What tips do you have for us Getting Married in an Australia National Park?

Today’s question is “What tips do you have for us Getting Married in an Australia National Park?”.

You can find lots of Venues and even some links to national Park on the Venues Tab of my webpage but here are a bundle of tips

1. Find a site on the webpage
   1. Find out more about a National Parks Venue via these links:
      NSW National Park Venues
      NSW National Park Weddings (http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/venues/search?theme=2&capacity=0&near=)
   2. National Parks in South Australia: find a park(http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/find-a-park) tool on the National Parks SA but you will need a event permit in SA
   3. Queensland: https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/parks/permits
   4. Victoria: http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/park-management/applications,-licences-and-permits
   5. (I don’t have other states-so please message me the links)
2. Talk to park staff about the best locations.
3. Visit the physical site to check accessibility and practicality.
   1. Wheelchair access?
   2. Toilets?
   3. Décor delivery?
   4. Cooking facilities if appropriate
   5. Access to power & water
4. Check closing times for the park (some restrict access)
5. Consider having the ceremony or reception elsewhere and just having a photo shoot in the park
6. Permit: check the National parks, local council and Aboriginal Lands Council web sites, or phone them to establish if a permit is required. Some require a permit but there may be no charge or conditions. Some local councils such as the Blue Mountains, has a non-compulsory booking fee but provides little in return.
   1. National Parks in South Australia have a find a parktool on the National Parks SA website but you will need an event permit in SA
7. Find a private spot. National Parks are public areas and so you could possibly have picnickers, passers-by, revellers, or others interrupting your ceremony
8. Space: make sure you allow enough space for everything to occur smoothly
9. Deliveries: Make a plan for deliveries and décor: Preserving the environment is one of the National Park Service’s first priorities, and as a result, there may be limitations on what is permissible. g. floral arrangements or candles may not be allowed.
10. Local Décor: Take full advantage of your surroundings including trees, rocks, driftwood as backdrops or to define the area or to decorate the space (without of course disturbing the environment).
11. Catering: check any rules and restrictions and ensure your caterer is familiar with them.
12. Be aware that many national parks have restrictions that may impact on activities including use of generators which may not be allowed.
13. Make certain that the caterer knows to take all rubbish away with
14. Toilets: is there access or will you have to hire toilets, and if so, are they permitted and what is the cost including delivery?
15. Setup: appoint or hire a coordinator for setup and breakdown.
16. Entry Fees: as many National Parks have an entry fee, your options are to pay upfront, hire shuttle busses to minimise entry fees, alert guests & vendors.
17. Explain the terrain in the invite so that people will know what to expect and what to wear
18. Back-up always have an alternative site in case of bad weather
19. No dogs allowed in most locations
20. Take lots of insect repellent
21. Watch out for kangaroo droppings & wombat holes etc
22. Make sure there is clear signage for directions, and that all guest have a mudmap.
23. In bushfire season, familiarise yourself and guests, with every park exit, in case one becomes inaccessible in emergency.
24. Check for fire bans and if candles will be allowed.
25. Is a marque or arch permissible or excluded, and if excluded, is there a workaround eg weights instead of pegs into ground?
26. Take a garbage bag to ensure nothing is left behind
27. NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
28. Consider an acknowledgement of country.
29. It is against national parks rules to litter in a park, which includes throwing confetti, rice and flower petals.