Can you get married at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart?

Yes. The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart is a stunning ceremony location, offering beautiful greenery, quiet pockets of space and plenty of natural light for ceremony photos. Your marriage celebrant can coordinate the ceremony there and work with a photographer to capture the gardens at their best.

What is a handfasting ceremony?

A handfasting is a symbolic ritual dating back hundreds of years, where ribbons or cords are wrapped around the joined hands of a couple as a symbol of unity and commitment. It can be incorporated into a legal wedding ceremony in place of, or alongside, traditional vows and is a beautiful way to involve guests in the celebration.

How many guests do you need for an elopement in Tasmania?

There is no minimum or maximum guest count for an elopement in Tasmania. Under Australian marriage law you need two witnesses present, but beyond that the guest list is entirely up to you. Many couples in Tasmania elope with just two witnesses, while others, like Siri and Casey, celebrate with a small group of close family.

Can interstate or international families attend a Hobart elopement?

Absolutely. Tasmania is a popular destination for couples whose families are spread across Australia or overseas. Hobart offers beautiful ceremony locations, great accommodation, and a relaxed pace that makes it easy for guests travelling from interstate or internationally to enjoy the experience alongside you.

Why a Family Travelling Around Australia Chose to Stop in Tasmania to Get Married

Tasmanian Elopement Guide

10 Aug

Written By Susan Lush-Saunders

Every now and then a couple comes along whose story reminds me that weddings (& life) don’t have to follow the “usual” path.

Siri and Casey certainly did things their own way….. I think they always have :)

Sue was the perfect celebrant for our small wedding. She created a ceremony that felt deeply personal and full of love, making our botanical gardens wedding truly special. Our families also appreciated the warmth and support from Sue and her husband Geoff. We are so grateful for a ceremony we’ll cherish forever.

Dinner at Landscape was fantastic. I think the wagyu beef was my fave plus all the amazing sides.

Siri & Casey

They packed up their lives in Perth, hitched up the caravan and headed off on a two-year adventure around Australia with their two children, Sasha and Felix. When Christmas plans brought their families together from Perth and Sweden, they realised there was no better time to get married.

And of course, why not stop in Tasmania?

I totally agree..… why not?

With just nine people, the beautiful Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, and a relaxed summer afternoon, they created a wedding that felt completely true to them….. some would call this a modern Hobart elopement….. well I do anyway!

A Slow Start to Their Wedding Day

One of the things I loved most about this day was that there wasn’t a strict timeline or any rushing around.

Siri and Casey had organised a waterfront Airbnb in Tranmere where everyone could settle in (for days) before the celebrations. They even arranged a beautiful car to collect them before meeting me, their family, and photographer Gi from Mozoph Weddings.

Rather than diving straight into the ceremony, Gi and I met them outside the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens main gate. Then they wandered through the gardens together, laughing, chatting and soaking up the moment while Gi quietly captured it all.

A little like my “Stroll & Snap elopements” only this time we wandered around gardens instead of streets and laneways.

I feel slowing down like this creates some magical photographs showcasing what our Hobart gardens have to offer. My hot tip is to follow in Siri and Casey’s footsteps if you’re planning on getting married at the Botanical Gardens.

When it’s meant to be -

People often ask me how they should choose their celebrant. There are plenty of wedding blogs and magazine articles with lists of “must-have” qualities, but I don’t think choosing your celebrant is something you can do from a checklist.

For me, it’s all about connection.

Your celebrant is the person standing beside you through one of the biggest moments of your life. You want someone who gets you, puts you at ease, and makes you feel comfortable enough to be completely yourselves. You should finish that first chat thinking, “Yep… they’re our person.” It’s a little like finding the person you’re going to marry….. when you know, you know.

Turns out “when you know, you know” isn’t just for finding your person. It’s for finding your celebrant too. Because….. It works both ways, and sometimes, you just know.

I’d never met Siri and Casey before they contacted me, but from our very first conversation I knew they were warm, welcoming people who loved doing things a little differently. And I know they felt the same way about me….. after our initial vibe check meeting - I received this email from Siri…..What a lovely email to receive :)

“It was so lovely to chat with you the other week - We both felt the warmth you radiate and we’re truly looking forward to this!
(Found my wedding dress in Sweden - It’s getting real!)”

Siri

A Handfasting Ceremony That Included Everyone

Instead of exchanging personal vows during the ceremony, they chose a handfasting. It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, where ribbons are wrapped around a couple’s joined hands as a symbol of unity and commitment.

But we gave it our own modern-day twist.

Siri went out and handpicked the different fabrics which consisted of ribbons and lace in varying colours.

Pre-ceremony I asked their people to choose one they liked. During the ceremony they held them in their hands (with much love) before each one of them came forward to place what they’d chosen across the soon to be newlyweds joined hands.

Every piece represented love, choice, encouragement, family and friendship. Every person was part of the ceremony. Then I invited Siri and Casey to…..quite literally “tie the knot” themselves.

Weddings Don’t Need Hundreds of Guests to Feel Special

One of the biggest myths about weddings is that bigger somehow means better. This ceremony was proof that isn’t true.

Here’s their perfect modern elopement checklist:

9 people
Two children
Family who had travelled from both Perth and Sweden
A quiet pocket in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Enough love to fill the entire space.
Intention
No rushing
No performing for a crowd, and
Simply getting married

The Best Wedding Exit Ever

As soon as I gave Casey and Siri the thumbs up with a “YOU ARE MARRIED” ….. we blasted their song choice - Hooked on a Feeling by …… Blue Swede!

Everyone started dancing.

No awkward standing around.

No wondering what happened next.

Just laughter, singing and a whole lot of happy people celebrating together. Considering Blue Swede are Swedish, it couldn’t have been a more perfect choice.

It was impossible not to have a huge smile on our faces.

Thank you so much for our special day.

Our families had such a lovely time and they appreciated the chats with yourself and Geoff.

It went exactly the way we wanted. Casual, loving, flexible and fun. Great grazing board!

Siri & Casey

Thinking About an Elopement in Tasmania?

If you’re planning an intimate wedding or elopement in Tasmania, remember there really aren’t any rules.

Your ceremony can be traditional. Or completely different.

You can write personal vows… or choose a symbolic ritual like a handfasting - or none of the above.

You can invite two people or ten.

The important part isn’t how your wedding looks. It’s that it feels like you.

That’s exactly what Siri and Casey asked for, and I feel incredibly lucky they invited me to be part of it.

Say Hello

Wedding Team

Celebrant & Elopement Planning: Sue Lush-Saunders Hobart Celebrant

Photography: Gi from Mozoph Weddings | Hobart, Tasmania wedding photo & video

Location: Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart, Tasmania

Grazing & Bubbles: Sophia from To the Table Grazing

Susan Lush-Saunders