By Margaret Maccoll
Wedding organisers believe weddings could help boost the Noosa economy during the Covid-situation but inflated fees to host ceremonies on public land are driving couples away.
The not-for-profit Noosa Wedding Organisation is urging residents to go to Noosa Council’s Your Say site by 27 September to ask for fees to be reduced to allow nuptials to take place at affordable rates at the popular Groves on the dunes behind Main Beach.
Over the past five years Noosa Council has increased fees to hold wedding ceremonies at the Groves at Noosa Main Beach from $159 to $567, no matter how many people are in attendance.
The fee does not provide exclusive use of the land and is non refundable even in the event of bad weather.
By comparison Sunshine Coast Council charges $86 for a permit anywhere in their shire. Over the past five years the number of wedding permits issued for the Groves has reduced by almost 100 per year.
Noosa Wedding Organisation spokeswoman Jacqueline Gray said local wedding suppliers were receiving a high number of inquiries for small weddings and elopements.
“The time is right to welcome these Queensland couples whose planned Destination Weddings overseas are not able to take place, and whose overseas honeymoon plans have been dashed,“ she said.
“These couples often bring with them their intimate family circle, say 15 guests, who all wish to stay in the heart of Noosa to enjoy all the activities and pampering indulgences available.
“However, spending $567 to stand on a piece of public land is not in their budget.“
Ms Gray said an elopement package, including reception dinner, cake, stylist, florist, celebrant, photographer averaged about a $15,000 spend for the couple and at least another $15,000 for guests, so $30,000 spend in our Noosa economy per wedding.
“We are losing these $30,000 weddings to Mooloolaba and Caloundra,“ she said.
ASIC stats show that prior to the pandemic the average wedding would have 60 guests and cost $35,000.
Ms Gray said for the destination wedding location of Noosa, 60 guests staying a minimum of one night, and often a week, with a very conservative figure of $1000 spend per person, plus the $35,000 of the wedding amounts to $95,000 per wedding injected into the local economy.
“Multiply that by 700 per year in Noosa, and we’re looking at weddings bringing $66,500,000 per annum to the Noosa economy,“ she said.
“Couples and their guests eat at our restaurants, take sunset cruises, play golf, head to our spas, take tours, enjoy adventures, and shop in our boutiques.“
Noosa Wedding Organisation meet with Noosa Council recently to call for a number of changes.
They requested a reduction of permit fees, the availability of refunds and improved maintenance of the Groves area.
As stakeholders they want to be consulted when Council are making decisions that impact their industry and they asked Council to install undercover options at Noosa Woods, Chaplin Park and Noosa Botanic Gardens.
Noosa Council said no decisions had been made since the meeting.
Ms Gray urged residents to complete the Your Say Survey on Council’s website with community feedback to inform the next Budget review.
