YOUR GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE WEDDING TIMELINE

2/9/2021

There's no need to stress when it comes to organising your wedding timeline or itinerary - we meet with you for a Planning Session and do all the hard work for you. But this gives you a rough guide to start with in the meantime!

When does the venue open?
45 minutes prior to your ceremony start time

What time should my wedding ceremony start?
We base our timings by the sun. Our Amphitheatre ceremony garden is perfectly situated to be shaded by the sun in the late afternoon. We'll guide you on the perfect ceremony start time during a Planning Session. But to give you a rough idea; if your wedding is in late November, chances are it will be fairly hot and you don't want your guests sitting in the sun melting away, right? So for those warmer months, we suggest a 3.30pm or later start, but if you're looking at the chillier months, you're welcome to start at 3pm.

How long does a wedding ceremony last?
Usually 20-30 minutes, but it's dependent on the ceremony your celebrant has written. If you are having a religious ceremony, it can sometimes take up to one hour.

How long are the wedding group and family photos?
We generally allocated 30 minutes to this part of the day - you want to make sure you're organised with a list of the photo combinations so it's a quick process.

How long should we spend doing the bridal party photography session?
We usually allow 1.5 hours for your photography session - it's not too long that your guests are getting bored without you, but enough time that you aren't rushing to get the photos you want.

What time do we start the reception?
We recommend serving your main meal when it's dark outside (about 30 minutes after actual sunset time). This also means that the couple themselves will have returned from their sunset photograph session.

How long do the meals take?
For an alternate drop or set menu, we recommend allowing 30 minutes per course. For a buffet, we allow 45 minutes.

When do we cut the cake?
Cake cutting happens prior to your speeches; you'll but the cake, then we take it away for the Chef to cut while your speeches are happening. Or, if you want to get it out of the way, you can do your cake cutting after the bridal party entry.

How long do speeches take?
We recommend giving guests a 5 minute time limit for speeches - any longer and guests tend to lose focus. We usually allow 30 minutes for the speeches portion of the night.

When does the first dance happen?
Usually after the speeches - it's generally the last of the formalities before the party gets started!