Meelup Farmhouse - Wedding Venue Guide
A relaxed farmhouse venue with beautiful grounds and an easy, welcoming atmosphere. It’s one of those special spots where the scenery, service and atmosphere all work really well together.
Suits couples who want: a relaxed farmhouse wedding with great food, strong service, and an easy, natural feel to the day.
This is one of my favourite wedding venues for a bunch of reasons.
The grounds and buildings are beautiful, the ceremony location is great, and the whole day can flow really naturally from one part of the wedding to the next.
Getting married at Meelup Farmhouse
Meelup Farmhouse is nestled in the hills just behind Meelup Beach, close to both Dunsborough and Eagle Bay.
It feels relaxed, friendly and professionally run, without being overly polished or formal.
You drive through the outskirts of the pristine bush of Meelup Regional Park before descending into a small valley with a cluster of white buildings, relaxed gardens, nearby vineyards and a small collection of very cool animals - fluffy Silkie chickens, llamas, goats and Highland cows.
It's a venue where everything comes together really well. The service is great, the setting is beautiful, and there are plenty of good spots for photos without having to leave the property. It all helps the day feel relaxed and keeps the energy up from one part of the wedding to the next.
The ceremony location
Ceremonies take place on the lawn, just off to the side of the main restaurant. A big thing for me (as a photographer) is that the ceremony location is also shaded during summer, with the sun behind the couple and filtering through the trees. It gives a lovely golden light during the ceremony, which looks amazing in photos, while also keeping your guests shaded and comfortable on hot days.
The ceremony spot is pretty sheltered and protected from the wind. If the wind is super strong, it can make things a bit tricky with hair and veils. But compared with other outdoor venues, Meelup Farmhouse is about as protected as you can get. It’s a great spot for an outdoor ceremony.
Ceremonies usually take place at around 4.30pm, with guests arriving from around 4pm. This gives the team time to transform the restaurant from lunch service into your exclusive wedding venue, while your florist and styling team can set up the ceremony and reception spaces.
Drinks and congratulations straight after the ceremony
One of the things I really like about Meelup Farmhouse is what happens straight after the ceremony.
Your guests can give you a big hug, offer their congratulations and grab a drink on the lawn. The staff normally serve drinks with tray service, and having congratulations, tunes pumping and drinks flowing straight after a ceremony is so important to me.
The energy is really high at this point in the day, and keeping that momentum going makes such a difference.
Guests will normally hang around for a bit before naturally moving towards the back lawn, for canapés a grazing table and more drinks. If you’re having acoustic musicians, or a DJ, they’ll move to this back lawn too, and it helps draw everyone across.
This is also a really good time for some family photos. As everyone naturally moves towards the back lawn, we can grab the important family combinations without making it feel like we've suddenly stopped the wedding for a photo session.
The reception and dining space
Your reception starts out on the back lawn, where guests can enjoy canapés, drinks and the cocktail hour. Seated dinners are usually held on the back deck, with a long-table dining setup.
The usual ceremony time is 4.30pm, with the team wanting you back at the reception by around 6.30pm.
There are two main dinner options - feast style and plated. I recommend the feast-style option.
If you allow guests to choose their own meals, the venue starts seating people very early because it can take 20+ minutes to get everyone seated and take individual orders. This means people get seated earlier and it cuts into your time in the afternoon.
It can make things feel pretty rushed, and usually the thing that ends up getting cut from the timeline is the bit I think is most important - actually hanging out with your guests.
For me, this is an essential part of the wedding. If you don't have enough time to celebrate, have a drink and properly see your friends and family after the ceremony, weddings can start to feel more like a photo shoot where you don't get to interact with your guests. So I don't recommend the individual meal option.
Dancing and the party
The dance floor is usually set up on the white deck, with an outdoor bar underneath the jacaranda trees.
Sometimes couples have an outdoor dance floor set up on the back lawn instead, which is also a cool option.
If you want something with a bit more wow factor, Meelup Farmhouse also has a "naked tipi", which helps define the space and gives the reception a really cool outdoor party feel.
Wedding photography at Meelup Farmhouse
One of the things I love about Meelup Farmhouse is the variety of photo locations around the property. You can get a great mix of photos without having to drive around, which means more time enjoying the afternoon with your guests.
After the ceremony and congratulations, I'll usually spend a little time getting the family photos done, followed by around 20 minutes with your wedding party. The main lawn is ideal for this, with great afternoon light and plenty of room for group photos and some more candid moments.
Then we'll take some photos of just the two of you. We can wander between a few spots, make the most of the light and keep things relaxed. I also find this approach allows me to capture lots of the little in-between moments as we move around.
Most couples enjoy being able to get some great photos and still spend plenty of time celebrating with their guests. If you'd also like some beach photos, that's easy to arrange too.
The best places for wedding photos at Meelup Farmhouse
The main lawn is particularly beautiful in the late afternoon, when soft golden light filters through the trees. There’s also the surrounding bush, gardens and white buildings, along with the little barn-style chicken coop, where we might occasionally get a few photos with the Silkie chickens if the moment feels right.
The road alongside the dam offers another change of scenery.
There are lots of interesting little pockets of light around the property, and I like making the most of these as we wander around. I'll give you some direction when we need it, but I also like stepping back and letting things happen so we get those real moments in between the more organised photos.
The great thing is that all these spots are close together. We can get plenty of variety without trekking all over the property, and there's always something happening around us to photograph.
How much time do you need for photos?
I normally like to have around 20 minutes for photos with your wedding party. This gives us time for some fun, candid shots, a few photos with the whole crew and smaller groups with your bridesmaids, groomsmen and other important people.
Then I'll usually allow around 30-40 minutes for photos of just the two of you.
We'll move between a few different spots around the property, taking photos in short bursts as we go. There's plenty of time for chatting, laughing and those little moments in between, with a bit of direction from me when you need it.
If you'd prefer to keep things shorter, we can easily keep it to around 20 minutes for the two of you at Meelup Farmhouse and still get plenty of great photos. It's completely up to you.
Beach photos at sunset
If you'd like some coastal photos, we can also zip down to a nearby beach.
Often couples will just jump in my car, which is quicker and easier than arranging another vehicle. I know lots of quiet little beaches along the coast nearby - where the light and wind will be best, with as few people on the beach as possible.
Accomodation near Meelup Farmhouse
There are plenty of good accommodation options nearby in Dunsborough, Eagle Bay and the surrounding areas.
Both Dunsborough and Eagle Bay are good options for getting-ready accommodation, and I'd generally look for a nice house rather than a hotel room if you want plenty of space to hang out and get ready with your crew.
Elopements and smaller weddings at Meelup Farmhouse
If you're planning something smaller, Meelup Farmhouse also have packages for elopements and smaller weddings.
These celebrations usually have a late-morning ceremony around 11am. This flows into drinks and congratulations, with some time for family photos and a quick photo session with the two of you before lunch.
You can either join the general lunch service on the deck, or the venue can convert The Porch area near the entrance into a private dining space.
I've photographed a few smaller weddings here, and the light at lunchtime ceremonies is still really nice. There are enough shaded spots around the property to keep photos comfortable, even during the middle of the day.
Wet weather and winter weddings
The wet-weather backup option is the back deck, where the reception normally takes place. I've been lucky enough to never have a rainy ceremony at Meelup Farmhouse, so I don’t have any photos to share of a wet-weather setup, but the venue does have a plan if the weather turns.
If it’s raining, your guests can be on the deck for the ceremony, while you can stand at the top of the stairs, with the back lawn and forest behind you.
Even if it does rain, it usually doesn’t stick around for the whole day. Even if parts of your wedding take place under cover, we can usually find a gap to duck outside for some photos of the two of you.
There aren't many great options for photos in a proper downpour, so it's worth keeping in mind if you're considering a winter date.
Looking for a wedding photographer?
I've photographed quite a few weddings at Meelup Farmhouse - I know the venue well and how the day tends to run.
One of the things I love about this venue is how naturally the day flows - from the ceremony and congratulations through to drinks, food and celebrations with your guests. The team looks after you well, the grounds are beautiful, and there's plenty of variety for photos without having to disappear off somewhere else.
I'll help you plan a timeline that gives us time for great photos, while making sure you still get to enjoy the day and hang out with your people.
If you're getting married at Meelup Farmhouse and want relaxed, natural photos that feel like you, I'd love to hear what you're planning.