http://www.ivorybarnwallington.com.au/

Ivory Barn, 30 Hardings Road, Wallington (2026)

17/08/2026

💍 THE WEDDING PLANNER’S TOP 5 TIPS 💍

Written by Alyssa from Ivory Pavilion & Ivory Barn. 🥂🌿

After helping so many couples plan their wedding days, there are a few pieces of advice I find myself giving again and again! 🤍

If you’re currently planning your wedding, save this one for later 👇🏼

1. Choose your venue before locking in too much else 🏡
Your venue sets the tone for your entire wedding — your date, guest numbers, style, timeline, location (where you and guests will stay) and often what suppliers you’ll need outside of whats included. Find the right space first and let everything else fall into place around it.

2. Don’t plan your wedding around pleasing everyone 🤍
There will always be opinions! Mum wants one thing, friends suggest another, someone thinks you have to invite someone… Remember, it’s YOUR wedding. Choose the things that feel like you as a couple. I so often have to remind my couples this is your day dont let others take away from what this day is about. Your love 💕!

3. Spend your money where your guests will actually notice ✨
Great food, plenty of drinks, good music, comfortable seating (add low seating if you want a cocktail style not everyone can stand or sit on a stool comfortably) and a beautiful atmosphere will be remembered far more than tiny details that can quickly blow out your budget. Things like, flashy wedding cars, Large 3 tier cakes, content creators easily mount up but not everything is special to you. Things like Dry ice & cold sparks, ice cream trucks or roving made to order deserts, mirror Photobooths, acustic artist are things that people will remember and enjoy but they arent necessary for everyone. You can splash on more fun ideas or stick to the package, every one will still have a special day if you dont opt to spend more.

4. Give yourself more time than you think ⏰
Wedding days go FAST. Don’t cram your timeline so tightly that you spend the whole day watching the clock. Allow breathing room to actually enjoy your ceremony, have a drink with your guests, sneak away for photos and soak it all in.
This starts from your preparations make sure H&M finish earlier enough that you have at least two hours to get ready, dressed take photos and leave out the door! No one ever takes 10mins to get the dress on. 😂 but many have tried. Every moment is a photo & video opportunity we are building memories not rushing you from one moment to the next. Spread things out and start early.

5. Stop chasing perfection & enjoy your wedding 🥂
Something tiny might run late. The weather might change. A flower might look differently than you imagined. Your guests won’t notice — and neither should you! The most beautiful weddings aren’t the ones where every tiny detail is perfect… they’re the ones where the couple is relaxed, present and genuinely having the best day of their lives. Simply ask your on the day coordinator to help with the small things and let your team look after you.

✨ BONUS TIP: Choose suppliers you trust, then LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS! A great wedding team will make your day feel effortless — you shouldn’t be coordinating suppliers or answering questions on your wedding day thats our job! And Ivory Barn give your suppliers to review and honest notes on past experiences or if they are freshly sourced for your review so you dont have to go on the hunt.

Recently married couples — what’s ONE piece of advice you’d give someone planning their wedding? 👇🏼💍

16/08/2026

When you know you know! Another booking on the spot.

🌿There is history- 12 years ago a cousin was married at Ivory Barn with previous owners.
🌿They live locally and wanted something local.
🌿Having a fully inclusive package with a planner to bring any other parts around the wedding together is the dream.

It needs to feel right and fit and often you know as your standing there in the barn inmaging your day & night unfold its clearly the one. ☺️❤️

Congratulations Nicole & Matt we cant wait to build your rustic barn wedding dream for you both and your family! 🥂🎉

16/08/2026

Wow! That's incredible 😲 Thank you for all your support, excitement and curiosity 😂.

We know with alot of cafes & venues not just in the Bellarine but across Geelong closing thier doors we have to create something special that is geared towards our community and that delivers whats missing in our region, spaces to move & spread out, place to bring kids & teens, doggy friendly, multiple dietries so omni, vegan, vegos, GF can enjoy time together in one place despite thier food choices or dietries. 🥑🌯🍗🍽🧁🥪

Family & community hub a place to eat, relax, play, connect and most importantly make memories together. 🙏☺️

Thanks for the warm welcome Bellarine & Surrounding!

We are excited to get to work and soon! 🏃‍♀️🫶🌿🥑🐕

13/08/2026

LET’S BUILD A WEDDING! 🤍

Let’s see what it can actually cost when you build your country wedding piece by piece…

Venue hire: $6,000–$8,000
Food: $6,000–$7,000
Videography & videos: $4,000–$5,000
Styling: $3,000–$5,000
Wedding planner: $5,000+
Drinks package: $6,500
DJ & MC: $2,000–$2,500
Canapés & roaming staff: $1,500–$3,000
Ceremony chairs & arbor: $350–$500
Ceremony florals & drapery: $1,000–$1,200

That’s approximately $36,350–$44,700+ for a 100-person wedding.

And that’s before you add the countless hours spent researching accommodation, celebrants, cars, buses, suppliers and everything else you need to make your day happen.

140 hours on average. 😳

Now here’s where our inclusive package becomes so much more than just “venue, food and drinks.”

Your FULL wedding is $24,900 for 80–100 guests.

Not $24,900 min spend

Not $24,900 for food, drinks, venue only.

$24,900 for the wedding. 🤍

The magical country wedding you dreamed about, in a gorgeous barn, with so much of the planning, suppliers, styling, food, drinks, entertainment and details already taken care of.

So yes, we can save you SO much money by bringing everything together into one inclusive package.

But honestly?

We save you even more time.

Time you can spend working through your family logistics, your guest list, your invitations and all the things that actually matter to you.

Because planning your wedding shouldn’t feel like taking on a second full-time job.

Less researching.
Less emailing.
Less coordinating.
Less stress.
More celebrating. 🤍

$24,900. 80–100 guests. Your wedding, done.

Book your private viewing here if Ivory Barn sounds like the dream senario!
https://calendly.com/ivorybarn-and-ivorypavilion/ivory-barn-first-venue-viewing

I can't wait to meet you and help build your dream day together ✨️ 💛

09/08/2026

Updates, not renovations! 😊

We want to clear this up — we are NOT renovating Ivory Barn.

Unlike the 8.5 months of dust, drilling, sanding, painting and full construction chaos we experienced at Ivory Pavilion back in 2022–2023… this is not that.

Our barn is already beautiful 😍
The difference is — it wasn’t operating as a true business. It was essentially a hire hall (and from what we’ve heard, sometimes even the basics like toilet paper weren’t included… very DIY!).

What we’re doing is simple:
✨ Fresh paint and a full top-to-bottom clean
✨ Adding more festoon and fairy lights
✨ Updating furniture, play items, mats, mirrors & items
✨ Enhancing the existing bar with proper equipment and finishes
✨ Creating a small kitchen in a separate rear room

That’s it.

No major construction.
No big builds (aside from the occasional shelving).

We’re simply adding our touch and getting everything properly set up and licensed so Ivory Barn can run beautifully as a venue and café — the way it’s meant to. 🤍

Hope that helps clarify 🙏If you were an engaged couple who was on the fence waiting for completed renovations now you know that's not in the plans so reach out to see the barn now as your only going to love it more when we upgrade the furniture.

DM for more information on our wedding package. 😍🫶🥂

Stay tuned as new furniture & lighting orders arrive over the next few weeks we will share it all!

08/08/2026

You asked for a cocktail-style setup… and we have it covered 🤍✨

Think large wine barrels, soft runners draped across the top for that perfect pop of colour (any runner in theme with the wedding), and our stunning white bentwood stools to tie it all together you can easily add up to 5 stools per barrel and its not squashed, we plan to add table tops too. Effortless, relaxed, and so beautiful.

We can’t wait to see the full room come to life in this cocktail style 🥂 but its also a lovely addition for some extra seating even if your going with a seated layout .

04/08/2026

Can you imagine it...

Our Ivory Barn family is out there somewhere right now, completely unaware that in just a few short months they'll become part of something really special. 🤍

Where will they come from?
What job are they in today?
How long have they been dreaming about finding a workplace that feels different?

What talents, ideas and personalities will they bring that completely wow us?

We're not looking for "just café staff."

We're looking for hospitality superstars.

People who love being busy.
People who love variety.
People who naturally smile, laugh and make others feel welcome.
People who notice the little things before they're asked.
People who genuinely love creating memorable experiences.

We've all had those café moments...
Standing at the counter waiting to be acknowledged.
Feeling like an inconvenience for asking to remove bacon or cheese from a meal.
Walking away wondering why great hospitality wasnt felt.

That's not who we want to be.

As parents ourselves, we wanted to create somewhere kids are welcome, entertained and free to move without relying on an indoor playground. A place where parents can actually relax.

Now with teenagers, we know they want their own spaces too—a place to hang out, play games and enjoy themselves while the adults catch up.

We want every guest to feel genuinely welcomed from the moment they arrive until they leave.

A warm hello.
A genuine smile.
A heartfelt goodbye.

We want people who love high standards.
Who enjoy keeping things clean, organised and running beautifully.
Who adore kids, connect with teenagers and are excited to welcome dogs too.

Most importantly, we want people who love creating joyful experiences—whether that's serving a morning coffee or helping deliver someone's dream wedding.

We're recruiting for:

• Café & Event Staff
• Event & Bar Staff
• Head Chef – Café & Wedding Catering (our unicorn! Passion for café menus, wedding catering, wood-fired pizza, plus enthusiasm for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free cuisine.)
• Sous Chef
• Kitchen Hands
• Wait Staff
• Baristas
• Events Assistant (supporting our Wedding Coordinators during weddings and events)
• Administration Assistant

If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you but please note delays might be expected as we start interviewing in October*

Please send your cover letter along with:
• Your current resume
• Current role
• Availability
• Your location
• RSA (if applicable)
• Working With Children Check (if held)
• Relevant certificates or licences (kitchen qualifications, barista training, food safety, etc.)

We cannot wait to meet the incredible people who will help bring the next chapter of Ivory Barn to life. 🤍

31/07/2026

Teens & Tweens — it’s quite the topic.*

Lately, since our announcement, it’s been alarmingly clear that parents of tweens & teens feel like there is nowhere to go for fun and downtime.

Let’s explore this in Geelong.

Bowling alleys — we have two. A small one above Timezone with shorter lanes, and a dated one in Belmont. Neither really feels like a teen hangout.

BOUNCE, Flip Out & Timezone — great options, but often exhausted when it comes to birthday parties, and Flip Out tends to suit younger kids.

Cinema - great for movie nights & then a few Arcades afterwards.

Shopping centres — two worth visiting, but one is small and the other is very dated. Both dont offer a cool place to hang out the food courts are un inviting (especially compared to NSW, Melbourne & QLD shopping centres) there are booths, greenery, levels, built in benches etc.

The beach, scooting, riding, meeting up and grabbing takeaway.

They’re too young to hang out at the local pub, too old to join in with the little kids... but they’re still young and want to have fun!

There are indoor and outdoor playgrounds for younger kids, little corners for lil kids in cafes but limited places for teenagers to get some space from the sometimes boring adult table chat and go somewhere to be playful, entertained and just hang out. 🙌🕶

Are there more teens spots we dont know about?

As parents of a tween & teen ourselves, we know too well how quickly sitting together can turn into phone viewing and zoning out. We want families to connect, but also give big kids little active ways to play, socialise and have fun.

So, what could that look like?

A selfie stick, light & stand in case a video/photo moment is inspired.

PlayStation & games.

TV with music videos, viral influencer trends & shows.

Pool table.

Foosball table.

Table tennis.

Arcade machines with nostalgic games from the '90s onwards.

Couches & bean bags to sit, relax, hang out & play games.

And other ideas will continue to grow as the teens themselves give us their feedback, especially our kids! We want to listen to what they actually enjoy and allow the space to evolve with them.

A space designed for that in-between age — where they’re not little kids anymore, but they’re definitely not adults yet.

AI imagery for concept idea 1st image the before images at the end.

29/07/2026

Logo. 🫶 Website is in designing stages too!

Ivory Barn

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