Anniversary Photoshoot Locations in North Wales and Beyond
Where will you stand for your anniversary pictures, under a glowing sunset?
Short summer reads…
A good anniversary photoshoot starts with a good place. It doesn't need to be famous, and it doesn't have to be as far as you think. It just needs to feel like you.
I haven't done an anniversary shoot yet, so this isn't a diary of places I've been. It's a guide to some ideas along the North Wales coast and further afield, so you have somewhere to start. In every case, you choose the place, and I'll help you work out the light and the timings.
Think About the Sunset First
Photo: Thomas Roberts, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For a sunset shoot, the direction matters more than the postcard. Look up when the sun sets on your date, then pick a place with a clear view towards the horizon where it goes down. Some places face the right way for it and some don't, and I'll help you work that out.
Twilight Ceremonies runs in the summer months, so evenings are long and warm, and you won't be rushing to catch the light. It also helps to think about what you'd like the evening to feel like. A quiet walk and a few candid pictures need a different kind of place from a big dramatic skyline, and a place where you can sit comfortably will always make for better, more relaxed photographs than one where you're constantly watching your step.
Castles and Headlands
Photo: Jeremy Bolwell, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Criccieth Castle sits on its own rocky headland between two beaches, with views across Cardigan Bay, according to Cadw. That mix of old stone, sea and open sky makes for a striking backdrop, though you'd want to check opening hours and any rules about photography before planning a shoot at a ticketed site.
If you prefer something more natural, Porthdinllaen on the Llŷn is, in the National Trust's words, an old fishing village perched on the end of a thin ribbon of land stretching into the Irish Sea. It's a place to bring good shoes, and the Trust's page covers parking, access and opening times. Remember that coastal places have tides, so look up the times before you go.
Big Beaches and Open Sand
Photo: Eirian Evans, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Talacre, in Flintshire, is a good example of wide-open space. Visit Wales describes the decommissioned Point of Ayr Lighthouse as the beach's main feature, perfect for moody photographs, with wildlife in the dunes all year round. The Wales Coast Path has a short circular walk from here too. Check the tide times before you go, particularly near the lighthouse. Wide beaches suit anniversary pictures because there's room to walk, hold hands and be a small figure in a big landscape.
Closer to the middle of the coast, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay are lively seaside towns with long promenades and beaches, and both have railway stations, which helps if you'd like to turn the evening into a meal out afterwards.
Sunset on the Front
Photo: JudHatton, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Down the coast, Barmouth looks out over Cardigan Bay, so a clear evening can bring a sunset over the water. And if you'd like something near town, the West Shore in Llandudno is wide, open and calm at the end of the day, and the Great Orme above it adds a dramatic skyline for pictures when the sun's low. Those two are just a couple of options among many, and I'd always encourage you to look at a few places before you settle.
Choosing Between Them
With so many options, how do you decide? Start with what the two of you enjoy. If you love walking, pick somewhere with a path. If you'd rather sit and watch the sea, choose a beach with room to settle. Think about how far you'd like to travel, whether you'd like somewhere with a cafe or pub nearby for afterwards and whether there's a place with a personal meaning, perhaps where you had a first date or took a favourite holiday. Check access, parking and any rules for a place before you set your heart on it, particularly anywhere run by an organisation like Cadw or the National Trust, which may have their own rules about photography.
Beyond North Wales
Your anniversary doesn't have to be in North Wales at all. It could be somewhere you honeymooned, a place in another part of Wales or the UK, or even abroad. If there's a place that matters to the two of you, we'll talk about how to make it work.
Not sure how to begin? Have a read of what to expect from a couples sunset photoshoot, then get in touch with the place you have in mind.
Whichever place you choose, bring the person you'd choose again.