Byron Bay Wedding & Travel Guide

Renowned for its hypnotic ocean vistas, rolling countryside and laid back lifestyle, Byron Bay is one of Australia’s most magical coastal towns. Both a soulful, spiritual escape for complete rejuvenation and a buzzing, eclectic town – Byron Bay is a perfect destination for weddings or a weekend escape.

Intrinsically a melting pot of artistic souls, this tiny beachside town has grown into a mecca for small, creative businesses, infused with design and spilling with some of the industry’s biggest talent.

Lucky enough to be based in this beautiful place ourselves, we put together a guide to holding an inimitable wedding or planning a weekend away with our favortie venues, accommodation and creatives.

Image (above): Saxon Kent

Venues & Accommodation

Raes on Wategos

Byron Bay’s most iconic hotel perched beachfront on the dreamiest of beaches – Wategos. Washed in all-white, the hotel is infused with design details blending European elegance with touches of bohemia and chic modernity – an aesthetically stunning space for a beachfront wedding. Renowned for their exquisite menu and every local’s favorite spot for afternoon cocktails and languid lunches by the sea, Raes ticks every box for an incredible beachfront celebration or honeymoon escape. 

We Love

• The seclusion. There’s nothing more rejuvenating than waking up right on the edge of the water in this special pocket of the world, tucked away from the buzzing little holiday town of Byron. 
• The color palettes. Raes is an aesthetic dream of magic color palettes that shift from sunrise to sunset with heavenly light that spills into this all-white hotel. 
• The renovation. We loved the recent renovation with chic, artful decor and furnishings which still retain the history and charm of the iconic hotel. 
• The thoughtful details. Every tiny detail is thoughtfully considered. We love the turndown service that includes lavender-infused water on your bedside table to spray onto pillows, and the pot of tea waiting in your room after dinner. 

Recommendations

• Splurge on the penthouse, you’ll never want to leave. A sprawling suite overlooking Wategos Beach, infused with eclectic design details and Moroccan accents blended with modern design. Order an in-room breakfast and make sure you try the waffles!
• Hold your wedding ceremony on the front lawn overlooking Wategos Beach or on the beach itself. Follow with the reception in Raes’ dining room and post-wedding recovery by the pool.

Visit Raes on Wategos website for more info.

Deux Belettes

A French-inspired chateau tucked away in the rolling hills of the Byron Bay hinterland, Deux Belettes is a venue you won’t even believe exists in this part of the world. Made from reclaimed materials, its walls are infused with story and sentiment, with so many beautiful little nooks that reveal themselves as you move through the extraordinary venue. It’s a blank canvas space with endless possibilities for diversely different weddings, from intimate dinners to lavish marquee receptions or open-aired banquets.

We Love

• The aesthetic. An authentic, European-inspired space created by well-travelled owners with eclectic style and visionary ideas. It’s a transportive space that truly feels like an international destination wedding.
• The diversity. Deux Belettes is a maze of diverse event spaces and stunning vignettes for photo opportunities.
• The tranquil hinterland setting. The drive to Deux Belettes is a picturesque journey through rolling hills and a quaint country town. The property is surrounded by lush hinterland offering complete seclusion and privacy.

Recommendations

• Style an intimate dinner beneath Deux Belettes’ archways, spilling with candlelight.
• Hold a lavish dinner under the stars in the courtyard.
• Book the newly built bridal suite for your wedding night and have your bridal party stay on-site in the exquisite guest suites.

Visit Deux Belettes website for more info.

Beach Byron Bay

Set on absolute beachfront, The Beach Byron Bay is the dreamiest event space with a hypnotic oceanfront vista and an open-aired terrace perfect for sunset celebrations that segue into a magical event under the stars. A stylist’s dream to transform, this white-washed blank canvas is finished in muted earthen tones and oceanic textures of reclaimed timbers. 

Why We Love Beach Byron Bay

• The views. You cannot get better views than the Beach Byron Bay. Perched oceanfront at Clarks Beach, we were literally watching whales breach out front as we were shooting. 
• The exquisite dishes, artfully presented. A favorite for incredible seafood dishes and cocktails or rosé by the sea. 
• The team. The Beach Byron Bay is run by the most passionate, down to earth team. Everything here is bespoke, you won’t find a set package wedding here or a group of suppliers used over and over, your wedding will be exclusively your own. The owner Belinda is passionate about the little details that make a memorable event – making sure time is set aside on the night for the couple to soak everything in during the reception and enjoy their favorite cocktail. Post-wedding, it’s the little things that remain etched in their guest’s minds and inspire the incredible reviews this venue receives.  

Recommendations

• Hold your ceremony on the beach or on the lawn out the front of The Beach Byron Bay, followed by a reception styled in oceanic palettes dripping with candlelight and fairy lights at night.

Visit Beach Byron Bay’s website for more info.

Fins at Plantation House

Just a short drive north of Byron Bay lies this historic venue in a palette of all-white, surrounded by a 65-hectare tropical fruit plantation and the most breathtaking hinterland views of Mount Warning. Dreamy aesthetics aside, Fins is renowned for their exquisite dining experience, catered by celebrity chef Steven Snow of Fins Restaurant & Bar. 

We Love

• The views. A painterly backdrop of rolling hills at sunset perfect for a ceremony in the garden and post-ceremony drinks.
• The bridal suite. The property has the most beautiful bridal suite and accommodation in classical all-white palettes (we’re obsessed with the balustrade). 
• The cactus garden. Tucked around the outside of the property is the most extraordinary cactus garden perfect for photo ops.
• The menu. Catered by celebrity chef Steven Snow, Fins at Plantation House offers the most exquisite dining experience.

Recommendations

• Hold your ceremony on the lawn, spilling with wildflowers and panoramic views of Mount Warning.
• Style your reception with dramatic communal tables and artful foliage to complement the surrounding space.

Visit the Fins at Plantation House website for more info.

Byron Beach Abodes – The Cabin

A collection of some of Byron’s most stylish and unique boutique homes, with awe-inspiring home details by interior stylist Talia Lowry – a nomadic traveller whose wildly influences seep into every pocket of her spaces. The Byron Beach Abodes are luxurious getaways that leave you completely inspired to renovate or restyle your entire home. 

We Love

• The design details. Every home spills with character and unexpected, breathtaking spaces you can’t stop photographing. 
• ‘The Cabin’ is one of our favorite properties, surrounded by native gumtrees designed in earthy palettes and textures leading up toward the dreamiest master bathroom. 

Recommendations

• Book ‘The Cabin’ for a retreat for four people or for wedding guests. ‘The Bower’ is a beautifully transformed motel with individual rooms and luxurious houses to accommodate your wedding guest list. 

Visit the Byron Beach Abodes website for more info.

Barefoot Escapes

One of our favorite boutique accommodation offerings in Byron Bay, with a collection of stunning homes beautifully designed and decorated by The Designory. These unique spaces truly feel like a home away from home, in locations just minutes away from Byron’s best beaches. 

We Love

• The interiors. Each property features beautifully designed interiors and stunning layouts.
• The outdoor bath. The incredible main bedroom features a private balcony with an oversized bath to indulge in, surrounded by greenery.
• The heated outdoor pool. Perfect for a summer escape, or a winter retreat when days are still warm enough to swim but nights call for red wine, heated pools and hot outdoor baths.

Recommendations

• Book early as these popular boutique homes are reserved in advance. 

Visit the Barefoot Escapes website for more info.

28 Degrees

Located in the absolute heart of Byron Bay, 28 Degrees offers low-key luxury accommodation and is the perfect pre-wedding space to sleep your entire bridal party or close family and friends. Styled by interior stylist Deb Garske, this property is uniquely designed to keep guests all under the one roof, but with the seclusion and privacy that each room offers with private entry, bathrooms and plunge pools.

We Love

• The location. You cannot get a more central spot in Byron, yet one that also feels secluded and far removed once you’re inside the gates.
• The design of each room. Interior stylist Deb Garske layers tonal and textural details, from luxurious linens and furnishings down to the tiniest considered details of a well-stocked minibar.
• The size. A guest house with enough room to sleep your entire bridal party.

Recommendations

• Book the entire home for your wedding party or indulge in a weekend escape and book one of the private rooms.
• Indulge in an in-room massage.
• We loved the ‘Lighthouse’ room with a beautiful vantage point and vintage claw-foot bath.

Visit the 28 Degrees website for more info.

The Byron at Byron

A venue with winding paths that twist and turn through lush rainforest surrounds leading to secluded ceremony locations and a diverse selection of reception spaces. An indulgent escape in Byron Bay to lounge around their resort pool, luxurious spa treatments and accommodation. 

We Love

• The seclusion. The Byron at Byron is a complete escape in a unique rainforest space that differs from all coastal venues and accommodation. It’s a serene destination that you can completely lose yourself in, and the perfect place for a weekend away. 
• The resort capacity. Besides the beauty of their wedding spaces, practically it’s a resort that can accommodate your entire guest list in their luxurious on-site accommodation. 

Highlights

• Hold a ceremony amongst the rainforest and style an open-aired reception dinner on the lawn surrounded by lush greenery. 
• Block out two hours for the most indulgent couple’s treatment – a rainforest couples retreat with a foot cleanse and soak, Jindilli lime blossom body scrub, followed by a 90-minute massage, a mineral salt bath and seasonal platter.

Visit the Byron at Byron website for more info.

Creative Services

Sperry Tents

A chic alternative to a traditional marquee, we love the modern structures by Sperry Tents, all handmade from sailcloth. The perfect blank canvas reception for a beachside or hinterland wedding that lends beautifully to Byron Bay’s diverse locations.

We Love

• The elegance. Sperry Tents are perfect for couples who have a beautiful blank canvas space and want a magical marquee reception but are looking for something a little more modern, elegant and high end.

Recommendations

• There are so many diverse ways to style your celebration within these beautiful tents. No matter what your aesthetic, include an abundance of ambient lighting (fairy lights, festoon lights, candles, and fire pits outside of the tent) to create magical reception as dusk segues into night.

Visit the Sperry Tents website for more info.

Marina Machado Cakes

By far one of the world’s most talented cake artists, located here in Byron Bay. Marina Michado fuses texture, unexpected from and dreamy palettes to create cakes that are nothing short of works of art. 

We Love

• An artful approach. Marina Michado sees a wedding cake through a much more inspired lens, incorporating the beautiful tradition of cake making, but merging that with design that draws from deeper meaning, creating cakes that can only be described as visual poetry. 

Recommendations

• Provide an overall brief of your wedding aesthetic, venue and any other crucial details, but let Marina dream up a creation that far surpasses anything you could have imagined (or anything you want to replicate spotted on Pinterest!).

Visit the Marina Machado website for more info.

The Romance

A new discovery, and easily one of the world’s most talented wedding stylists, creating wildly artistic but beautifully refined event styling for ceremonies, receptions and post-wedding brunches. 

We Love

• The balance. Creative Director Heidi has the most incredible eye for layering tonal palettes and textures with a beautifully contemporary touch – all with artful restraint, never feeling over-styled or distracting from the natural beauty of a space (which we tend to see a lot of in the wedding industry).

Recommendations

• Supply a brief that dives into the ‘why’ behind your wedding. What are you inspired by, what moods, spaces, and other visual references you are drawn to without bringing specific examples of weddings to imitate. Let Heidi dream up something completely unique from more abstract inspiration. 

Visit The Romance website for more info.

Nikau Flowers

Bryon’s most renowned florists, and we think, one of the world’s most talented artists who we’ve worked with on many events and styled shoots. Florists known for their sculptural, artistic arrangements that fuse unexpected combinations of fresh and dried botanicals. 

We Love

• Authentic artists. Nicole and Nikkie are a dream to work with. The kind of artists you can brief, but don’t want to overly direct, knowing they’ll take your inspirations and dream up a work of art beyond anything you can imagine. Absolute visionaries in the industry who don’t cling to trends, and who always deliver something fresh, unique, and deeply authentically inspired. 

Recommendations

• The beauty of using dried botanicals – the longevity. Display your bouquet long after your wedding, or have Nikkau create an artful arrangement specifically for your home.
• Give an inspired creative brief, but for the best results, you want to really let go and trust that what you’re going to get back is beyond the limits of what you can brief yourself. 

Visit the Nikau website for more info.

Songbird Silk

An artisanal collection of handmade silks and ribbons to layer within your wedding tablescapes, or loosely tie around bouquets. Owner Tamara Franz has the most beautiful collection in dreamy neutral palettes that elevate wedding tables. 

We Love

• The textural details. Styling a beautiful tablescape is all about the layering of tonal palettes and unique textures. We love Songbird Silk’s collection of raw-edged fabrics, delicate hand-dyed silks and silk ribbons and the diversity they offer for styling a wedding. 
• The palettes. An abundance of choice in the most beautiful variation of earthy tones from rich caramels, burnt sage, to latte, almond, ivory and dreamy whites.

Recommendations

• Layer a table with raw edge napkins, silk accents for place cards or to tie around silverware, and loosely tie a trail of tonal ribbons around your bouquet for movement. 

Visit the Songbird Silk website for more info.

Paper Paper Co

A stationery design service for the modern minimalists who love artful detail, a less is more approach and luxurious paper stock. Designer Erin Cusack creates stunning stationery suites including invitations, place cards and menus for your wedding. 

We Love

• The bespoke creations. An artist we work with regularly and know we can give a loose creative brief and be inspired every time by the incredible work Paper Paper Co comes back with to elevate your wedding aesthetic.
• The chic minimalism. A brand infused with unique, minimalist design…we particularly love Paper Paper Co’s line drawings. 

Recommendations

• Provide a mood board of your wedding and have an entire suite of stationery designed with save-the-dates to hint at the style of the celebration to come, artistic invitations, menus and placards, for a cohesive look from start to finish.

Visit the Paper Paper Co website for more info.

The French Petal

Infused with her classically French aesthetic, having lived and studied floristry in Paris, The French Petal brings a fusion of old-world romance and artful botanicals to the Byron Bay area.

We Love

• Bold installations. A master of rambling floral installations that cascade over tablescapes, wind down trees and suspend from ceilings.
• Classic bouquets. While beautifully bold tones are visible throughout The French Petal’s work, we love the subtle arrangements infused with classicism, using traditional blooms.

Recommendations

• Choose bold ceremony installations to transform a blank backdrop or suspend over a more subtle reception tablescape.

Visit The French Petal website for more info.

Anise Catering

A high end caterer we’ve worked with over the years on so many events, Anise Catering specialise in artfully plated dishes, unique flavours and specialty cocktails to cohesively tie in with your wedding style. 

We Love

• The plating. As a lover of aesthetics, the visual beauty of Anise’s dishes is something we’re drawn to for creative events. 
• Fresh, local ingredients. The unique flavors and freshly sourced local ingredients set Anise apart from other caterers.
•  The cocktails. Anise also specialize in creating incredible cocktails.

Recommendations

• Create a brief or mood board of your decor styling and work with owner Brendon to design dishes that complement the overall aesthetic.
• Incorporate a lavish dessert bar or grazing table filled with unexpected combinations as a focal part of your event and the perfect way to keep guests refreshed between ceremony and reception. 

Visit the Anise Events website for more info.

Eleven Events

A duo who create the most extraordinary grazing tables for post-ceremony celebrations and aperitivo hour, styled to fit your brief using only the highest quality produce.

We Love

• The visual presentation. Founders Amy and Jess are professional stylists, who have an incredible knowledge of design, palettes, florals and will create a display that elevates your wedding styling.
• The quality. Besides the visual aesthetics, what truly separates Eleven Events from the many grazing table providers in the industry is the quality of their produce – locally sourced where possible with only the most premium ingredients.
• The Wandering Bar. Eleven Events also offer a ‘wandering bar’ as a creative alternative to a simple bar set up at a wedding.

Recommendations

• Book Eleven Events to create a decadent grazing table for your guests to indulge in between ceremony and reception.
• Supply a brief or mood board for your event and let Eleven Events create an artistic spread that will become a focal part of your wedding decor.

Visit the Eleven Events website for more info.

Photographers

Beauty & Wellness

Yoga & Meditation / The Blissed Bride

A truly rejuvenating experience for the bride and bridal party, The Blissed Bride travels to your venue and offers private yoga and meditation sessions on the morning of a wedding day.

We Love

• A blissful state of mind. A Blissed Bride session is such a perfect way to start your wedding day and keep you feeling present and centred, especially on a day that usually begins with nerves, anxiety and excitement.
• The logistical ease. Instructor and Founder Penny will travel to your wedding location and supply yoga mats so you don’t have to consider a thing.

Recommendations

• Book your session on the morning of your wedding before beginning hair and makeup, or you can schedule a session for the evening before, to encourage a deep, restful sleep.

Visit The Blissed Bride website for more info.

Hair & Makeup Artist / Ashlea Penfold

A highly sought after makeup artist residing in the Byron Bay Area, flown internationally for campaigns, shoots and weddings. We’ve been lucky enough to work with Ashlea on so many of our editorial shoots and can’t recommend her stunning work enough.

We Love

• Glowing skin. Ashlea is a master of beautiful skin work, creating dewy looks and fresh skin using natural palettes that will leave you glowing on your wedding day, but still feel like you.
• Natural beauty. There’s an effortless beauty to her work that is so refreshing for bridal (you’ll never see over-sprayed curls, over-styled updos or stereotypical bridal makeup in her body of work).

Recommendations

• Make naturally beautiful skin your goal with a pre-wedding skincare routine.
• Bring inspiration from runways or beauty editorials for a fresh approach to bridal makeup.
• Show Ashlea the style of your wedding and gown and allow her to recommend a hair and makeup look to complement. 

Visit Ashlea Penfold’s website for more info.

Wellness Spas & Clinics