If there is a beach city in Orange County that is often overlooked due to the popularity of Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, it might just be the San Clemente Pier. This seaside community is a gorgeous location to photograph your engagement session. A San Clemente Pier engagement photography session by the team at Three16 Photography will deliver beautiful photos for a lifetime of enjoyment.

The San Clemente Pier, which serves as the city’s main beach, offers some of the most incredible waves you’ll see in Southern California. The San Clemente Pier also brings the best of all the other piers into one location. Near the pier entrance is a relaxing grassy area along with palm trees that welcomes you to the pier itself. They have the uniqueness of the train passing by right along the backside of the beach. The wooden pier is 1,296 feet long and its boardwalk stands out to makes for great photography. But even better, the wood stilts underneath the pier, with the sand and the ocean water brings San Clemente’s personality to your photos. And let’s not forget the sunset. The sunset at the San Clemente Pier is absolutely stunning!

San Clemente was designed to have that distinct Mediterranean feel to it. So, if we walk out on the pier and have the town serve as a backdrop to your photos, it’s sure not to disappoint. In addition, there is a small area near the pier that has various shops and places to eat known as the Pier Bowl which makes for even more photo opportunities.

Parking at this location typically isn’t too difficult. There is a large parking area at the Parque del Mar City Park, and if by chance that is full, street parking is available.

If time permits to include an additional location, we can include any of the eatery locations in the Pier Bowl, or we could include another beach location such as Doheny State Beach or the nearby Harbor Point Conservation Park. If you want contrast to your already photographed beach location, we could head northeast as the skies the limit in San Juan Capistrano. San Juan offers such great locations as the Mission, the beautiful little neighborhood known as the Los Rios District, hiking trails such as Northwest Open Space or the naturesque Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park.

You can learn more about San Clemente Pier as your engagement location by visiting sanclementeguide.com/san-clemente-pier.

Some locations are subject to permit and/or travel fees.