Wedding Venue: The Bower Estate
Celebrant: Married By Jake
Hair and Make-up Artist: Nian Makeup
Music: Baker Boys Band
Florals: Archara Florist
Wedding Dress: RI Fashion Studio
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ABOUT BOWER ESTATE WEDDINGS
Up in the mountain ranges of the Gold Coast Hinterland, The Bower Estate sits on 120 acres of green forest, lush hills and stunning views. If you like the idea of an outdoor wedding ceremony, where you look around and see mountain ridges, this is a great place to have your wedding. The Bower Estate has four different ceremony locations, including up on Hillview, down on the Lawns, underneath the Fig Tree, or undercover in the Verandah.
As for the reception space, it's a large, clear-roofed marquee adorned with fairy lights and nestled snugly in the trees. You're able to fit a maximum of 140 guests without a dance floor, or 120 guests if you wanted one. Although depending on how rowdy your guests can be when dancing, the floor can shake a little bit!
There's plenty of great spots for couple photos too, and depending on the weather on your day, some awesome opportunities for colourful sunset skies. You'll probably miss out on the golden hour glow though, since there is a large mountain on the west of The Bower Estate which would block out the low sun.
Finally, The Bower Estate is about a 2 hour drive from Brisbane, or a 1 hour drive from Gold Coast. There is a three bedroom cottage onsite for you to stay, and a few discounted accommodation spots for your guests. All up, it's a fine place to host your wedding, and I would recommend it!
The day started out gloomy and cloudy, and unluckily for us, it started raining once I arrived. We found some cover in the cottage where Grace was getting some finishing touches done for her dress - by Ethan's mother, who designed and altered it herself! After a cute and emotional first look, we got some bridal party portraits out of the way, which really frees up time after the ceremony.
Grace and Ethan's wedding ceremony was full of laughter and tears, with personalised vows, and a special part where both their mothers got up and read out personal letters to them. It was probably one of the more touching things I've seen at a wedding, and it just added to the wholesome, lovey feels that Grace and Ethan had already set up. Thankfully, the rain had stopped and it was only cloudy, so we could enjoy the view and not be sunburnt.
After a quick few photos (since we already took some before the ceremony), Grace and Ethan went off to mingle and enjoy some canapes before the delicious reception dinner, and the dessert table setup by a friend who had previously been on MasterChef! Their reception speeches were just as emotional and funny as their ceremony vows were, and it just reinforced the super-love that was evident in their families.
Grace and Ethan finished off their wedding with a quick dress change and a really impressive 3-minute choreography for their first dance. And remember how I mentioned the dance floor shaking if your guests were rowdy? This wedding is how I found out.
