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A moment with 'Holy Red Deer Estate'

ABIA meets Michelle Goodchild, owner of this stunning wedding venue located in the picturesque Brisbane Valley town of Esk

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Image courtesy Holy Red Deer Estate

When Michelle Goodchild spotted a pretty country church property with a ‘For Sale’ sign, at just the right time, she quickly purchased the venue and began renovating.

“I launched Holy Red Deer Estate on Instagram five months later,” Michelle explains.

Located in the picturesque town of Esk, the DIY wedding venue hosted its first wedding during Covid — working with the restrictions of that period — and has provided a unique and flexible setting for dozens more wedding receptions and ceremonies since, catering to destination weddings, unique themes and occasions with a collection of buildings and extras that lend themselves to everything from pre-wedding preparation to post-wedding recovery days.

Michelle took us on a tour of the stunning Estate to chat photographic opportunities, budget-friendly solutions and the convenience of a country property just an hour’s drive from Brisbane.

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Hannah Redman Images

Tell us about your venue and wedding services. 

Holy Red Deer Estate is a family-owned, historical 1876 church property in Esk, in the Sommerset region of South East Queensland. We offer a DIY destination wedding experience, just over an hour from Brisbane, where couples can create and celebrate their wedding day, or wedding weekend, in their own way. The Estate provides a perfect, flexible space for celebrating weddings of all styles, from classic white weddings in the chapel to outdoor occasions set against the scenic backdrop of Glen Rock.

HRDE combines everything in one place, making for a totally relaxed wedding experience. Five buildings — a church, an old billiard hall, stables, the stag bar and Manse Cottage — and three greens offer a range of onsite preparation, ceremony, reception and accommodation options, and flexible use of these spaces. While our included furniture and extras — like signs, lawn games, bar ware, kitchenware and décor — ensure no two weddings are the same.

How did you get into weddings and how long have you been hosting them?

It was by coincidence. I lost my job during Covid, drove past the church and the ‘For Sale’ sign out the front sparked an idea. I purchased the property and began renovating the run-down estate back to its former glory. I launched Holy Red Deer Estate on Instagram five months later, and we hosted our first wedding in the April of 2021. I am still renovating and restoring around weddings to this day, and we’ve celebrated more than 60 weddings here since 2021.

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Hannah Redman Images
Holy-Red-Deer-Estate-wedding-venue-Esk-Brisbane-Valley-photo-Hannah-Redman-Images

Hannah Redman Images

What styles of wedding can you accommodate?

We have hosted so many different weddings, for up to 130 guests, and no two have been alike. At some venues the people, the dress and the flowers are the only elements that vary, but at Holy Red Deer Estate our couples have the flexibility to decorate and celebrate however they like.

We’ve hosted everything from a country wedding with haybale seating and mechanical bull rides to an elegant soiree in a chandelier-lit marquee. We’ve also seen boho glam, biking, vintage, travel, 1950s, festival and gothic wedding themes, and styles from traditional religious and cultural wedding celebrations through to pot-luck receptions and fine dining occasions.   

What wedding packages do you offer?

Our most popular package is the ‘Create & Celebrate’ three-day weekend package, which offers exclusive use of our entire property, accommodation in the cottage and all our HRDE extras. This allows couples to relax, and create their own unique vibe over multiple days, which takes a lot of the time pressure and stress out of a wedding day. Couples can book extra days, go DIY or use our trusted vendors.

We also offer an all-inclusive, ‘do nothing but walk right in and sit right down’ Micro Wedding Package for up to 30 guests, and cater for one day bridal showers.

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Hannah Redman Images

Holy-Red-Deer-Estate-wedding-venue-Esk-Brisbane-Valley-photo-Christina-Lowry

Christina Lowry

What spaces do you have available for wedding ceremonies and receptions?

Holy Red Deer Estate offers three main areas for marriage ceremonies — within the 1876 white chapel, by the large arbour on the Arches Green, or behind the hall with nature as a backdrop. For wedding receptions there’s the outdoor Arches Green with its festoon lights, inside the church or the old billiard hall, the green behind the hall, which is perfect for a large marquee, or the Orchard Green which suits a smaller wedding marquee or tent setup.

How far in advance should couples book your wedding venue?

Most couples book 12 to 18 months out, but we take bookings up to two years in advance, and even occasionally accommodate last-minute weddings.

What advice do you have for couples looking for a wedding venue?

My advice for couples, when looking for a venue, is to prioritise the non-negotiables — the things they really want for their wedding. For some that’s the look, for others it’s the freedom to do what they want, like to DIY and maximise their budget.  Others want a weekend experience for their loved ones and we’re finding many couples prioritising a relaxed time frame with no stress. Once they are clear on the non-negotiable elements of their wedding day, it’s easier for couples to plan, pick a venue and budget around it.

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Letty Maria Photo

How can couples add their own flair? Do you have suppliers you can recommend?

I think every couple should consider what is really ‘them’, what is unique to their love story and how they can incorporate that into their wedding and share it. My daughter and son-in-law love bubble tea, so had a bespoke bubble tea bar for guests to help themselves to.

The flexibility of our venue allows couples to get creative with their decorating and catering. Some bring in food trucks, others firepit cooking or cocktail catering, and we can also add the services of a gourmet chef to their wedding package to take the stress out of organising.

We provide our couples with ‘Our Deer Friends’ list, of trusted wedding vendors and professionals and are always on hand to offer guidance and suggestions.

Is Holy Red Deer Estate pet-friendly?

Most definitely! We consider pets a part of the family, so we understand how important it can be for some couples to include them in their big day. We have had pets from guinea pigs to lambs, cats and dogs celebrate with us at the Estate.

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Hannah Redman Images

Is your wedding venue budget-friendly?

Most definitely, especially compared to city prices. Couples can save a lot of money on alcohol by going DIY, and we have an arrangement with the local pub to help with this. We also allow couples to self-cater, or find a caterer within their budget, and all the little extras — candles, signs, lawn games, décor, glassware and crockery — are available for our couples to use at no added expense.

What photographic opportunities are available onsite and in the area?

I’m told Holy Red Deer Estate is a photographers’ dream as we have so many different areas and photographic settings, including our pre-wedding bridal suite and groom’s preparation area, the soft natural light and double-doors of the church and multiple indoor and outdoor locations. We’re also a two-minute drive from a location with gum trees that has been the setting of some spectacular sunset photographs, and the pretty township of Esk offers lots of country backdrops and photographic inspiration.

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Tom Judson Photography

What accommodation is available at the Estate, or in the area?

The Manse Cottage on the Estate can sleep up to 10 guests, and we are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation within Esk, with everything from an award-winning caravan park to motels, pub and bed and breakfast accommodations just a short walk away.

What makes your wedding venue truly unique?

We are a one-stop, DIY destination for weddings, encompassing everything from the pre-wedding preparation to the ceremony, reception and post-wedding accommodation and celebrations, within our charming country church property.

We offer our couples freedom and flexibility, regarding both their use of the property and their bump-in and bump-out times, and everything at HRDE is available for their use. We also provide generous opportunities for couples to visit and plan in the lead up to their wedding day and work with them to help ensure that almost any budget can be accommodated.

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Hannah Redman Images

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