Wedding Reception Central Coast

The first question for a Central Coast wedding is whether guests stay put after the vows. Chapel Ridge at Kulnura and Kangy Gardens at Kangy Angy both have a chapel on the grounds, Bidja Estate at Ourimbah sets rainforest and paddock ceremony spots beside a red barn seating 160, and The Barn @ Saddles Mount White has a lakeside ceremony spot on 28 acres of bushland. Each keeps the whole day on one property, which suits couples who'd rather not move a crowd between locations.

Couples marrying on the sand or in a church tend to look to the coast for the reception. The Tropic in Terrigal seats 160 on exclusive hire, Amarilla seats 70 on the water at Terrigal Haven, and The Surf Club Avoca Beach hires its first-floor hall and verandahs above the beach. On the peninsula, the auditorium at Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club seats 130 with a balcony facing Lion Island, while Royal Hotel Wyong's dining room seats up to 130 for a relaxed pub reception.

Marrying on family land with no building at all? Matakata Hire & Events pitches Sperry tents and Kata tipis, each tipi seating about 80, and caterers such as Pachamama Catering, cooking garden-grown menus from Killcare, and H&H Catering, experienced with marquee and property receptions, bring the food to you.

Booking the rest of the team:

• Photos and film: Kendell Tyne Photography from $1,900 for elopement coverage, and Jxsn Films, which holds your date with a $200 deposit
• Flowers: Sea Rose Florist hands over bouquets and buttonholes in person on the day, and Piccolo Pear in East Gosford works with seasonal, foraged and native materials
• Drinks: Memory Lane Weddings & Events serves your BYO drinks from Florence, a 1968 caravan bar
• Music and transport: Soho DJ charges no travel fee anywhere on the coast, while DJ Bass Sick (from $700) can also MC the formalities, Dolce Strings plays the vows from $1,200, and Let Us Take You Private Transfers runs a white stretch limousine

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