Arrival and where cars stop
Gardens by the Bay is a large public garden near Marina Bay, with several event spaces, including Flower Field Hall and Silver Leaf, located at different points across the grounds. Wedding cars typically drop guests off at whichever entrance is closest to your booked event space, so confirm the exact location with the events team rather than assuming a single main entrance applies.
Because the gardens are a popular public attraction with visitors throughout the day, allow extra time for movement around the site, and confirm parking and vendor access arrangements ahead of your date.
Typical flow on the day
Weddings at Gardens by the Bay are generally held in one of its dedicated event spaces, such as Flower Field Hall or Silver Leaf, with the conservatories and Supertree Grove often used separately for photographs. Confirm with the events team exactly which indoor space is booked for your solemnisation and banquet, and whether outdoor areas like Supertree Grove are included in your access.
A common sequence has guests gathering in the event hall for the ceremony and banquet, with a separate portrait session in the gardens either before or after the event, timed around opening hours and crowd levels. Share this plan with your photographer and videographer so they can schedule both parts realistically.
Light at different times of day
Outdoor areas such as Supertree Grove see strong, direct light around midday and softer, warmer light in the late afternoon and towards sunset, which is generally more flattering for portraits. The conservatories have their own controlled indoor lighting and climate, which behaves differently from open-air areas and is worth discussing with your photographer in advance.
Event halls typically rely on their own ambient lighting for an evening banquet, so any outdoor portraits should generally be planned for a specific window earlier in the day.
Where couples usually take portraits
Supertree Grove is a widely recognised backdrop for wedding portraits, particularly around dusk, while the conservatories, such as the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, offer a controlled indoor garden setting. Some couples also use other landscaped areas of the gardens for additional shots.
Since Gardens by the Bay is a busy public attraction, allow flexibility in your schedule around other visitors, and check with the events team which specific areas are included in your booking for portraits.
Rain backup
As Supertree Grove and much of the gardens are outdoors, it is worth having an indoor backup plan in mind, such as your booked event hall or one of the conservatories, in case of rain.
Discuss this with your photographer ahead of time so a sudden shower does not remove the chance for outdoor portraits altogether, and confirm with the events team what indoor alternatives are accessible on short notice.
Coordinating with the venue's events team
Gardens by the Bay has its own events team that manages bookings for spaces like Flower Field Hall and Silver Leaf, separate from the day-to-day operation of the public gardens and conservatories. Professional wedding photography and videography around the wider grounds, including Supertree Grove and the conservatories, typically requires a permit, so check current permit rules and fees with the events team well before your date.
Sharing your run sheet with the events team and your photography and videography crew helps confirm which areas are covered by your booking and which may need a separate permit.
Timing between solemnisation and banquet
Where solemnisation and banquet are held in the same event hall, the gap between them is often used for family photographs or a short portrait session nearby. Where a separate portrait session in the gardens is planned, this is usually scheduled at a specific time around your permit and the venue's own operating hours.
Confirm this window with the events team when finalising your timeline, and share it clearly with your photographer and videographer.
What to ask the venue
Before finalising plans at Gardens by the Bay, ask the events team directly about photography and videography rules, including whether a photography permit is required for areas such as Supertree Grove or the conservatories, and check current permit rules and fees.
- Ask what time vendors can begin accessing the event hall.
- Check parking and vendor access arrangements given the size of the grounds.
- Confirm whether vendor meals are provided during the event.
- Ask which outdoor areas require a separate permit for professional photography and videography.
These details help your vendors plan realistically around a large public attraction with its own access and permit rules.
Gardens by the Bay has its own permit and access rules across its indoor event spaces and outdoor gardens, so confirm these directly with the events team well ahead of your date. If you would like to talk through coverage for your solemnisation and banquet, check your date with us, or read more about our actual-day wedding photography and wedding videography.