There are a few tricky spots around Melbourne, which don’t have an immediately obvious place for photos between ceremony and reception locations, but here we list a few of the not-so-hidden gems that we have discovered over the years, that might be useful on your wedding day:nnnnnEast Melbourne/RichmondnnPhotography locations around Fenix can be a bit uninspiring at times, especially if you’re short on time.  The Yarra, doesn’t always work well in that area as it’s hard to get a good angle on it, and space is limited due to the width of the path along the river.nnThere are two spots which couples who have hosted weddings at Fenix have enjoyed using for their photos; the first being the vacant bush block next to the apartments which are adjacent to the restaurant.  The long grass can make it look like you’re in the Yarra Valley rather than inner Melbourne which is a nice contrast to all the city photos.nnSecondly, and again nearby to Fenix, is Burnley Gardens. The gardens are part of the University of Melbourne’s Burnley campus and close to Yarra River.  Fortunately there is no permit required to take photos here, and plenty of good options for photos with well kept gardens and several older style buildings.nnnnnNorth Melbourne/Moonee PondsnnMoonee Ponds is a tricky area for wedding photography, but does have one location which has come to the rescue on several occasions - Queens Park.nnAdjacent to St Monica’s Catholic Church it serves well as a location for both family photos and also for photos with just the couple.  See the link above for samples of wedding photography in Queens Park, Moonee Ponds.nnA little further over to the west is Pipemakers Park, which has a few interesting locations for photos, but not much in the way of shelter, if it’s either raining or a very hot day.nnnnnBrighton/Beaumauris/BaysidennAs lovely as this area and it’s beaches can be, it does, on first sight, seem to be lacking in wedding photography locations.nnFear not, we have a few suggestions for you.nnIf you’re close to Elwood or hosting your wedding at Elwood Bathers and you don’t wish to make use of the beach or would prefer a building to work with or use as a backdrop (or need some shelter), Star of the Sea school/ANZAC hostel in Kamesburgh Gardens is a pleasant spot, with elegant columns on the building, a small terrace, fountain and towering palm trees.nnAcross the road at the St James Catholic Parish Primary School is a more historic building which works well for wedding photos, although it’s not always accessible so get your wedding photographer to scope it out first.nnWeddings at Sandringham Yacht Club can be lovely, but if it’s blowing a gale and you’d prefer something other than the beach in your photos, there are a couple of good locations in Sandringham that have fresh, untagged graffiti that runs for about 20 metres in total.nnA little further down the bay towards Mentone and Beaumauris is Half Moon Bay & Red Bluff, with it’s vibrant orange coloured sandstone cliffs that really pop in wedding photos.  Be warned that it can be quite a busy sport during the summer months so you may be sharing it with swimmers in their budgie smugglers.nnnnnWilliamstown/Newport/AltonannWilliamstown obviously has it’s beautiful Botanic Gardens, which look great in wedding photos, but do require a permit from the local council.  With that said, I shot some wedding photos there without realising and nobody stopped us so it’s probably worth taking the risk and saving a few dollars!nnOn Simcock Avenue in Newport  there is a wall of well kept and fun graffiti that runs for about 100 metres in total and has a variety of styles, ranging from abstract to divers and sea creatures.    A great spot and doesn’t seem to be very popular for wedding photos to date, and is perfect for weddings at Two Birds Brewery or Scienceworks as it’s just around the corner.nnThe beach at Altona is also a good option for photos at sunset, with plenty of beach and bush area to work with.  I shot some photos there recently and really enjoyed the location. Also, you won’t be overrun with other wedding groups as there is plenty of space for everyone.