Where is Port Douglas and the Daintree?

Port Douglas is situated approximately one hour drive (65 kilometres) north of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland.

Which Airlines service the region?

The area is serviced by Cairns International Airport. Click here for information on airlines and flights including Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways flying into Cairns from most Australian cities. http://www.cairnsairport.com

We are thinking of marrying in Port Douglas – where do we start?

• Research your desired ceremony and reception locations
• Find the Marriage Celebrant and Photographer that appeals to you best and check their availability

• Lock in the date and send out a ‘Date Saver’ to all your friends and family

How much notice should we give our guests?

It is recommended to give your guests 12 months notice so they can save for their travel and accommodation to stay in Port Douglas. The more notice you give your family and friends, the more likely they will decide to make your wedding their next holiday.

How do we organise everything when we live interstate / overseas?

The internet makes organising your wedding very easy. All of the suppliers who are members of Wedding Professionals Port Douglas have their own website, email and phone contacts listed

Many generic wedding websites, bridal magazines and diaries have checklists that can assist you in the planning or simply leave it all in the hands of one of our fantastic Wedding Planners for a fuss free wedding week

Can we be married on a public beach or park?

Absolutely, outdoor weddings are very popular in the tropical north. You may need to obtain a permit from Cairns Regional Council. Phone (07) 4099 9444 (International +61 7 4099 9444) for further information (or have your wedding planner organise this for you).

What can our guests do while in Port Douglas and the Daintree?

The beauty of hosting a wedding in Port Douglas is that there are so many things for your family and friends to do while they are here. Refer to Things to do and See and visit www.tpdd.com.au

When should we arrive in Port Douglas for our wedding day?

It is a good idea to arrive 4-5 days in advance so you have a couple of days for the final organising, meet your wedding planner, celebrant, photographer, reception organiser, hair and makeup trials etc. You can also take a day for ‘down time’ before all your guests begin arriving… when the party will begin!

How will we get our gifts home?
As friends and family are usually coming from elsewhere, you may like to request that your guests send gifts to your home prior to or after the wedding or set up a wishing well at the reception. Or maybe their presence at your wedding is present enough?

We wish to visit Port Douglas and meet the suppliers before locking everything in. Can you offer advice on this?
Visiting Port Douglas for 3-4 days to organise your wedding is a great idea. Remember that suppliers are very busy on weekends (especially from May to Nov) so it’s a good idea to take a couple of days off work and arrive mid-week. It is also important to set up appointments in advance.

We wish to be married outdoors. What factors do we need to take into consideration?

Rain – for the wetter months of the year (Dec-April) it is advisable that you have a wet weather backup. For smaller weddings, you may be able to ask the reception venue if you can utilise the space for the ceremony. It is always a good idea to check with the hotel or private home you may wish to stay in to see if they have an area that can be utilised. For large weddings, it is advisable to have a marquee on standby.

Tides – If you are marrying close to the water, you may like to check the tides. Log onto http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/tides/MAPS/douglas.shtml#map for more information.

Access - if you are having a large wedding you may need to consider access and parking for cars.

Seating – will you have guests standing or seated for your wedding and how does this affect your permit application.

Temperature – what will the weather be like for the week we wish to marry. Checkout (http://tpdd.com.au/weather-port-douglas.php )

Sunset – to ensure there is enough light available for your wedding you can check out sunrise and sunset times http://www.ga.gov.au/geodesy/astro/sunrise.jsp

Refreshments – if you are planning on drinks and canapés before or after your outdoor ceremony you may need to obtain a liquor licence as well as eskies and rubbish bins.

Power – will you need power at the outdoor location? The answer is ‘possibly’ so check with your suppliers as to what may be required.

How will we inform all our guests of our wedding plans?

If you are planning a large wedding (a large wedding would be considered to be 40 or more guests) then you may like to consider creating your very own wedding website to keep your friends and family up to date with your wedding plans. You can include information specific to your wedding such as a Calendar of Events for the week, Bucks & Hens party info, Gift Registry… you can even manage your guest list online and have friends and family RSVP through the website. And after your big day has come and gone, your personal wedding website is a great place to put your wedding photos so all your family and friends can relive the wonderful memories of your wedding week! Wedding Window is one site that has helped many of our clients set up their own wedding website www.weddingwindow.com

How far in advance should we book our wedding?

It depends on what time of year you wish to have your ceremony however if you are planning a ceremony between May and November it pays to book a year in advance, especially if you wish to be married on a Saturday afternoon. At the very latest, you must book your wedding more than one month and one day prior so that the legal requirements are met.

It’s just the two of us and we are planning to elope. Where do we start?

It is a good idea for you to contact one of our Wedding Planners to discuss your elopement or at the very least one of our Marriage Celebrants. Aside from the celebrant, you will need two witnesses to sign the marriage certificates. If you decide to have a photographer then they can act as one of the witnesses and if you plan your elopement through a Wedding Planner they can be the other witness.