Winter Weddings

Get ready for rolling hills of verdant green and the best sunsets of the year! Winter at The Bower Estate is warm by day, cool at night and generally free of rain. 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

Winters tend to be the coolest, driest months of the year at Bower. Here is a table that shows you some key climate details that might help you plan your day:

	May	June	July	August
Mean Max temp	23	21	21	22
Mean Min temp	14	12	10	11
Mean 3pm temp	21.6	20	19	21
Mean number days of rain	8	6	5	5
Mean number of cloudy days	5	6	4	4
Average Sunset	5:05pm	5:00pm	5:10pm	5:25pm

Wedding Timings

With an earlier sunset time, and cooler weather, you can consider moving your ceremony earlier than the classic 3pm window. This will give you and your photographer more time before the sun sets, and a lot more time for guests to party. You can consider ceremonies as early as 2pm if you wish, but 3pm works wonderfully too.

Weather Conditions

We’ve compiled some useful tips and hints for things to think about with each weather condition.

Cooler Weather

• The cooler weather during winter can be polarising, some people laugh at us Queenslanders who think 20 degrees is cold, whilst others want to be totally prepared for snow. Here are a few hot tips, if you are on the cautious end when it comes to the cold.
• We do not allow open fires so please consider if you think your guests will want to party outside, you may want to consider hiring heaters.
• Outdoor/gas/power heaters cannot be used inside the marquee for fire safety reasons. If you would like heating inside the marquee, consider alternative heater styles.
• When all walls are closed within the marquee, it can be a little warmer, we generally recommend having closed walls in the cooler months.
• Let your guests know the average temp and outdoor style of the venue so they can bring appropriate clothing.
• Some people hire or purchase knee blankets for the few guests that don’t warm up enough on the dancefloor.

Cloudy Days

• These are uncommon in winter, but it’s good to know that:
• 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!

Rain

• Although very unlikely in cooler months, it is always good to consider wet weather options:
• 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 Bower Cottage deck, accommodation up to 100 guests.

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.