Ballina Wedding Celebrant
Getting Married in Ballina
Hi I'm Caz.
It's my belief Ballina is one of the most underestimated places on the east coast. Though it's located south of Byron Bay, its beaches and waterways rival both the Tweed Coast and Byron Bay. One of my favourite places to conduct a wedding ceremony is Lake Ainsworth. It's a beautiful fresh water lake to the north of Ballina CBD, separated from the sea by a small area of sand, opposite the local camping ground and near the surf life saving club.
Of course you can get married on any of the beaches in the area - whether it be Seven Mile Beach, Shelly Beach or Angels Beach; or even at Shaws Bay, which has sandy beaches along the Richmond River estuary. And then you have Lennox Head which has a gorgeous beach and to the south, Boulder Beach. It is in fact covered with rocky boulders, as you can see from the photo at the bottom of this page. From the carpark you can walk up a tiny knoll to another headland from which you can see Lennox Head just beyond an amazing surf beach. It's one of the prettiest spots for a wedding you can find and is relatively private.
The photo above is of Richmond River Lighthouse. As lighthouses go, it's very small; but so pretty with its Coral Sea backdrop. And yes that's true! The Coral Sea extends this far south! The couple photographed chose to marry here because they wanted an iconic spot. The bride's mother who speaks English very well, live streamed the ceremony back to her husband, the bride's father, in Amsterdam. Meanwhile the groom's parents who visited from Madrid, sat very patiently listening to a ceremony that was not in their first language. Fortunately I gave the groom a hard and soft copy of the script and he used the translator app on his phone to explain what had been said. We were a very small group gathered on a Saturday afternoon in a local reserve, with one of the best views in town.
Shelly Beach Cafe is a small, beautifully set up venue that is often used for weddings. It too looks directly out to sea, over the pristine sand and is surrounded by Pandanus on the land side. The small space outside is a great private spot for a mid-sized ceremony, with seating.
Other spots away from the coast that are brilliant spots for a wedding include local halls, like Tintenbar, Pearces Creek and Meerschaum Vale, Newrybar, Eureka, Goonellabah, Ewingsdale and more. Toward Casino, there is also Windara Gardens, which is fabulous for weddings. One of its wedding spaces appears below..
If you want to marry in a park, the best spot I've experienced for an outdoor wedding is Victoria Park. A little away from the carpark is a protected spot surrounded by mature trees and with old picnic tables and benches. And just down the road is another amazing local venue called Deux Belettes. It's a French style manor which has been built from rock (basalt) located on the property. To my knowledge, the number of weddings held there is limited to 12 per annum. But it's an amazingly peaceful place with plenty of location choices for the marrying couple.
But what about the local reserves and parks. A favourite recently discovered is Rocky Creek Dam. Stunning views of the beautifully maintained native reserve above the dam draw your attention to the big sky. A similar style of venue, though further from Ballina, is Clarrie Hall Dam at Doon Doon. It's worth investigating for it has what is like a runway out to the dam where brides and grooms can stand with guests shaded by tall trees. The facilities are great and there is also a community hall there which is often used for the catered reception.
Anyone who lives in the area, or who wants to visit for their ceremony, is seriously spoiled for choice. Local hotels are also great places for wedding ceremonies, including Eltham Pub which is 8kms down the road from my home. There is a section to the rear which can be partitioned off for privacy and the food and service are always great.
Wedding venues within Ballina CBD abound as well. So, even if you don't live in this area, flying in by plane or driving to this part of the world is well worth the effort for a unique, laid back experience in the Northern Rivers region. Just go back to the Home page and press that Contact icon so we can chat!
It's my belief Ballina is one of the most underestimated places on the east coast. Though it's located south of Byron Bay, its beaches and waterways rival both the Tweed Coast and Byron Bay. One of my favourite places to conduct a wedding ceremony is Lake Ainsworth. It's a beautiful fresh water lake to the north of Ballina CBD, separated from the sea by a small area of sand, opposite the local camping ground and near the surf life saving club.
Of course you can get married on any of the beaches in the area - whether it be Seven Mile Beach, Shelly Beach or Angels Beach; or even at Shaws Bay, which has sandy beaches along the Richmond River estuary. And then you have Lennox Head which has a gorgeous beach and to the south, Boulder Beach. It is in fact covered with rocky boulders, as you can see from the photo at the bottom of this page. From the carpark you can walk up a tiny knoll to another headland from which you can see Lennox Head just beyond an amazing surf beach. It's one of the prettiest spots for a wedding you can find and is relatively private.
The photo above is of Richmond River Lighthouse. As lighthouses go, it's very small; but so pretty with its Coral Sea backdrop. And yes that's true! The Coral Sea extends this far south! The couple photographed chose to marry here because they wanted an iconic spot. The bride's mother who speaks English very well, live streamed the ceremony back to her husband, the bride's father, in Amsterdam. Meanwhile the groom's parents who visited from Madrid, sat very patiently listening to a ceremony that was not in their first language. Fortunately I gave the groom a hard and soft copy of the script and he used the translator app on his phone to explain what had been said. We were a very small group gathered on a Saturday afternoon in a local reserve, with one of the best views in town.
Shelly Beach Cafe is a small, beautifully set up venue that is often used for weddings. It too looks directly out to sea, over the pristine sand and is surrounded by Pandanus on the land side. The small space outside is a great private spot for a mid-sized ceremony, with seating.
Other spots away from the coast that are brilliant spots for a wedding include local halls, like Tintenbar, Pearces Creek and Meerschaum Vale, Newrybar, Eureka, Goonellabah, Ewingsdale and more. Toward Casino, there is also Windara Gardens, which is fabulous for weddings. One of its wedding spaces appears below..
If you want to marry in a park, the best spot I've experienced for an outdoor wedding is Victoria Park. A little away from the carpark is a protected spot surrounded by mature trees and with old picnic tables and benches. And just down the road is another amazing local venue called Deux Belettes. It's a French style manor which has been built from rock (basalt) located on the property. To my knowledge, the number of weddings held there is limited to 12 per annum. But it's an amazingly peaceful place with plenty of location choices for the marrying couple.
But what about the local reserves and parks. A favourite recently discovered is Rocky Creek Dam. Stunning views of the beautifully maintained native reserve above the dam draw your attention to the big sky. A similar style of venue, though further from Ballina, is Clarrie Hall Dam at Doon Doon. It's worth investigating for it has what is like a runway out to the dam where brides and grooms can stand with guests shaded by tall trees. The facilities are great and there is also a community hall there which is often used for the catered reception.
Anyone who lives in the area, or who wants to visit for their ceremony, is seriously spoiled for choice. Local hotels are also great places for wedding ceremonies, including Eltham Pub which is 8kms down the road from my home. There is a section to the rear which can be partitioned off for privacy and the food and service are always great.
Wedding venues within Ballina CBD abound as well. So, even if you don't live in this area, flying in by plane or driving to this part of the world is well worth the effort for a unique, laid back experience in the Northern Rivers region. Just go back to the Home page and press that Contact icon so we can chat!
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