyer, if you arrive at the designated time (but you can always arrive a few minutes earlier on weekdays).
Celebrants
I have nothing but praise for the celebrants and staff at the Brisbane Marriage Registry. They have with few exceptions all been warm, friendly and smiled at all the right times for the camera both during and after the ceremony. This may seem like a small thing, but with still photography there is nothing better than having the celebrant looking happy as well.
While there isn't really much time allocated for each wedding (about 30 minutes) there is no sense that things are rushed before or after. The staff at the registry will let you know when your time is up, but always keep an eye on the clock.
At most weddings the celebrants will try to get out of the way during the first kiss which is very thoughtful, but in most cases at the registry there isn’t time to do this or plan this! This results in photos of half the celebrant in the shot escaping the frame which isn’t ideal (sometimes).
The solution to this is to take your time with the first kiss, and go in for an encore!
The Ceremony
On all occasions when shooting at the registry the actual ceremony has started very quickly after guests have entered the ceremony rooms. So quickly in fact that several times I barely had time to physically walk over to get into position (much less change camera settings).
I recommend you make your photographer aware if they are shooting there for the first time that they will need to be 100% ready from when they arrive on Level 32 to start shooting the actual ceremony (the right lens on the camera, and the right exposure settings for the ceremony room sorted etc.).
In my experience, this will mean having the camera set to f/2.8 in AV mode with enough ISO to maintain a shutter of 250 (so and the camera in Servo focus mode (either set to Servo or through a back button). Sure you can try and shoot in manual, but that is very challenging with the variations of light within the room, and the very short duration of the ceremony.
I can’t stress this enough, because if the photographer takes just 10 seconds to change their settings they will miss you walking down the aisle. They should be in place and ready to shoot before you start the ceremony by checking with them first. The photographer will need to have enough shutter speed to capture sharp photos of you walking down the aisle.
You can opt for a processional (being led down the aisle) or simply walk to the front and start the ceremony once guests are seated, and this is normally discussed with the celebrant beforehand. They do have different types of standard processional music, but of course this is best arranged with the registry before the day.
I have seen people using their phones to play processional music off Spotify or your favourite streaming service as well, but be sure to check with the registry beforehand. Be sure to bring the correct cable to output music from your device into their AV system (especially if using an iPhone with their proprietary cables!).
There is ample room for a photographer to hide their equipment or bags behind the wall in Ceremony Room 1 that is used for the ceremony itself which also very conveniently enables a photographer or videographer to stealthily switch sides during the ceremony.
The ceremonies go very quickly if you use their standard vows. Looking at the camera time stamps at the last Brisbane Registry Wedding revealed that the entire wedding ceremony from walking down the aisle, to the first kiss took exactly 4.5 minutes! That makes it even more challenging for the photographer tasked with capturing everything, and in many cases more difficult than a longer wedding ceremony.
The average actual ceremony time is somewhere between 4 to 6 minutes in total (minus the signing).
Immediately after the ceremony the couple is ushered to the table and chairs near the window (in both rooms) and sit down to sign the marriage certificates in front of your two designated witnesses.
Natural light when signing the papers Ceremony Room 1. Photo by Chris Jack.
Again, this process is very quick and proceeds without delay so it may pay to slow this down to make sure your photographer has all the photos required and has time to change their camera settings!
After Signing & Group Photos
If you only have a few guests, it may be possible to receive congratulations and hugs from them and still have time for some group photos inside the ceremony room.
If you have more than 20 guests however, you may be somewhat overwhelmed by this and could run out of time to assemble for family group shots.
Therefore, I recommend limiting group shots at the marriage registry to the essentials and doing these in order of priority, just in case you run out of time. In my experience, you have about 10-12 minutes after the ceremony to take groups shots if you would like these, and if you have less guests you may even want to take some more couples portraits near the windows.
You may even want to consider booking the room for longer than normal, if you have a large wedding party or intend on shooting many (20+) group photos. Or the remaining group photos could be captured outside the registry.
The group shots in Ceremony Room 1 in my opinion are best taken in front of the wall where the ceremony takes place, and there is plenty of room for the photographer to stand back and shoot at around 50MM to make these portraits more flattering. There is room for a maximum of about 12 people across in one row.
The maximum number of guests that just fit for a large group shot in Ceremony Room 1 is about 30 guests, but you can of course try higher numbers than this. You may need to move a few chairs if shooting a large group shot.
I would suggest relying on the photographer to take any groups shots hand held, and as mentioned before, bounce light off the ceiling which works well.
As with all formal ‘family group shots’ at weddings, it is really useful to have a list of the shots required (who will be in each photo) and someone to usher people (such as the best man or maid of honour).
If you run out of time, It is very possible to shoot the remaining family group portraits outside across the road against the stone wall, or further down at the Brisbane Dental Hospital located at 168 Turbot Street. It is not possible to take photos downstairs in the lobby, nor in the alleyway next to the building, or on the steps of the registry (believe it or not) due to the security guards preventing this.
Another option is to shoot family group photos up against the dark grey padded walls on the right hand side of the room, however there is only enough room for smaller groups (of less than six people) without moving the chairs (which is not really practical).
The Foyer
Photo by Chris Jack.
Bear in mind these photos are taken in the registry foyer, and not the main Births, Deaths and Marriages foyer, and there may be other guests waiting in the general area for another ceremony.
Try to find a few minutes before or after the ceremony for some couples portraits and general candid shots in the foyer with the spectacular views.
Brisbane Marriage Registry Foyer. Photo by Chris Jack
BUT WHAT TIME TO INVITE GUESTS?
You may be wondering, what time should I invite guests to meet at the registry? If during the week, you may be meeting guests on Level 32, but on weekends this is likely to be outside on Turbot Street (because that’s where you enter).
For all registry weddings I recommend inviting guests to arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes before the ceremony starts.
The reason for 30 minutes before the ceremony is because let’s say your wedding is at 2.00PM and Uncle Bob arrives one minute late at 1.46PM at Turbot Street (the agreed meeting place). All the other guests will already be on Level 32. Bob will be frantic and may not even know he is in the right place (because there are NO signs on Turbot St indicating that’s the registry).
So the safest time to ask guests to arrive is exactly 30 minutes before the ceremony (regardless of what day of the week) and emphasise that this will be ‘near the stairs’ on Turbot Street if meeting on the weekend.
Outdoor Couples Portraits
The next challenge will be finding suitable locations if you are looking for couples portraits immediately after the ceremony with your professional photographer.
Taking these in the main lobby downstairs or any outdoor areas on their property enforced by security guards at the desk, so that leaves the immediate areas around Ann, Turbot & Edward street, as all these roads are easily accessible from the building.
Thankfully there are quite a few nooks and crannies that work well for portraits, at different times of the day (depending on where the sun is and the prevailing weather condition).
On Saturdays and particularly in the late morning or afternoon, there is a lovely rock wall opposite the registry with nice soft light when in shade (which is most of the time). During the week this area is packed with motorcycles.
The most obvious location for ‘extended’ portraits is Roma Street Parklands.
The walk to the main area of Roma Street Parklands is about 700m and takes less than 10 minutes. That sounds like a short walk, but in hot and humid Brisbane weather, with grandparents wielding walkers and kids in tow, and dressed in formal wear, allow a bit more time! If you are planning on visiting Roma Street Parklands after the ceremony, definitely have some flat and comfortable shoes on hand…
I do not recommend walking to Roma Street Parklands in summer, but it is a pleasant walk in Winter and early Spring. There are photo opportunities on the way along the boulevard that overlooks Roma Street Station, especially when the bushes are blooming with yellow flowers.
In terms of the most suitable, closest couples portrait location, Roma St Parklands would be 100% what I would recommend as the first option. In fact, I consider it the best location in Brisbane for wedding couples and bridal party portraits (full stop).
As with all day time outdoor natural light photography, the best light is always about 90 mins before sunset (assuming a one hour shoot) so if possible book your wedding ceremony to finish about 120 minutes before sunset if you are planning portrait photos afterwards.
There is the Wickham Park and King Edward park which are much closer, but as photography locations they are fairly ordinary.
The most quirky and practical spot for quick couples portraits (and especially family group photos) is directly across the road at the former Queensland University Dental College steps and entranceway. As the building is not occupied, there are no interruptions from people walking down the steps.
The ‘Unoccupied’ Heritage Listed Queensland Dental University Building at 168 Turbot Street. Photo by Chris Jack.
King Edward Park
There are two small parks very close to the registry Wickham Park and King Edward Park. Wickham Park has some tree foliage and wide paths, but King Edward Park has better features for photography and the leading lines of Jacobs ladder steps can work well for photos (although it’s challenging when people are walking in the background!). Jacobs Ladder works best for photos on the weekends when there are less office workers around.
King Edward Park Entrance (200m from 180 Brisbane)
A good spot for quick couples portraits, near the entrance to King Edward Park 150m from the registry.
The Old Windmill seems like a good location for portraits, but the height of the structure makes it very hard to frame. It’s also not suitable for guests that aren’t very fit, because walking up Jacobs Ladder is a bit of a work out!
Roma Street Parklands, is the best option anytime after a Brisbane Marriage Registry ceremony for any professional photos, in my opinion.
Lunch Afterwards?
My main pick for lunch after a registry wedding would be the Pullman Hotel just three hundred metres away (6 min walk) on Ann Street. The Goldfinch Restaurant was recently renovated and has the feel of a modern four-star hotel, and offers all day dining, which is perfect.
You can also book a large group table at Goldfinch if required, or just turn up as a couple unannounced.
Another very popular spot for lunches after a registry wedding is the Sofitel hotel, which is a nice flat walk along Turbot Street. Many couples will stay at either the Pullman Hotel (Four Star) or Sofitel (Five Star) either the night before, or on the day of the wedding itself.
Expect to pay around $35 for a plate at Goldfinch ($$$) and around $45 at Thyme 2 ($$$$).
There is also the Metropole Bar & Eatery located in the basement of the same building as the registry, but just make sure it’s actually open as the hours can vary.
Another good option worth considering is the W Hotel because it’s also a magnificent location for a few quick couples portraits both inside and outside. Unlike some hotels (Calile Hotel) they don’t seem to mind people taking photos inside or outside the hotel. It’s a wonderful hotel, and is highly recommended if you need a hotel walking distance to the registry (allow 10 mins).
Finally, you can’t go past Donna Chang the award winning and specatacular modern chinese restaurant on George Street in the city. It also features magnificent private rooms which can be booked for an intimate lunch with close family and friends after a registry wedding (enquire for pricing):
Conclusion
Professional photography at the Brisbane Wedding Registry is not only permitted, it is highly recommended due to the modern interiors and breath-taking views.
Kids love playing near the windows and getting freaked out, which always make for great photos as well. There are good options for quick portrait photos in the foyer and both of the ceremony rooms, in addition to guest arrival photos, candid photos and group photos.
Anyone taking photos (amateur or professional) should not have any illusions that the registry will be an easy or predictable place to shoot though (whatever time of the day). Don’t underestimate how challenging professional photography can be at the registry, especially under the very restricted time constraints.
One of the biggest challenges is that you often won’t know which room the ceremony will take place in until seconds before guests are ushered in. That means you may not even have much time to consider the lighting conditions.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the registry for any marriage ceremony, regardless of your budget or guest numbers. The staff are all very friendly and relaxed, while being professional and well presented, making the entire experience very intimate and enjoyable.
Thankfully, you will quickly forget you are actually getting married in a government department…
Brisbane Marriage Registry Photos
Photos by Chris Jack
Chris Jack Registry Photography
I have photographed over 130 weddings at the Brisbane Registry since 2015 in both ceremony rooms, and during all conditions and times of the day.
My Essentials coverage is essential and timeless photography of the whole experience, but also includes some quick outdoor portraits in and around the streets of the registry (before or after the ceremony) for 20 mins.
There is normally always time for about 10 family group photos taken inside the ceremony room when we plan them well. We can also take a large group photo of everyone there in most cases (over 30 guests gets tricky and less effective, but there are other options too such as the Brisbane Dental Hospital steps which could easily take 150+ people).
Essentials ($695) Includes
One hour and 30 mins of photography coverage (not just the 10 minute ceremony at the registry!) including a 20 minute outdoor portrait session.
A 20 minute photographer directed couples/family portrait session outside at spots along Turbot Street, Ann Street and Edward Street (I will direct you to the best spots for the light/weather). This can be planned either before or after the ceremony. Other quick portraits can be taken on Level 32 in the beautiful foyer with floor to ceiling windows. It works in almost any weather/lighting conditions due to the shaded and covered areas available.
Complete redundancy with multiple cameras and lenses, and shooting with continuous backup of the photos to two memory cards.
15 highlight photos emailed to you the next day to share with friends and family who couldn’t make it in-person.
Balance of the photos within 30 days. All photos are individually edited in my signature style.
A beautiful hosted online gallery of your photos which you can share with any family and friends worldwide for two years so they can view, download or print the photos. There are no restrictions on sharing or printing the photos yourself.
Digital files are provided at maximum quality resolution of the camera after any creative cropping (approximately 5000 pixels).
All costs and time such as the pre-wedding consultation by video chat/phone before the wedding, gear prep, travel, city parking, provision of highlights the next day etc and the final editing of photos and gallery hosting for two years. There are no hidden costs, and all acceptable photos are provided at maximum resolution as digital files.
The number of photos you can expect me to select and edit will vary depending on the number of guests and their engagement, the weather etc. but is around 125 photos for the 1 hour and 30 minutes of coverage. This can sometimes be more if you have lots of guests and photo ops.
Typical ‘ESSENTIALS’ Timeline (for ‘3.00pm’ ceremony)
2.30PM PHOTOGRAPHY STARTS. GUESTS ARRIVE ON TURBOT STREET. CANDID SHOTS
2.45PM HEAD UP EN MASSE TO LEVEL 32
2.50PM PAPERWORK WITH CELEBRANT. CANDID PHOTOS. QUICK PORTRAITS IN FOYER WITH VIEW
3.00PM CEREMONY STARTS. WALKING DOWN AISLE ETC
3.10PM SIGNING. SHOTS OF SIGNING & GUESTS
3.15PM HUGS AND CONGRAT SHOTS CANDID
3.20PM FAMILY GROUP PHOTOS
3.30PM LEAVE REGISTRY FOR TURBOT STREET
3.40PM START 20 MIN QUICK COUPLES PORTRAIT SESSION
4.00PM PHOTOGRAPHY FINISHES
Essentials + 45 MINUTE ROMA ST PARKLANDS Portraits ($995) Includes
All the Essentials inclusions above (minus the ‘quick couples portraits session’) plus a 45 MINUTE couples portrait/bridal portraits session at Roma Street Parklands.
A full 45 minute photographer guided couples portrait session at Roma Street Parklands where we take couples/bridal party/additional family group photos across multiple scenes including the Rainforest Walk, Spectacle Garden and Bamboo/Waterfall areas. The 45 minutes starts from when we all arrive at the park (not when we leave the registry).
Feel free to include the bridal party, other family members, kids, pets etc. Some clients have a picnic at the park and invite guests there during the couples portrait session. Fur friends are also welcome (but please note they are not permitted in ‘The Spectacle Garden’).
A wet weather rain check/refund option… if the weather is not great I will shoot the couples portraits on another day for no extra cost. Yes, that means doing hair and makeup again possibly, but you always have this option. Or you can just cancel the portraits at Roma Street on the day and I will refund you the difference. I’m that flexible.
You can expect approximately 60+ couples portraits captured across 6-8 different outdoor scenes/backdrops at Roma Street Parklands.
Please ask for a quote if you require coverage at a Reception afterwards, because it really depends on location - travel time, parking availability etc. and for how long (so this is quoted separately).
Check Availability
Contact me below to confirm availability for Brisbane registry photography.
Roma Street Parklands COUPLES Portraits
Photos by Chris Jack
