PLANNING A SMOOTH OUTDOOR WEDDING CEREMONY AND/OR RECEPTION

At Maroon Hill Estate, we adore giving you the flexibility to experience the magic of outdoor ceremonies and receptions. The natural beauty of our venue provides a stunning backdrop, but outdoor celebrations come with unique logistics to consider. To help you prepare for your special day, we’ve compiled essential tips and considerations to ensure your outdoor wedding runs smoothly. This guide also reinforces the importance of having a coordinator. We encourage you to share this information with your coordinator and wedding planner to help streamline the planning process.

ON CHECK-IN

When you check in the day before your wedding, all requested ceremony and reception furniture will be placed in the reception room as per your layout plan. Due to weather considerations, furniture cannot be stored outdoors overnight. Here’s what to expect:

  • FURNITURE STORED IN THE RECEPTION ROOM:

    • As requested by you in your final furniture and layout plan - White cross-back chairs, dining tables, signing table, and any additional setup items required or requested.

  • WOODEN BENCH SEATS AND ARBOUR:

    • These will be placed at your chosen ceremony location prior to check-in. Feel free to make final adjustments to suit your vision. Bench seats can remain outdoors overnight. Please note, if you have requested our wooden arbour, a hammer and some large pegs will be left inside the reception room for you to secure your arbour in place once you have confirmed the perfect spot.

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

Outdoor receptions and ceremonies are breathtaking but require extra care to manage weather and logistics.

  • FURNITURE PLACEMENT:

    • If you plan to use the white cross back chairs for your ceremony, please note these will be left indoors for you to set up. This is due to the elements blowing them away or animals soiling them overnight. These are waterproof, so your welcome to set them up the day before your wedding, however just note they may need a wipe down prior to your ceremony.

    • The signing table cannot be left outdoors overnight as this is not waterproof.

    • The arbour will be left at your requested ceremony location for you to secure in place with our pegs provided.

    • As noted in your Terms and Conditions, our wooden tables cannot be used outdoors, consider hiring weatherproof tables from a hire company. The only circumstance where we will approve the use of tables outdoors, is if they are under the cover of a structure such as a Marquee or Tipi, however this needs to still be agreed to in writing as we need to ensure the logistical elements of moving the furniture indoors/outdoors is covered.

    • All cocktail furniture and umbrellas will be left within the cocktail area permanently unless otherwise requested. Umbrellas will be erected by the Venue Manager on arrival on your wedding day.

    • If using our 120 white cross-back chairs for both your ceremony and reception, consider and plan who will move them between locations if your guest list is over 60.

  • WET/WINDY WEATHER PLAN:

    • A backup plan is essential if you’re planning an outdoor reception without a marquee or tipi.

  • VENUE MANAGER ROLE:

    • Our venue manager is onsite approximately two hours before guest arrival to ensure the venue is prepared such as umbrellas erected, electricity supplied to vendors, and setting up generators if neccesary.

    • The venue manager does not handle furniture setup, styling or moving items outdoors for your ceremony or reception. They will be helpful where they can around their other duties but should not be planned on to move furniture.

    • As a blank canvas venue, we have one staff member onsite, focusing on essential venue management responsibilities which you can read about below.

  • FURNITURE MOVEMENT AT EVENING’S END:

    • Furniture must be brought back indoors at the conclusion of the event. Bench seats may remain outdoors.

    • Wooden Bench Seats: If you plan to relocate these for use during the reception, ensure you have a team assigned to move them. They are heavy (approx. 40kg each) and require at least two people to lift safely.

SUGGESTIONS TO SIMPLIFY YOUR DAY

To avoid stress on your wedding day, we recommend:

  • Hiring a wedding planner/coordinator to handle logistics, ensuring they have this venue-specific info during the planning process - especially for a dining under the stars reception.

  • Allocating vendors, family, or friends to assist with furniture setup and pack-down where required.

  • Renting waterproof outdoor furniture to have setup and pack-down managed by the hire company.

  • Having a clear plan for wet or windy weather, including how styled tables and décor will be moved indoors if needed should the weather change unexpectedly.

  • Deciding in advance how furniture movements will be managed—e.g. guests carrying their own white chairs from the ceremony to the reception area.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR POST-WEDDING MORNING OR ADDITIONAL NIGHT STAYS

  • VENUE CLEANING:

    • If you have used the indoor reception space for dining or a dance floor, this will be cleaned upon checkout.

    • Due to the wedding guest curfew being 11:30 pm, we want to leave you to enjoy the privacy of the building for the rest of the evening.

    • If guests are staying an additional night, please consider that the reception hall will also be cleaned after checkout.

VENUE MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

At Maroon Hill Estate, the venue manager plays a crucial role in ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly. However, as a blank canvas venue, there are clear boundaries to their responsibilities.

WHAT THE VENUE MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

  • Escort vendors to parking and their setup location, in liaison with the Coordinator.

  • Provide and monitor electricity supply for vendors, including re-fuelling generators when required.

  • Monitor noise/music decibels, venue lighting, and rubbish.

  • Ensure the venue is set up appropriately, including umbrellas up/down based on weather conditions.

  • Ensure wedding guests and vendors operate within the venue's Terms and Conditions.

  • Set up and move accessibility ramps as needed.

  • Light the firepit if required.

  • Monitor the safety of all guests and vendors and provide medical assistance if necessary.

  • Ensure guest curfew is complied with.

  • Whilst the Venue Manager remains helpful, they should not be planned into any logistic elements that are outside of their responsibilities.

WHAT THE VENUE MANAGER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR:

  • Moving furniture indoors or outdoors for the setup/pack up of ceremonies or receptions.

  • Moving reception furniture indoors in bad weather or at your discretion.

  • Set up flowers, styling or aisle arrangements.

  • Clear or wash plates/glasses from dining tables.

  • Operate music or act as the designated person for your ceremony or reception playlist.

  • Refill, set up, or pack up water or food stations.

  • Set up or pack down table/reception styling.

  • Clean the reception room at the conclusion of the event—this occurs upon checkout.

  • Please keep in mind, the Venue Manager is always helpful and always trying to make your day run as smoothly as possible, however they should not be planned into tasks outside of their responsibilities. Our Venue Managers will always help out where they can but this is at the discretion of the Venue Managers assessing other responsibilities first.

COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES – GENERIC, CONSULT YOUR COORDINATOR TO CONFIRM.

PRE-WEDDING PLANNING:

  • Creates a detailed timeline for the wedding day, including ceremony start times, vendor arrivals, and reception flow.

  • Communicates with all vendors to confirm arrival, setup, and pack-down times.

  • Plans and coordinates backup setups for wet or windy weather.

  • Oversees the wedding rehearsal and ensures the bridal party knows their roles.

ON THE WEDDING DAY:

  • Assists Venue Manager in directing vendors to their designated setup areas and ensures they adhere to the couple’s vision.

  • Oversees the setup of ceremony and reception spaces, including styling and décor placement.

  • Handles last-minute issues, such as vendor delays or unexpected weather changes.

  • Manages the flow of events, such as speeches, dances, and transitions between locations.

POST-EVENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Ensures all furniture and styled tables are moved indoors or packed away.

  • Coordinates with vendors for the collection of hired items.

  • Checks that all personal items are packed and ready for pickup.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Hosting an outdoor wedding at Maroon Hill Estate is truly magical. We love giving our couples the flexibility to create and design their dream wedding day, but careful planning is essential to ensure your day runs seamlessly. By addressing the key considerations above and clearly assigning responsibilities, you can enjoy a stress-free celebration as breathtaking as you imagined.

If you’d like more guidance or support in planning your big day, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help make your dream wedding a reality.