Platform No. 2 at Terrigal Haven is one of the recently landscaped viewing areas or decks around the Haven and is perfectly suited to an outdoor wedding ceremony with its spectacular ocean views.
Although the deck itself isn’t huge, there is ample space around the deck for around 100 guests as long as your wedding celebrant has a loud voice or good PA system.
The biggest problem for a large wedding and having guests that can’t hear what’s going on is they tend to start chatting which leads to more conversations starting and you lose that romantic and ceremonial feel of what should be the most important part of the wedding day.
For smaller intimate weddings of fewer than 60 guests, this location is perfectly suited and everyone should be able to hear what’s happening and clearly see what’s happening.
Obviously weather is something that can throw a spanner in the works but if you’re prepared, you will be fine. For a rainy day, you will need alternative arrangements as there is absolutely no cover here.
A coastal breeze is more common and luckily, more easily dealt with if you are a little flexible with your plans. The two most common wind directions are from the north east and the south, both of which are inescapable on the platform. If you’re wearing your hair up or with a tight style, the breeze shouldn’t be a problem.
If, however, you are planning on wearing your hair out, you will need to be flexible with where you stand on the platform and which side of the groom you will be positioned. If that’s not a concern, go for it, you’ll love this location.
It’s common to see veils flying across the face of the couple here so if you are planning on a long veil, either let it fly free and have a laugh with your family and friends if it misbehaves or plan with your bridesmaid to keep it under control if it decides to go nuts.
Access to the platform is via a series of three small sets of stairs and a concrete pathway on the side of a small hill. It’s easily navigable by most guests but elderly or anyone in a wheelchair may need consideration.
If you have booked the platform with Gosford Council, they can provide vehicle access to the platform to transport anyone that has difficulty accessing the area on foot.
Remember, you will need to reserve your wedding ceremony location with Gosford Council prior to your wedding day to ensure it is available for you (more info and contact details below).
One last thing to be aware of is that Terrigal Haven does have an “off leash” dog area. Most dog owners are very considerate when weddings are happening, but it’s not unusual to have dogs nearby.
Along with dogs is their poo. Again, most owners are considerate and clean up after their dogs and if you have made the necessary bookings with council, their staff will usually make sure the area is looking perfect before your wedding ceremony.
Gosford Council Wedding Applications
There are two different applications you need to consider when booking your wedding ceremony location with council.
The first and most common application is a Passive Booking. This enables you to hold a gathering of up to eighty people for up to two hours. There is a nominal fee and applications are granted with the understanding that there will be no structures of any kind erected on the area applied for. This type of application does not give you exclusive use of the area.
Phone (02) 4325 8222 for bookings and more information.
The second type of application is a Special Event Application and applies to people who want exclusive use of an area. The event may be longer than two hours and structures such as seating or marquees may be applied for.
Be aware that marquees are not permitted in all locations.
You can download an application form from Council’s website at http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/arts-culture-and-recreation/parks-playgrounds-reserves/event-bookings/wedding-ceremonies or phone (02) 4325 8461 for more information.
Each of the following videos concentrate on each of the different wedding ceremony, location and reception options available for your Central Coast Wedding.
For more information and wedding tips, click in the menu options at the top of the page and to download our wedding photography price list, head to https://impact-images.com.au/central-coast-wedding-details/
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Terrigal Haven Platform No 2 for Wedding Ceremonies
Hey, it’s Andrew Hellmich here from Impact Images.
We’re standing up here at the Haven at Platform No. 2. This is one of the platforms you actually have to book with the Council if you want to use for your wedding ceremonies. It’s recently new. I’ve done a few weddings here already. You could fit quite a few people here but most people would be back off or most of the guests would be back off the platform or on this grass here. You could fit around a hundred people.
The problem with this area is when you get to that many people or that many guests, the people at the back tend to find a little bit difficult to hear unless you’ve got a celebrant with a loud voice or with a good PA system. The problem with when people can’t hear what’s going on is they tend to start chatting amongst themselves and you lose that nice wedding ceremony feel for your day.
The other problem with this spot here is it can be very windy. It’s not too bad at the moment it’s pretty breezy up here though, so you’ll definitely have to factor in that wind.
Looking at hairstyles, you might want to have something up or tighter rather than having an out hairstyle. The other thing you could do if you want to have your hair out and you’re worried about it being windy is just be flexible with the way you stand on the platform. You might have one particular angle in mind. But you may have to be a little bit flexible with that and stand on the different sides of what you may want to or expect to when you are planning.
If you haven’t talked to your wedding celebrant, they’ll be able to guide and advise you on the day of the wedding. If you are going to be having an afternoon wedding here, most of the time the wind’s going to be coming from the north east or the south.
Either wind is going to be pretty windy up here. You can’t really get away from it. As long as you are prepared for a windy day, it’s a spectacular view right off the edge there. It’s great for the guests, but like I said, as long as the celebrant has got a good PA system, so everyone can hear what’s going on.
You must make sure that you book this one with the Gosford Council. You can’t just turn up and expect to have it free for your day.
You’ll notice here I’m on a little bit of a hill here as well. It can be quite difficult for elderly people to get up here. If you have made that booking with the Council, they can open a gate right in the back of the park here and you’ll actually be able to drive into here and drop Grandma and Grandpa off.
You hear a couple of dogs barking in the background there as well. The other thing with Terrigal Haven is there is an “off leash” dog park just off the left of me here. Normally, if there’s a wedding, people get their dogs away. But again, you have to watch out. There can be dogs running around and carrying on here.
Usually the Council, if you book it as well, they come and do a clean-up to make sure there’s no dog poop here in the area and normally mow the lawns as well and its looking pretty tip-top if you’ve got a wedding planned and booked. Great spot worth considering.
I think there’s a better spot just down the road here or just down the pathway and we’re going to go and have a look at that one next.
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