Real Wedding // Billie & Jonnie’s Hinterland House Wedding

Billie and Jonnie recently escaped to Bangalow’s majestic Hinterland House for their intimate, down-to-earth, starry night celebration. It had all of us here at Byron Bay Weddings swooning. Jonnie proposed on the beach at sunrise and they married on the same day one year later. An ode to their country/costal upbringings, Billie and Jonnie let the striking venue speak for itself, playing into its rustic, earthy design features with carefully curated personal touches to make the sprawling venue feel like home. Their weekend was filled with so many special, unexpected twists and turns. It was such a joy to watch their vision and love story come to life. Read on!

Tell us your story, how did you both meet?
We met in our first year of University. We both came to Brisbane from regional areas to study, and we forged a friendship very quickly. We were good friends for a couple of years before eventually becoming a couple back in 2010. 

How did the proposal happen?
We were living in Sydney at the time, exactly a year before the wedding. We were up early on a Saturday to catch a sunrise from the Bronte Headland. I was most definitely still half asleep when Jonnie got down on one knee and proposed! After catching me completely off guard, I was whisked away for a surprise long weekend at Cabarita, where we got to soak up the engagement vibes and let the excitement truly sink in! The effort that Jonnie went to in making the proposal a complete surprise for me, our family (except Dad) and our friends was overwhelming and made for such a dreamy time in sharing the news with our nearest and dearest.

What were the reasons for choosing Hinterland House as the venue for your special day?
We wanted to choose a venue that was neutral territory for us both. We have family spread all over the country, so we needed somewhere close to airports but with the country and coastal vibe from where we both respectively came from. The charm of the heritage sandstone of Hinterland House and the aspect across to the ocean were two very enticing features, not to mention the beautiful big green macadamia trees that create those intimate and romantic vibes. As soon as I saw that archway dripping in Ivy, I was in love! We also adored the fact that all of our bridal party and partners (and babes) could fit under the one roof for the long weekend, we were able to elongate the weekend by spending quality time with family and friends the day before, at the rehearsal dinner, the morning of and the day after the wedding. The team at Hinterland House were so accommodating, which made for a no-fuss and very relaxed (& luxurious) wedding weekend! 

What style were you striving for with your table settings, florals and reception? Was there a certain look or vibe that you wanted to create?
I was always under the impression that less is more, I knew the venue would speak for itself, and we didn’t want to take away from the natural charm and features of the venue. Timber seemed like an obvious choice for tables and chairs, so we chose dark timber to match with the surrounding macadamia orchards and kept that theme throughout the different spaces. We had billy buttons and blue gum on the tables bought all the way from Armidale to add a touch of home to the setting. And my talented sister hand wrote all of the name cards and table settings. The florals for the bouquets were beautifully hand-delivered by the talented girls at Bramblehaus in Bangalow. They did an exceptional job! Honestly, that was about it, Hinterland House was manicured to a tee, and a bit of confetti and a space filled with our favourite faces was all that was needed to complete our ‘look’! 

Were there any vendors that you particularly loved working with and why?
Honestly, all of the vendors were first class. We only have praise for everyone who worked so hard to ensure that our day ran smoothly; the gorgeous duo that helped us glam up in the morning, my uncle John who doubles as a celebrant, the bus crew who safely got our guests from A to B, the wait staff who were attentive beyond expectations, the delicious food of Fig Tree Catering, the team behind the perfect bouquets and furniture/styling/marquee, the sweet tunes of our musicians and not to mention the talent of our close friends, photographer Cass and videographer Luke who captured the day so beautifully. The team at Byron Bay Weddings were a dream to work with right from the beginning of the planning process but a special shout out to Lloyd for being the cool, calm and collected go-to man who was the linchpin to our enjoyment of the day! Amazing! 

Overall, what was your most favourite part of your wedding day and why?
Ahh, to choose one moment is very difficult. We each have many cherished moments scattered throughout the day, but perhaps the most memorable is standing with Jonnie under the archway and feeling the ceremony in all of its glory, so much love in one space!

As a sneaky addition – one also can’t look past popping the champagne for the first time officially as husband and wife! A fabulous way to roll into the more relaxed part of the day!

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Billie & Jonnie xo

Suppliers:
Venue: Hinterland House // Structure: Byron Bay Wedding Party & Hire // Hair & Makeup: The Future Mrs // Photographer: Cassie Sullivan Weddings // Videographer: Mears Productions // Florist: Bramblehaus //
Cheese Tower: Fig Tree Catering // Guest Transport: Steve’s Transport // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings