Little Henri

Little Henri sits on the corner of High Street and Dundas Street in Thornbury, in a building that was once the local bank. Today it is a cafe, bar and events space with two courtyards, a timber-panelled room, a bar under green enamel lamps and a dining room with an arched window. For a wedding it gives you the ceremony, the drinks and the party within a few steps of each other.

This guide follows a wedding there in order, the way Jay and Sofia photographed George and Tia's day in September 2026: getting ready, portraits beforehand, the ceremony in the covered courtyard and an evening of grazing, speeches and dancing.

Getting ready nearby

Little Henri has no rooms to get ready in, so you'll arrive dressed. Get ready at home, at a hotel or at a rental nearby, and plan your portraits for before the ceremony: the venue is an evening place, and in the cooler months the light is going by the time guests arrive.

George and Tia did exactly that. They met for a first look at the Fairfield Park amphitheatre at about three o'clock, spent the afternoon in the park with their bridal party, and arrived at Little Henri at dusk with the photographs already made.

Ceremony in the covered courtyard

The covered courtyard is the heart of a Little Henri wedding. Black bentwood chairs face a tall arched black steel window and doors, fairy lights run along the black walls, and green garden walls rise on either side, with a ceiling fan turning above. The events pack shows two ceremony areas, about 8 by 5 and 8 by 8 metres, one in each courtyard.

At George and Tia's ceremony, the bridesmaids came in through black steel doors hung with white curtains, the flower girl and page boy walked through the restaurant to get there, and Tia walked in arm in arm while the guests stood under the fairy lights. They married in front of the arched window and signed at a white marble table against a white brick planter. Then they walked out through the same black doors, straight into the drinks.

The covered courtyard can be weatherproofed, so it is also your plan for a wet day. The open courtyard, with its tall trees wrapped in lights, suits a ceremony on a fine evening.

Portraits at Little Henri and Fairfield Park

On site, the best backdrops are close together:

• The green garden wall in the covered courtyard, for family groups and the bridal party after the ceremony.
• The timber panelling in the room off the bar, warm and even, for a portrait with a long train on the floorboards.
• The fairy-lit trees of the open courtyard, after dark.

For daylight, go to Fairfield Park, a few minutes away by the Yarra. The amphitheatre's grassy terraces under tall gums made the setting for George and Tia's first look, and the paths, the long grass and the river gave us an hour of portraits. The City of Yarra books the amphitheatre for ceremonies with a permit and allows one wedding per site per day, so ask the council if you want to marry there.

Reception in the bar, the dining room and the courtyards

Little Henri is a cocktail reception venue: up to 140 guests standing (the website says 150), or up to 60 seated. The bar, with its green tiled wall and enamel pendant lamps, holds the grazing table; the timber room takes the DJ and the cake; the dining room, with its arched window, chalkboard and pendant lamps, becomes the dance floor; and the open courtyard is where guests drift outside under the lights.

Catering is in-house: canapés, supper dishes, plated menus, a grazing table and a kids' menu, with meals for your suppliers. Only an approved cake can come in from outside, and there are no tastings. The venue calls last drinks ten minutes before the end.

George and Tia's night had no first dance and no bouquet toss. Their guests grazed and hugged, the grandparents took the leather banquette, the children danced first, and the speeches came late in the evening in the timber room, followed by a round of shots at the bar.

A wedding at Little Henri, hour by hour

This is how George and Tia's day ran, with the cameras' clocks lined up:

• 2.30pm The groomsmen in the Fairfield Park amphitheatre.
• 3pm First look in the amphitheatre, then the bridal party on the terraces.
• 3.30 to 4.45pm Portraits in the park and by the river.
• 5.40pm Family photographs at Little Henri, in front of the timber panelling.
• 5.45pm Drinks at the bar as the guests arrive.
• 6.10pm The ceremony in the covered courtyard.
• 6.25pm Signing, the walk out and family groups at the garden wall.
• 6.50pm An evening change for Tia, and the DJ starts.
• 7.30pm Dancing in the dining room.
• 8.25pm The cake, then the speeches.
• 9pm Shots at the bar with friends.

On a Friday to Sunday evening the venue's five hours sit between 5pm and 11.30pm, so a 6pm ceremony leaves plenty of night.

If it rains

Move the ceremony into the covered courtyard, which can be weatherproofed, or into the dining room. Everything after the ceremony is indoors or under cover anyway. The only thing rain changes is the daylight portraits, so have a plan B for those, such as the timber panelling and the garden wall on site.

Practical notes

• Little Henri is at 850 High Street, Thornbury, about 7 km north-east of the city. Tram 86 stops across the road and Thornbury station is a short walk away. Street parking is limited.
• There is a ramp at the front and a portable ramp into the covered courtyard, and an accessible toilet. The upper courtyard has steps and is reached from the back laneway.
• Confetti, petals and similar are not allowed, and there are no smoke machines inside. Entertainment needs the venue's approval.
• There is no accommodation on site.