Frances Holds Her Bouquet at Home Before Her Gardens House Wedding
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Melbourne Wedding Photography

Gardens House Wedding Photos: Frances & Tim, South Yarra

Gardens House · Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne · Morell Bridge · The Terrace

Garden Wedding · Heritage & Historic Venue Wedding · Region: VIC - Melbourne CBD · City: Melbourne · Venues: Gardens House · Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne · The Terrace

At Gardens House, we photographed Frances making her way down the red carpet towards Tim as guests looked on from the lawn. Their garden ceremony sat beneath big trees in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, with the heritage house close by. After the applause, we walked with them through the Gardens and out to Morell Bridge, then caught the last light on a punt across the Ornamental Lake. Paper lanterns marked the way into The Terrace, where the cupcake tower, speeches and live band kept the evening moving.

Frances in her lace gown, bridesmaids in dusty blue busy at her back, as a man in a dark suit watches from the kitchen bench
Frances in profile, hair pinned up, as a woman in navy lace fastens the back of her gown beside two bridesmaids in dusty blue
A woman in a navy beaded lace dress concentrates on the back of Frances's gown in soft window light
Frances holds her lace shoulder straps as a woman in navy works at the back of her gown between two bridesmaids in dusty blue
Frances stands at a bright window, hands at her straps, as a bridesmaid reaches for her shoulder and a woman in navy fastens the gown
Frances looks down at her folded hands beside a bright window, her dotted tulle skirt glowing as a bridesmaid adjusts her lace strap
Frances smiles through a glazed door with her pastel bouquet, the sky, trees and a string of festoon lights reflected in the glass
Frances perches on the arm of a navy sofa with her bouquet, looking out through an open door to the garden
Tim and his groomsmen in black suits stride across a wide sunlit oval beneath a bright blue sky
Guests gather under white market umbrellas on the lawn before the two storey heritage facade of Gardens House, framed by huge trees
Frances settles her veil by an ivy wall in the historic gardens as a woman pins a boutonniere on a man beside her
Tim waits with hands clasped and a white boutonniere, framed by blurred guests at the garden ceremony in central Melbourne, in black and white
Two men with white boutonnieres wait among the ceremony guests beneath a market umbrella on the historic lawn, in black and white
Frances walks the red carpet with her dad as guests raise their phones, the heritage facade of Gardens House, Royal Botanic Gardens behind them
Frances laughs at Tim beneath a white market umbrella during their garden ceremony, her bridesmaids in dusty blue holding pastel posies
The whole ceremony sits small beneath giant trees in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, two white umbrellas and the heritage house under a clear blue sky
Frances slides the ring onto Tim's finger beneath a white umbrella in central Melbourne, a man holding a folder between them
Frances and Tim face each other between two white umbrellas during their garden ceremony beneath towering trees in the Royal Botanic Gardens
Frances and Tim walk back down the red carpet of their garden wedding hand in hand between wine barrels as guests applaud
Frances with her bouquet among guests milling on the lawn after the ceremony at Gardens House in South Yarra, bright dresses seen from above
The wedding party spaced along the plum trimmed heritage verandah rail, Frances and Tim at its centre beneath twin chimneys in central Melbourne
Frances and Tim at the verandah rail with the low sun flaring through a huge tree behind them in inner Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens
Frances rests her head on Tim's chest beneath a leafy branch in the dappled shade of the heritage gardens
Frances and Tim stand tiny on a curving path beneath enormous old trees in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, a garden wedding portrait in backlight
Frances lifts her skirt and leads Tim by the hand past lush historic garden beds in central Melbourne, smiling to herself
Tim carries the bouquet along a mulched path through the gardens in golden light while Frances gathers her skirt beside him
Frances and Tim stand close between the columns of the domed Temple of the Winds, a heritage portrait in black and white
Tim holds Frances from behind as they lean on an ornate Victorian-era wrought iron gate beneath hanging foliage in the gardens
The wedding party leans along the heritage lattice rail of Morell Bridge beneath a vast blue sky, a lamp post rising beside them
Frances laughs at the historic bridge rail while Tim watches her from further along in golden light
Frances and Tim at opposite ends of Morell Bridge in South Yarra, sun flaring over the river and the Melbourne CBD skyline behind them
Frances and Tim sit hand in hand on a timber park bench beneath a leafy tree, her bouquet resting on her lap in late sun
Frances and Tim nose to nose in silhouette against the glittering Ornamental Lake, palms and a domed tower behind, in black and white
Frances sips champagne beside Tim in a timber punt with red cushions as the sun sets over the heritage lake
The punter poles Frances and Tim across the historic lake in a small boat beneath tall palms, a wide view in black and white
The little punt crosses the whole lake in the Royal Botanic Gardens, palms and a distant inner Melbourne tower above, in black and white
Frances and Tim walk hand in hand beneath paper lanterns into the garden reception at dusk, Frances lifting her dotted tulle skirt
Frances and Tim laugh as they cut the top tier of a cupcake tower by the glass wall of The Terrace, Royal Botanic Gardens
Frances and Tim smile from the bridal table as a man speaks from the lectern in inner Melbourne
A man with glasses reads his speech into a microphone at the lectern, the bridal table listening behind him
Frances laughs beside Tim at the bridal table during speeches inside The Terrace in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, a bridesmaid smiling behind
A woman in a dark lace dress smiles towards the garden reception speeches beside a man in a suit, in black and white
Frances in profile at the bridal table at The Terrace, a tall arrangement of pastel blooms and succulents beside her
Frances and Tim alone on the floor for their first dance in central Melbourne, the band behind a rope of orange lights
Tim laughs mid step as he dances with Frances in inner Melbourne, a couple dancing behind them beside the orange rope light
Frances and Tim dance cheek to cheek on the crowded floor of the garden reception, in black and white
Frances and Tim hold each other on the dark lawn as night falls over Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens, a lit tower against the blue sky
The wedding story

Our Gardens House wedding photos: umbrellas on the lawn, a skyline from Morell Bridge and a punt at sunset

Getting ready in dusty blue · Red-carpet ceremony on the Gardens House lawn · Verandah group photos · Temple of the Winds and Morell Bridge portraits · Punt on the Ornamental Lake · Lanterns and a live band at The Terrace

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Dusty blue and dotted tulle

Frances got ready with her bridesmaids gathered around her, and the back of her lace gown turned into a team project. Two bridesmaids in dusty blue settled the lace straps on her shoulders in front of a bright window, while a woman in navy lace did the final fastening with total concentration. We love a bright window for this part of the morning: it lights the lace from the side and shows every stitch. Then the dotted tulle of her skirt caught the light as Frances looked down at her folded hands, and we had our first quiet frame.

A reflection in the door

With her pastel bouquet in hand, Frances perched on the arm of a navy sofa beside an open doorway, then stood behind a glazed door that reflected the sky, the trees and a string of festoon lights. Shooting through glass like that layers the world outside over the person inside, and it gave us one of our favourite portraits of the morning. Meanwhile, Tim and his groomsmen were striding over a wide, sunlit oval under a bright blue sky, looking very much like a team heading out to win a grand final.

Umbrellas at Gardens House

At Gardens House, guests gathered on the lawn in front of the heritage house under big white market umbrellas. Last-minute boutonnieres went on, and we caught Tim waiting with his hands clasped, framed by guests, in a black and white frame we still love. Then Frances came down a red carpet laid across the grass, and phones went up all along the aisle. A red carpet on a green lawn is a gift for photos: it draws a bold line straight to the couple and makes the walk feel like an event.

Laughter under the trees

The ceremony was standing, relaxed and full of laughter. Frances laughed out loud under one of the market umbrellas while her bridesmaids held their dahlia posies, and we moved in close for the ring going onto Tim’s finger. Then we swung right out wide. Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne has trees that dwarf everything, and a wide frame showing the whole ceremony small beneath them, under a clear sky, tells you more about this place than any close-up could. Hand in hand, they walked back down the red carpet to applause, and the lawn filled with hugs.

Along the plum verandah

For the wedding party, we lined everyone up along a heritage verandah trimmed in plum-painted timber, spaced along the rail so every face had its own patch of light. Old verandahs are perfect for group photos: the roofline gives open shade, the posts give rhythm, and nobody has to squint. Then we kept Frances and Tim at the rail for one more, with the low sun flaring through a huge tree behind them. Backlight through leaves softens everything and puts a little glow around the hair, so we let it in rather than fight it.

Small on a curving path

Our Gardens House wedding photos then turned into a walk through the Gardens. We found dappled shade under an oak branch, then stepped right back so Frances and Tim stood tiny on a curving path beneath enormous old trees. Frances led Tim through the garden beds by the hand, lifting her skirt and smiling to herself, while Tim carried the bouquet along a mulched path in golden light. We stopped inside the Temple of the Winds for a black and white portrait, then found an ornate wrought iron gate for them to lean on together.

The skyline from Morell Bridge

Morell Bridge was next, and the backdrop changed completely, from garden shade to city skyline. The wedding party leaned along the cast iron rail beneath a vast Melbourne sky, then Frances and Tim had the bridge to themselves. She laughed at the rail while Tim watched her from further along in golden light, and then we put them at opposite ends of the bridge, looking out, with the towers of the city behind. Nearby, they sat hand in hand on a park bench for a minute’s rest.

A punt at sunset

The last light belonged to the lake. Frances and Tim climbed into a punt on the Ornamental Lake, and Frances sipped champagne beside Tim as the punter poled them slowly across the water at sunset. We worked from the bank, close for the champagne, then wide to show the little boat crossing the whole lake, and finished with a black and white silhouette of the two of them against the water. Low sun on still water gives you reflections, silhouettes and warm skin all at once, so this is the time we always save for the lake.

Lanterns, cupcakes and a band

Paper lanterns hung over the path as Frances and Tim walked hand in hand into The Terrace at dusk. They laughed as they cut a cupcake tower, and Frances laughed at the bridal table during the speeches, a tall arrangement of dahlias and succulents beside her. A live band set up behind a rope of orange lights for the first dance, Tim laughed mid-step, guests flooded the floor and the two of them ended up dancing cheek to cheek. We finished outside as night fell over the Gardens, holding each other beneath a lit tower.

Photographer's venue notes

Gardens House and The Terrace: an 1850s director’s residence and a lakeside room in Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens

Read the venue notes

The venue

Gardens House is a heritage house inside the Melbourne Gardens of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, on Birdwood Avenue in South Yarra, close to the CBD. It was built in the mid-1850s as the residence of the Gardens’ Director and was home to the Directors until the early 1990s. William Guilfoyle, Director from the early 1870s, shaped the picturesque landscape around it, and today the house sits in its own private garden within the Gardens, with a double-storey façade, a balcony across its width and lawns where a garden marquee can go up. The Gardens themselves were founded in the mid-1840s on the south side of the Yarra.

Ceremony and reception spaces

Gardens House is used for ceremonies with the house as a backdrop, formal seated dinners, cocktail evenings and marquee receptions on the lawn, with several entertaining rooms that can be combined. The Terrace sits in the heart of the Gardens with uninterrupted views across the Ornamental Lake to the city, and has an undercover deck. It takes up to about 150 guests seated or 300 cocktail style, and it has a private bridal suite. Frances and Tim held a standing ceremony on the Gardens House lawn, then walked through the Gardens for portraits and finished with their reception at The Terrace.

Portrait spots in the Gardens

The Temple of the Winds, built in the early 1900s to Guilfoyle’s design as a memorial to Charles La Trobe, gives you open shade and columns at any time of day. The curving paths and mature trees around it are best in the late afternoon, when low sun backlights the leaves. Just outside the Gardens, Morell Bridge opened in the late 1890s as the first reinforced concrete bridge in Victoria, with dragon motifs and old lamps on its arches, and it lines up the city skyline behind you. Save the Ornamental Lake for sunset, ideally from one of the Gardens’ Cambridge-style punts.

Timing the portrait walk

The Gardens are big and best covered on foot, so allow at least an hour for a portrait walk like Frances and Tim’s: Gardens House, the Temple of the Winds, Morell Bridge, then the lake. Sunset in Melbourne falls at about 8:45pm around New Year, about 7:35pm in mid-October and about 5:10pm in June, so in winter the walk needs to start soon after the ceremony. Open lawns are very bright in the middle of the day, which is why market umbrellas or a tree-shaded ceremony spot help so much. Bring flat shoes for the mulched paths, and a wrap for the lake.

Wet weather and night

If the weather turns, The Terrace has floor-to-ceiling windows and an undercover deck, so you still get lake and garden in the background of indoor portraits, and the Temple of the Winds has a roof for a quick dash out between showers. The punts carry blankets for cold days and parasols for sunny ones. After dark, string lights over The Terrace and paper lanterns on the path make a warm frame for a last portrait, and the lit city towers behind the Gardens give night shots a sense of place that few Melbourne venues can match.

Planning a Gardens House or Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne wedding? Tell us which corners of the Gardens matter to you. We'll plan the portrait walk around the light and leave you time to get back to your guests.

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