Long Beach Island is an 18-mile barrier island in Ocean County, New Jersey, connected to the mainland by a single causeway at Ship Bottom. Barnegat Lighthouse, at the northern tip in Barnegat Light Borough, was built between 1857 and 1859 and stands 172 feet above the beach at the meeting point of Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. “Old Barney,” as locals call it, is one of the most recognizable structures on the Jersey Shore. The area around the lighthouse includes jetty rocks, wide sandy beach, and on the bay side, the working docks where commercial fishing boats come in, each of which creates a completely different backdrop inside the same 10-minute walk.
LBI runs quieter than other shore towns, which works well for engagement sessions. You get access to wide beaches without the summer crowd pressure of places like Ocean City or Wildwood, and the lighthouse itself provides a landmark that reads in photographs even without knowing the location. The commercial fishing docks on the bay side of Barnegat Light are one of those bonus locations that most couples don’t know about until they’re there, and they add an entirely different texture to the gallery. Planning around late-afternoon arrival and shooting into the sunset behind the lighthouse, the way we did with Tiffany and Blaine, is the approach that consistently delivers the strongest frames.
See our full list of the best Jersey Shore wedding venues for more session and wedding location ideas along the coast.
