3 venues for a hinterland wedding in Byron Bay
Highlights. Behind the beaches, the Byron hinterland is all green hills, macadamia orchards and big skies. If you would rather marry among the gardens and farmland than on the sand, here are three hinterland venues to start with. We list them in no particular order.
What we mean by "a hinterland wedding"
We mean a private country property inland from Byron Bay, with space for the ceremony, the party and, in most cases, somewhere for guests to stay. Each of these has its own character.
The three
Forget Me Not Weddings, Coopers Shoot
Forget Me Not is in the Byron Bay hinterland, close to Bangalow and Byron Bay. It is a wedding venue that combines manicured gardens, rolling farmland and a waterfront setting, with rainforest plantings, wide lawns and a lake with a wooden jetty and rowboat. There are plenty of ceremony spots across the property, each with its own backdrop, including one space with a facade of a chapel in the rainforest gardens.
You can choose a marquee for up to 160 guests or a permanent pavilion, The WaterShed, for up to approximately 70 guests seated for dinner or up to 90 for a cocktail-style reception. Elopements and micro weddings are also on offer, so you can scale the day down as well as up.
Guests can stay on the property in 4 beautifully appointed cottages sleeping 14 people. The Saloon space in the Homestead is on offer for the groom and wedding party to prepare for the day. Location planners, photography information and a FAQ help you plan before you visit.
A good fit if you want a garden-and-lake setting and the choice between a marquee and a permanent pavilion.
"Truly the most beautiful and special wedding venue you’ll ever find."
forgetmenotweddings.com.au · Instagram · Facebook
The Orchard Estate, Byron Bay hinterland
The Orchard Estate is a 100-acre working cattle and macadamia farm in the hinterland. It has a purpose-built restaurant barn with a 180-degree view of the Nightcap Ranges, and accommodation on site.
The owners say they have run it for about 10 years, after more than 20 years in corporate life, and spent that time carefully restoring the macadamia orchard. A smaller second barn is set aside for micro weddings and elopements.
It hosts weddings, private events and elopements, so you can scale from a full celebration down to something very small. Dining, stays and photoshoots are also on offer.
A good fit if you want a working farm setting with mountain views and are open to a smaller or elopement-style day.
"Thanks again for your support throughout the planning process - You were nothing shy of helpful and genuine."
theorchardestate.com.au · Instagram
Nutting Hill Villa, Clunes
Nutting Hill Villa is a Tuscan-style venue set on 60 acres in the Byron hinterland, able to host both large and intimate weddings. Guests can wander from the villa through a macadamia orchard to a light-filled event space that opens onto tropical gardens.
Choose a weekend or mid week ceremony on The Green with a background of spectacular valley views, followed by cocktails and perhaps games in the adjacent Pavilion until your guests are led along a white sandstone path, down the grand staircase, to a fairy lit reception in the Plantation Room marquee, which looks out onto the gardens and lawns beyond.
The property offers total privacy, sunset views and onsite accommodation. The villa was designed by owners Liz and Warren, is fully off-grid, and featured in a 2022 episode of Grand Designs Australia.
A good fit if you want a private, Italian-style estate where the ceremony, party and guest stay are all in one place.
"Thank you for opening up Nutting Hill to us. We had such an amazing time and a stunning wedding."
nuttinghillvilla.com · Instagram · Facebook
Before you book
Questions worth asking on a venue tour:
- Which dates are available, and what is the deposit and cancellation policy?
- What is the finish time, and are there noise or curfew rules?
- What is the wet-weather plan, and where do we stand for the ceremony if it rains?
- Is the venue exclusive to us on the day, and can we bring our own suppliers?
- What accommodation is on site or nearby for us and our guests?
We chose these venues from public information: each hosts weddings in the Byron Bay hinterland and has positive reviews. Nobody pays to be included, and we have not tested anyone's services.