Summer Weddings
Get ready for the biggest, bluest skies you’ve ever seen! Summer at The Bower Estate is lush, tropical and warm with an abundance of wildlife adventuring around the valley. This little guide is intended to give you the best head start on planning a wedding in the wilderness. We love our corner of the world and we can’t wait to share this space with you.
Our Climate
Summers tend to be the warmest and wettest months of the year at Bower. Here is a table that shows you some key climate details that might help you plan your day:
|
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
|
|
Mean Max temp |
26 |
27 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
|
Mean Min temp |
15 |
17 |
19 |
20 |
20 |
|
Mean 3pm temp |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
27 |
|
Mean number days of rain |
7 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
11 |
|
Mean number of cloudy days |
6 |
9 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
Sunset |
5:50pm |
6:15pm |
6:40pm |
6:45pm |
6:30pm |
Wedding Timings
With longer, warmer days, you can consider moving your ceremony later as you reach the peak of summer. 3:30pm start times can be slightly cooler and you still have plenty of time before the sun sets.
6:30pm can be a good start time for dinner as the sun will be setting and you will still have enough time for dinner and plenty of dancing afterwards.
Weather Conditions
We’ve compiled some useful tips and hints for things to think about with each weather condition.
Cloudy days
- These are ideal! They take the edge off the heat;
- Make photos look a lot better (no harsh light on white dresses or squinting couples); and
- If it’s scattered cloud it makes the sunset really light up!
Hot, sunny days
- Remember that guests arrive up to 30 minutes prior to the ceremony commencing. The hillview ceremony location faces west and is in full sun for most of the afternoon.
- Consider including a water cooler and glasses to the side of the ceremony area if it is forecast to be hot. If temperatures go above 30 degrees, the inclusion of a water table is compulsory for bookings.
- Water bottle can be coordinated by Ridgeway for $2.25pp
- Umbrellas - we have 40 white sun umbrellas that can be used before or during the ceremony. Consider how you feel about these umbrellas being seen in photos of your ceremony. If this isn’t your cup of tea you can ask the celebrant to ask everyone to collapse their umbrellas prior to commencement of the ceremony
- Bower umbrellas can be provided free of charge. Please confirm with your coordinator
- If temperatures and humidity are not your ceremony vibe, an alternative ceremony location is under the Fig Tree. If temperatures go above 35 degrees, moving of the ceremony to the Fig Tree is compulsory.
- Opening up the walls of the marquee can cool it down considerably, so if you plan a good portion of your reception within the marquee, we recommend you ask your event coordinator to have it open. However, if we have particularly high winds, we do have to close the marquee for safety reasons.
Rain
- Most rain at Bower is tropical in nature - i.e. it buckets down, then passes quickly.
- If there is light drizzle, you can proceed with your outdoor ceremony and make use of Bowers umbrellas.
- Bower has 100 clear umbrellas that are free to use, please just confirm with your wedding coordinator
- If rainfall, or predicted rainfall is heavy, your ceremony can be moved to our cottage deck, accommodating up to 100 guests.
Wildlife
Most of our favourite creatures including koalas and wallabies are a little shy of weddings so they will steer clear of your big day. The Bower Estate is fairly lucky when it comes to bugs, with very few bothering guests during the day and evening. There can be a brief window at sunset where mosquitoes can be present, but this is generally only after a period of heavy rain. If you are concerned about bugs, chat to your event coordinator and they can help advise on solutions.
In summer we do get ticks at the property, these rarely bother humans, but pets can be affected. If you are bringing your pet as a special member of the wedding party, we ask that you ensure they are protected, and you check them after leaving the property. Tick bites are worse than the hangovers the rest of your guests will be having!
If you have any concerns of questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can help you navigate your wedding planning. Everything is manageable in this little slice of heaven, and we’re here to help.