Nao & Aaron's Gold Coast Hinterland wedding

Here’s a duo who aren’t afraid to embrace the “unconventional” (we love to see it!) Aaron and Nao opted to share their vows in private and swapped speeches for party games. Honouring Nao’s heritage, they also had a traditional Japanese sake barrel-breaking ceremony. “At the end of the day,” they shared, “it was all about throwing a big, fun party with awesome drinks, delicious food, and making sure everyone, including us, had the best time.” We’ll cheers to that!

The Gold Coast Hinterland really turned on the charm. Those views! And we’ve got to give it up for photographer Cooper Brady, who “captured everything perfectly.” Scroll on to check it out…

THE VENUE “We knew we wanted a mountain view setting in the hinterland. After touring eight venues, we chose The Bower Estate for its breathtaking views, which we thought would be perfect for our cocktail-style wedding. We also loved The Bower Estate because of their catering partner, Ridgeway Catering, who are known for their incredible food. It just felt like the right fit.”

FAVE DETAILS “One of our favourite details from the day was the wedding favours. We set them out on a table, each bag personalised with a photo of the guest clipped to the front, and everyone had to ‘find their face’. Another highlight was the program and reception sign. I asked my sister to sketch us standing in front of the reception marquee, and we included that sketch on each of them. It added such a meaningful, personal touch to the day.”

MEMORABLE MOMENT “We decided to do a first look and share private vows on the deck of the cottage where we were getting ready. The scenic view from the cottage was incredible, and it was such a special moment to relax together before the ceremony. I loved meeting everyone for the first time as they began arriving before the ceremony. It was amazing seeing everyone all dressed up and meeting family who had travelled from interstate and overseas. Later, as the night grew darker, we had our lantern exit, which turned out perfectly. The paper lanterns looked stunning in the dark, with the marquee and the big fig tree in the background. The games were a huge hit, too – everyone was laughing and having a blast. It was honestly so great seeing all our friends and family having such a fun time together.”

COOL CUSTOM “We incorporated a beautiful Japanese tradition into our day – the sake barrel-breaking ceremony, known as ‘Kagami Biraki.’ This tradition symbolises harmony and marks the beginning of a joyful journey for the couple. As a newly married couple, we broke open the sake barrel, representing the start of a future filled with happiness and prosperity. Once the lid was off, we served sake to all our guests by scooping from the 72L barrel and filling traditional wooden sake cups, which they were able to keep as a memento of the day.”

LITTLE LOL “Aaron’s ring ended up being a little too tight (thanks to big knuckles) during the ceremony, so the celebrant pulled out some lubricant to help me (Nao) get the ring on his finger. It still took a while, but after a lot of giggles from the audience, it finally went on!”

STANDOUT VENDORS “Cooper was an absolute pleasure to work with. From the start, he had a calming presence and was so friendly and easy to connect with. His experience really showed, and his style was exactly what we were looking for – he captured everything perfectly.”

Getting wed in southeast Queensland or the Northern Rivers? Jump over to the directory to get to know our favourite local wedding pros, like Cooper Brady! Here’s where you can get in touch and see more of his work. Then join us in swooning over these romantic first-look moments.