Real Wedding // Jelena & Carl’s Hinterland House Wedding

From the food to the florals to the venue… This wedding is easily one of our top favourites from 2019! In Jelena & Carl’s words “We knew we wanted it to be WOW” and wow is exactly what it was! We love the great Gatsby style and breathtaking views that Hinterland House offers. The styling by The Wedding Shed and Bower Botanicals blew us away. Check out this magical wedding below.

Tell us your story, how did you both meet?
Carl and I met on a night out in Brisbane many moons ago. It is honestly a night I will never forget (for very good and very bad reasons). Carl is an extremely persistent human and I agreed to go out on a date with him, a year after we had actually met. When we went on our first date, it felt like we had known each other for 50 years already. 

How did the proposal happen?
It was Boxing Day 2018 and we had just arrived in Byron for a week-long break. When we arrived at our place, Carl was getting increasingly agitated and restless so he said he was going to go hire out some bikes. He was gone for quite a long time and he didn’t come back with the bikes. He told me to get ready to go for a drive instead. So, we drove to Broken Head and walked to the lookout at sunset and that’s when he proposed! I cried so much I gave myself a headache. I asked him what the bikes had to do with anything and he said his plan was to bike ride to Broken Head and pretend to have a faulty tire and get down on one knee at that moment (he knows me so well). It was getting dark and the road was dangerous at night so he bailed on that idea at the last minute. 

What was the reason for choosing Hinterland House as the venue for your special day?
On the day we went to Hinterland House, we had quite a few venues to look at (mainly on the Gold Coast). We weren’t really thinking we would have the wedding down towards Byron Bay or Bangalow but thought we’d add it in the mix anyway. As soon as we drove up the driveway, we pretty much knew that was it. We always wanted to have it on a property, but the other venues we saw didn’t have much character and the logistics weren’t great. Not only is Hinterland House stunning, it has a history, it’s not too far away from the beaches and Byron, there is a lot of accommodation close by and it is also in very close proximity to St Kevin’s Church which was a big tick for us. 

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?
We knew we wanted it to be WOW but keep it very inviting and comfortable. Also, we knew we didn’t want to detract from the setting of the house and keep it cohesive. The floral brief was initially ‘architectural, sticky and drippy’ ha! It was the only way I knew how to describe it (with imagery of course). Bower Botanicals absolutely blew us away. 

Were there any particular vendors that you loved working with and why?
Everyone was incredible to work with and we’re so happy with how everything turned out. Bower Botanicals were obviously amazing, our photographers, Sophie from Hinterland Honey Byron Bay did our wedding favours and was so lovely to work with. And of course the whole Byron Bay Weddings team. It couldn’t have happened without you! Oh and the FOOD. Our guests still can’t stop talking about it. I can easily go on, but I will probably run out of space here. 

Overall, what was your most favourite part of your wedding day and why?
The best part for us both was when we saw each other in the Church. It was the biggest relief and nothing else really mattered at that moment.

Jelena & Carl xo

Suppliers
Venue: Hinterland House // Structure: Event Marquees // Hair & Makeup: Alex Outson Beauty // Photographer: Cloud Catcher Studio // Florist: Bower Botanicals // Musician & DJ: Lara May Music // Wedding Cake: Byron Bay Cacao // Guest Transport: Steve’s Transport // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings // Favours and Gifts Hinterland Honey Byron Bay