Volente is about 45 minutes outside of Austin in the TX Hill Country. PLEASE NOTE: The road to get out to Volente can be very winding in places. Give yourself plenty of time to drive there (and Dramamine if you’re sensitive to motion) because the boat is leaving the dock at 11am sharp.
There is ample parking for anyone driving themselves. If you’re driving, please be aware that the road to Volente is very curvy so give yourself plenty of time to get there. If you choose to drive yourself or stay nearby and walk, please note Highland Lakes Marina charges a mandatory fee to enter: $10 per car, motorcycle, truck; $3 per walk-on. We’re providing a shuttle from downtown Austin to transport guests to and from the Highland Lakes Marina where our wedding vessel, “The Ark” sails from. There will be an early 1pm shuttle back Downtown for any guests who can’t stay through the lake party until 4pm.
The shuttle service is called Fly-Rides. Each guest must sign an electronic waiver prior to June 9th or you will not be permitted on the shuttle. If you RSVP for the shuttle, Bianca will email you the link to sign the electronic waiver by May 20th. PLEASEpleaseplease sign and return the waiver no later than May 31st so Bianca doesn’t stress about your paperwork. The shuttle will depart from 13th Street & Brazos on the East side of the Texas Capitol Building AT 930AM. Please be on the bus BY 930 at the absolute latest. If you miss the bus, a Lyft or Uber to the Marina will be pricey. After the wedding and lake party, we will be back to the marina by 4pm. Everyone please board by 420p to arrive back to 13th & Brazos by 520p and vacate the bus by 530p. ***Mid-day shuttle: Guests opting to return downtown at 1p will be transported by a pre-arranged car service.***
Sure! All guests should arrive by 1045a and board the boat. Early is also on time. Guests will have sweet & savory brunch options to enjoy as our wedding vessel, The Ark, sets sail at 11am SHARP. For the first hour, Bianca and Chris will have a pre-ceremony reception with speeches, dances and a boat-wide dance break. At noon, Bianca & Chris begin their wedding ceremony. The ceremony will probably last 15-20 minutes and will kick off another dance break. At 1p, the boat will dock to let off any guests who can’t stay for the following BBQ & Lake Party. At 115p, the boat will set sail again and anchor at a nearby island. Here, we’ll fire up the grill on the boat and break out the noodles and water slide for the first ever Arvin-Eagle Family BBQ. At 4pm, the Arc returns to the dock and we will quickly unload so the Arc can turnaround for its next voyage. If you have any questions about any of this, please contact Bianca.
The shuttle will drive you as close to the boat as possible, and Beachfront Boat Rentals has a golf cart available for guests uncomfortable walking less than 100 yards from there. Please let us know beforehand if you plan to use the golf cart. The boat is a double decker and there is no elevator or lift to the 2nd floor, just a wide stairwell. Restrooms are on the lower deck, but the ceremony is being planned for the upper deck. If you need a lift up the stairs, Chris is incredibly strong. Seriously.
Marine toilets! They’re not fancy but they get the job done ;)
After working hundreds of weddings, Bianca doesn’t want to feel like this is just another day at work so she’s emphasizing FUN AND PLAY over formality. However, if you absolutely must wear a tux or heels to be comfortable, please honor your needs and bring a swimsuit to change into- unless you want to Superman strip into the lake!
GOD NO. Just kidding! Yes, your kids are welcome. However, please bring the appropriate water-safety equipment for them. The boat comes with noodles and adult-sized life vests. ALL CHILDREN MUST HAVE THEIR OWN LIFE VESTS AND WEAR THEM unless you want Bianca to stress out all day about dead babies.
We've got kegs, sangria & margaritas, but if you're feeling something different for the BBQ, we've got chill buckets for cans. Please note: GLASS IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE BOAT. Neither are jello shots, keg stands, beer bongs, or trash can punch.
Unfortunately the boat does not allow any animals.
TX rainstorms in June are usually quick, and Bianca loves dancing in the rain so consider that plan B: dancing! And there will be ziplock sandwich bags available to protect your cell phones.
That’s such a kind and thoughtful offer, however NONE of our venues allow glass. There is no glass allowed at our rehearsal dinner at Zilker Park, there is no glass allowed on the shuttle from Downtown to the Marina, and there is NO GLASS ALLOWED on the boat.