COULD these be the Gold Coast’s most romantic properties?
Loved-up couples are choosing to tie the knot on private properties, bucking traditional wedding venues such as churches and beaches.
The trend that has couples hitched in their homes now has wedding bells ringing in multi-million dollar mansions and Hinterland properties.
Prominent-businesswoman Sandra Cowell lent her Mermaid Beach penthouse to her personal assistant Belinda Gailey.
“She had her wedding ceremony under the cabana bar on my rooftop,” Mrs Cowell said.
“It was gorgeous — we had more than 60 guests and there were wet bars all over the rooftop and caterers serving food through the servery window in the kitchen.
“It was a very special event and the backdrop of the ocean was very beautiful.”
For Stephen and Christine Coady, it was a last-minute decision to marry at their Tallebudgera acreage property.
“We decided to forfeit our deposit and have the wedding on our acreage,” Mrs Coady said.
“We loved the idea of complete freedom that came with having the wedding on our own place — no noise restrictions, no set time we had to set up and be finished by, and no overpriced bar alcohol as we supplied our own.”
It was a move that saved the pair more than $5000.
“In retrospect it saved us venue charges, a ceremony fee and the inflated price of behind the bar alcohol and bar staff,” Mrs Coady said.
Gold Coast celebrant Marylin Verschuure, of Marry Me Marylin, said couples were even renting luxury mansions to take advantage of the Coast’s scenery.
“A lot of people from interstate and Brisbane are choosing to rent mansions because they can stay with their family in private and it is affordable,” Mrs Verschuure said.
“There have been weddings with 100 people and the guests stay close by in hotels while the six-bedroom mansions cater for the family.
“There is also a great variety of options on the Gold Coast — couples have choices between the beach and Hinterland.”
For Kate and Ben Goddfrey, it was an easy decision to rent ‘The Point’ mansion at Sanctuary Cove.
“I always knew I wanted to have a garden wedding but I just never had the space for it,” Mrs Goddfrey said.
“We had this place for four days and it was am intimate location for us to get married.”