Yuni and Joe’s Tirtha Bali wedding in Uluwatu was a beautiful one, and what a setting it is! Tirtha Bali is a clifftop wedding venue on Bali’s southern Bukit peninsula, famous for its glass chapel that seems to float above the Indian Ocean. If you’re looking for a Bali wedding venue with ocean views, bougainvillea gardens and a chapel that looks beautiful from afternoon light to the middle of the night, Tirtha Bali is a wonderful one to have on your list.
Tirtha Bali: A Clifftop Wedding Venue in Uluwatu
Tirtha Bali sits on the cliffs of Uluwatu, and the whole venue is designed around the view. There is a glass terrace, gardens full of pink bougainvillea, lawns for dinner and a chapel with the ocean right behind it. Almost every corner works as a photo backdrop, so Yuni and Joe’s ceremony, sunset portraits and evening celebration could all happen at Tirtha Bali. Getting ready took place in a calm, warm-toned room with big windows, which gave us soft natural light for the details, Yuni’s portraits and Joe with his groomsmen.
First Look and Family Moments in the Garden
Before the ceremony, Joe waited on the glass terrace, framed by bougainvillea, while Yuni walked up to him for their first look. The quiet smiles, the first touch and the big hug that followed are some of my favourite photos of the day. Soon after, the family gathered for a blessing under the double happiness (囍) symbol, and the hugs with loved ones were full of emotion.
A Glass Chapel Ceremony Above the Ocean
The ceremony took place in the glass chapel, with white and soft blue flowers lining the aisle. Joe walked in first, Yuni came down the stone steps with her bridesmaids, and all the guests turned to watch her. Then came the rings, a lot of smiles, a tearful hug from a loved one, and petals along the aisle as the newlyweds walked back together.
Best Time to Start Your Tirtha Bali Wedding Ceremony
Uluwatu faces west, so the sun sets over the ocean at Tirtha Bali. Yuni and Joe’s ceremony started at around 5:00pm, which gave us time to finish the ceremony, enjoy the hugs and congratulations, and still head to the cliff for couple portraits at about 6:00pm, just as the sky turned orange and pink. My tip is to start your ceremony between 4:30pm and 5:00pm. Starting much earlier means harsher light and more heat, and starting later means you may miss the sunset.
Night Photos at Tirtha Bali: It’s All About the Lighting
A wedding doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, and your photos shouldn’t get worse either. At Yuni and Joe’s wedding the evening started with a sparkler send-off on the lawn. Later we photographed the chapel glowing against the dark sky, and the couple in front of a flower arch, surrounded by cold spark fountains on the glass terrace. After more than a decade as a wedding photographer in Bali, lighting is what I focus on most, because it keeps the quality of your photos consistent from soft afternoon light to golden hour to the middle of the night.
So if you’re comparing wedding photographers, my advice is not to judge only by daytime photos. Daylight is the easy part, so look at the night photos too, and don’t stop at one wedding: have a look at my other portfolio posts like Wonderland Uluwatu, Alila Seminyak, Taman Bhagawan and Conrad Bali Infinity Chapel. Planning a family session at this venue? See our family photo shoot at Tirtha Bali.
Thank You, Yuni & Joe!
Yuni and Joe, thank you so much for choosing us to be your wedding photographer! It was a real pleasure to be part of your day at Tirtha Bali and to celebrate with you and the people you love. We wish you both a lifetime of love, laughter and happiness together, and we hope these photos bring back all the memories of your wedding for many years to come.
Planning a wedding in Bali? Read my Bali destination wedding guide, see packages and pricing, or learn more about me as a Bali wedding photographer.
