Say 'I do' with a stunning backdrop at these beach wedding venues in Queensland

Burleigh Heads Beach

Not just the go-to for surfers, picnickers and sun-bathers, popular Burleigh Beach is a favourite Gold Coast wedding venue. Commit to your love on the southern end of the beach, then host your reception at hatted restaurant Rick Shores to continue the beach vibes while you dine and dance into the evening. 

Froggy Beach

Away from the crowds, this beach nook between Snapper Rocks and Point Danger has a timber walkway to ensure a grand entrance. Just note that this hidden gem isn’t available for wedding from February to the end of April due to surfing events.

Currumbin Beach

If you want to be right by the beach minus the hassle of sinking in the sand, Currumbin Deck offers the perfect platform for your nuptials. This quiet beach location is less likely to draw a crowd of onlookers, too.

Pacific Beach Surf Life Saving Club

Get married on the lush lawn facing out over Palm Beach (or on the beach itself) then keep those laidback vibes rolling into the night at the Pacific Beach Function Centre on the first floor of the surf club. This blank canvas space with a covered balcony can be transformed into the beach wedding you’ve always imagined.

To get married on one of these Gold Coast beaches, you’ll need to apply for a permit through the City of Gold Coast.

Brisbane beach weddings

Tangalooma Island Resort

Turn your nuptials into an island getaway for you and your guests. Moreton Island's Tangalooma Island Resort is one of the only Queensland beaches where you can have a bonfire reception, and the views of Moreton Bay and the Glasshouse Mountains will win you over, too. 

North Stradbroke Island

Escape to an island hideaway for your dream wedding. Laidback North Stradbroke Island feels like that nostalgic coastal holiday from your childhood, but the views and adventures here are dialled up to ten. Stradbroke Island Events will make your big day fuss-free, and you'll have your pick of golden beaches to celebrate on. 

Northshore Harbour

For a beach wedding with a touch of city style, marry on the lawn in front of this private Hamilton beach with the Brisbane river as your backdrop. Northshore Harbour is the little sister to the iconic Brisbane city venue Riverlife, offering a more intimate setting.

Sunshine Coast beach weddings

Noosa North Shore

Have 50 kilometres of unspoilt beach all to yourself. A short ferry ride across the river from Tewantin, everything you need is in the one place at Noosa North Shore, including three reception venues and accommodation for all budgets. And if your best man has four legs, it’s also pet-friendly. 

Maroochydore Surf Lifesaving Club

Maroochydore’s beautiful beach is the perfect spot to start a marriage. Inside, the top floor function room has taken full advantage of that million dollar view with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the beach. And just in case, they offer a wet weather back-up option, free of charge.

Coolum Beach

Step onto this quieter Sunshine Coast beach to begin married life: after all the “I dos” are said and done, you’re close by to some amazing reception venues, from the relaxed Coolum Surf Club to the rustic Yandina Station.

You’ll need a permit to get married on one of the Sunshine Coast’s beaches. Visit sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au for the application form.

Fraser Coast beach weddings

Sunset Beach, K'gari (Fraser Island)

Make your day one nobody will forget on the world's largest sand island. Tucked away from the wind on K'gari's sheltered western side, get married with calm ocean views behind you on Sunset Beach. As you can guess from its name, timing your ceremony for sundown is when this spot really shines. Kingfisher Bay Resort will provide you with a wedding coordinator to ensure your beach wedding is everything you imagined and more.

Southern Great Barrier Reef wedding venues

Lady Elliot Island

How does flying to an island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef sound? Once you touch down you can just grab your snorkel and dive in, and leave your wedding in the capable hands of the eco-resort. The only things you need to worry about is keeping your guest list to 80 people or less.

Imagining yourself on the beach here? Put a few more pictures to the name and check out this destination wedding.

Pumpkin Island

One of Queensland’s best kept secrets, Pumpkin Island is small but sweet. Ideal for an intimate destination wedding, you can hire out the whole eco-friendly island for up to 34 guests. Exchange vows under a bamboo arch on the beach then opt for an indoor or al fresco reception. End the night with an island bonfire.

Want to get even more remote? Check out this guide for more secret Queensland islands you’ve never heard of before.

Heron Island

It’s hard to pass up a wedding on a coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef, especially when it's as charming as Heron Island. Those white sand beaches and the crystal clear water provide the most stunning backdrop for a casual, carefree wedding day. Better yet, stay a while longer for a mini-moon. 

The Whitsundays beach weddings

Whitehaven Beach

Everything you’ve ever heard about Whitehaven Beach is true: the sand really is as white as your dress, the water is a sparkling turquoise blue shade, and it truly is one of the best beaches in Australia. Hamilton Island Weddings offer ceremony packages for up to 70 guests and can help you arrange all the finer details, including your helicopter arrival and reception on Hamilton Island.

Daydream Island

Overlooking the Coral Sea, Mermaids Beach on the northeast side of the island is a tranquil spot to exchange vows in front of 150 of your nearest and dearest. The island resort has seven reception venue options, including a garden dinner under the stars and an intimate party alongside the living reef.

Earlando

This private property’s palm fringed beach is as perfect as it sounds for exchanging vows. Get married with the sand between your toes, then find the best locations for photos across the 6,000 acre property, from a mountain lookout point to cattle yards and grassland paddocks.

Paradise Cove Resort

Just north of Airlie Beach, you’ll feel like you’re on your own tropical island on Paradise Cove's 4,000 acre property. You have it all here: white sand beaches lined with coconut palm trees and tropical gardens and bushland all around.

Hamilton Island

This slice of paradise is wedding and honeymooner heaven, so if you want to tie the knot then jump straight into holiday-mode, you can't do better than Hamilton Island in the heart of The Whitsundays. Catseye Beach's calm surrounds is a beautiful pick, but the options are endless here so let the island's dedicated wedding planners - Hamiton Island Weddings - organise the finer details.

InterContinental Hayman Island Resort

Soak in five-star luxuries and seriously stunning beaches. The resort’s dedicated wedding coordinator provides a bespoke service to cater to your every whim; all you have to do is work on your wedding speech. 

Townsville beach weddings

Castaways Resort & Spa Mission Beach

We'll let you in on a secret: just a few hours south of Cairns lies the spot that local's go to 'get away from it all'. Mission Beach will have you falling in love at first sight all over again with its miles of beaches, uninterrupted Coral Sea views and strong community vibe. Get married on the sand then finish the night at the resort’s marquee-style venue.

Thala Beach Nature Reserve Port Douglas

There’s only one beachfront nature reserve between Cairns and Port Douglas, and it’s perfect for to-be-weds wanting to feel a million miles away without leaving the mainland. The eco retreat’s private Oak Beach is lined with coconut palms, giving it a tropical oasis feel. When it comes to heading off on your honeymoon the next day, you’re perfectly placed to explore two of Queensland’s World Heritage sites, the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics.

Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore

Absolute beachfront with a view that will take your breath away, this luxury resort knows how to throw a memorable wedding. From Kombi van hire to fireworks and tropical butterfly releases, it’s your day, your way. The resort’s planning consultants, South Pacific Bridal, will make yours feel like the wedding of the year.

Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Whether you want to wed right by the water or find yourself a shady nook on the sand, treat yourselves to total beachfront luxury at this five-star resort. Dream of riding off into the sunset together? This is one of the few places you can ride a horse on the beach.

Fitzroy Island

Toast to your new lives together on a tropical island in the Great Barrier Reef. Easily accessible from Cairns, Fitzroy Island makes for a picture-perfect destination wedding. Especially if you tie the knot on Nudey Beach, accessible via a stunning rainforest nature walk or glass bottom boat. Move the celebrations on to one of Fitzroy Island’s five venues, which all offer spectacular water views.

Bedarra Island

The recipe for a perfect wedding? The two of you, a dozen or so of your nearest and dearest, and this pristine island in the Great Barrier Reef .This exclusive resort is a dream destination for an intimate, bespoke wedding - from the helicopter arrival to private plunge pools with an ocean view you'll have to be dragged away from. 

Lizard Island

Is nature at the top of your guest list? Celebrate love in one of Queensland's most spectacular destinations. This whole island is a National Park, the sugar-white coastline boasts 24 private beaches, and Lizard Island Resort is regarded as a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World. That's before you even dive in to explore the reef: you’re in for an unforgettable wedding here.

Feature image by @nadinekempphotography