Sunny Brisbane is known for its laid back charm, urban energy and opportunities for adventure on its doorstep. There’s a strong focus on the outdoors in Brisbane and the surrounding areas. Alfresco dining, picnics by the river, islands off the coast and national parks are all reasons people love Brisbane. When it comes to getting married, Brisbane offers so many options for the wedding you’re envisaging. Your imagination really is the only limit for the style of wedding to choose and where to host your celebration. Which brings many couples to the question of; where do you start planning your wedding in Brisbane? 

In this article I will guide you through:

• When to start planning your wedding in Brisbane
• The 3 Decisions you should make before any others
• Selecting a Date
• Finding your Venue
• Choosing your Wedding Suppliers (Vendors)
• Abiding by Qld’s Marriage Requirements

Start Planning Your Wedding In Brisbane Early

The wedding industry is experiencing a BOOM following the Covid-19 restrictions of past years. Wedding vendors and venues in Brisbane and the surrounding areas are in high demand. Which is why I recommend that you start your wedding planning early – 12-14 months prior to your wedding is ideal.

However, if you’re reading this and you’ve got less time than what I recommend, don’t stress! In how long does it really take to plan a wedding, I guide you through planning a wedding with the time you have. You can successfully plan your wedding whether you have 12, 6 or less than 2 months. When you’re short on time, start as soon as you can. Planning your wedding will also be easier and more enjoyable if you contact a Wedding Planner in Brisbane for help.

Make These 3 Very Important Decisions Before you Start Planning Your Wedding in Brisbane

I recommend that you start planning your wedding by making 3 very important decisions before doing anything else. And that includes, booking your venue and vendors where possible.

These decisions are:

1. Vision & Priorities for your big day. Identifying these will help you to create a wedding day that truly reflects your personality as a couple. And one that includes all of the elements that are important to you. 
2. Guest List. Drafting a guest list is important because almost every decision you make from this point forward, relies on you having an idea of your numbers.
3. Budget. Knowing how much you have to spend on your wedding day is essential for ensuring that you don’t run out of money for the important things later on. It’s also the best way to ensure that you’re 100% comfortable with where you’re at finance wise following your wedding.

In wedding planning decisions you should make together I’ve shared more tips and insights to help you make each of the above decisions.

Select Your Date

It’s harder to find a bad time of the year to get married in Brisbane than a good time. But it’s still important to consider the seasons and the impact bad weather, like tropical summer storms, could have on your wedding day.

And here’s a tip: if you love a specific season of the year, use that to help you find the perfect venue for your wedding.

If you’re dreaming of a summer wedding in Brisbane, you’ll want to make sure there’s a workable wet weather option available; for example a Marquee, or covered deck. You should also consider how guests will keep cool and out of the sun. Likewise if you love Brisbane in winter, look for a venue or location that makes the most of Brisbane’s sunny winter days, but offers guests a place to get warm when it cools down at night.

It’s also important to note that temperatures and weather patterns vary across Qld. The Bureau of Meteorology Qld is an excellent place to research weather information.

The following information provided by Travel Guide Qld may also help you determine the best time of the year to get married in Brisbane.

The climate of Queensland is subtropical humid climate with two seasons, a rainy and humid season in summer (October to May) and a relatively dry season between June and October.

The average maximum temperature in Brisbane, ranging between 29°C in January and 20°C in July. While the average minimum temperatures vary between 21°C in January and 9°C in July. The rainy season is from October to May, with greater intensity of rainfall during the months between December and March. The average annual rainfall is 1,200 mm.

North of Brisbane, precipitation intensity increases, the average temperatures are higher. For example, at Cairns maximum average temperatures vary between 31°C in January and 25°C in July, while the average minimum temperatures vary between 23°C in January and 17°C in July. In this area the rainy season is from December to April, with great intensity between January and March. The average annual rainfall is 2,000 mm. This area between November and April can be affected by tropical cyclones.

Find your Wedding Venue

Your Wedding Venue will set the scene for your big day, so it’s important to find the perfect venue for your wedding in Brisbane. And here’s the good news; whether you’re looking for an inner city ‘brisvegas’ club vibe, resort or heritage listed style venue, or something set amongst rainforest, country fields or overlooking the water, polo field or golf course, we’ve got it all here in Brisbane.

A Google Search is a good place to start looking for a wedding venue in Brisbane and beyond. This collection of wedding venues by Style Magazine includes some exciting options. But if you really want to make finding your wedding venue breezy, you’ll contact us at the I Do Crew! We can help you find a wedding venue that works with your vision & priorities, guest list and budget.

Choose your Wedding Suppliers

Building a ‘dream team’ of suppliers for your wedding in Brisbane is one of the most important parts of planning a wedding. Your suppliers are the ones who are going to bring your wedding day vision to life after all. But it can also be time consuming and confusing.

When it comes to choosing vendors here’s some tips to help you:

1.  Draw up a list of everything you need for your wedding or want to include – that you will need someone else to do for you. For example, take your photographs, do your hair and makeup and serve drinks at your wedding.
2. Ask friends and family for recommendations and research suppliers online – making sure you check out their Google and Facebook reviews too.
3. Start with 2 or 3 per category to reach out to. Selecting too many to talk to and get quotes from gets overwhelming.
4. Start with the most in-demand vendors (the ones who can typically only do one wedding per day) and those that really matter to you. For example if you really want a specific florist, reach out to them asap.

At the I Do Crew we guide our couples through a very streamlined process for selecting Vendors. We also pace you through the process so you’re not having to make too many decisions at once. Working with a Brisbane Wedding Planner to find your vendors will also help to ensure you’re not missing anyone important from your big day. Contact us for our help building your dream team of vendors.

Don’t Forget About Marriage Requirements

Whether you’re planning an intimate elopement or going all in with a big wedding day celebration, you’ll need to do the following to make your wedding legal:

• To get married in Queensland, at least 1 partner must be 18 or older.
  You must be married by a registered civil marriage celebrant, religious marriage celebrant or civil religious marriage celebrant. A list of registered marriage celebrants is available through the Australian Attorney-General’s Department.
• You must also: complete and lodge your notice of intended marriage application form with your registered celebrant, at least 1 month (or up to 18 months) before you get married. Discuss with your registered celebrant what they need to see—your identity and eligibility documents and participate in a legal wedding ceremony under the Marriage Act 1961.

After your wedding ceremony your registered celebrant is responsible for registering your marriage on your behalf.

Planning your wedding in Brisbane will be made so much easier with a local wedding industry expert by your side. Contact I Do Crew Brisbane for Wedding Planning, Partial Planning, Vendor & Venue Finding & On the Day Wedding Coordination and Styling. We also cover the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, Toowoomba, Ipswich and the wider Qld region.