If you have ever driven the Great Ocean Road and thought "I could get married here"... you are not alone. But for a long time, actually making that happen meant piecing together venues, suppliers and local knowledge from a dozen different directions with no real starting point.
Otway Weddings and Events exists to change that.
OWE is a collaborative vendor network built for the Great Ocean Road, Otways and Hinterland region, connecting couples and event planners with the local venues, suppliers and creatives who know this place best. I am a founding member, and honestly, being part of something like this from the ground up has been one of the more exciting things to come out of my second year in business.
I sat down with OWE co-founder Melissa to talk about where the idea came from, what makes this region so special, and why collaboration... not competition... is the whole point.
Behind Otway Weddings & Events: A Conversation with Melissa
Otway Weddings & Events was created to shine a light on one of Victoria’s most beautiful regions for weddings, celebrations and events. From coastal venues and forest retreats to country properties, boutique accommodation and talented local suppliers, the Great Ocean Road, Otways and Hinterland region has so much to offer.
In this interview, OWE co-founder Melissa shares the story behind the network, the gap it aims to fill, and why collaboration is at the heart of its future.
What was the moment you decided the Great Ocean Road and Otways region needed something like OWE? Was there a specific gap you kept seeing?
The idea for Otway Weddings & Events came from a mix of personal experience, industry insight and many conversations about what this region could become.
When my son and his fiancée were planning their wedding outside the region, I saw first-hand just how many moving parts are involved — from finding the right venue and suppliers to managing timelines, communication and all the little details in between. It made me realise how overwhelming wedding planning can feel when information is scattered and there is no clear place to start.
Around the same time, I was speaking regularly with my co-founder, John Adams from Active Draping, after working with him on his marketing and website. With John’s experience in the Melbourne wedding industry, he could see the value in creating a stronger local network where venues and suppliers knew each other, collaborated more often and felt confident referring work within the region.
With my marketing background, I wanted to take that vision one step further. I could see an opportunity to position the Otways, Great Ocean Road and Hinterland not only as a beautiful place for weddings, but as a destination for events, celebrations, retreats, corporate gatherings and special occasions.
That was the gap we kept seeing — an incredible region filled with talented local businesses and beautiful locations, but no central place bringing it all together.
OWE covers a huge region, from coastal venues to forest retreats to country properties. How do you decide which businesses and suppliers are the right fit for the directory?
For us, it is not about listing every business for the sake of filling a directory. It is about creating a trusted, useful and regionally connected platform.
The right fit for OWE is a business that genuinely supports weddings, celebrations or events in this region. That might be a venue, celebrant, photographer, florist, stylist, accommodation provider, transport service, caterer, hair and make-up artist, musician, hire company or another service that helps bring an event together.
We also look for businesses that value quality, communication and collaboration. Planning a wedding or event is personal, and people need suppliers they can trust.
You built this as a collaborative network rather than just a directory. What does that actually mean in practice for the vendors involved?
This was really important to us from the beginning. We did not want OWE to be just another online listing where businesses sit on a page and hope someone finds them.
A collaborative network means connection, visibility, referrals, shared learning and creating more opportunities across the region.
In practice, we have a private messenger group where I regularly share updates with members, including new businesses joining the network, grant opportunities, general wedding and event enquiries coming through the OWE website, and other information that may be helpful to local suppliers.
We are also building opportunities through networking events, vendor spotlights, collaborative content, social media promotion, newsletters and regional campaigns. To me, collaboration is about creating a culture where businesses know each other, support each other and feel confident referring work within the region.
For couples who have never considered the Great Ocean Road or Otways as a wedding destination, what do you wish they knew about this region?
I wish more couples knew just how much variety and beauty exists here.
The Great Ocean Road and Otways region is not just one type of destination. It is coast, forest, farmland, waterfalls, vineyards, country towns, boutique accommodation, historic spaces, open paddocks, ocean views and quiet hidden corners.
You can create something relaxed and intimate, elegant and destination-style, earthy and natural, or completely unique to you.
I also wish couples knew how much local talent exists here. You do not always have to bring everything in from Melbourne or outside the region. There are incredible local venues, suppliers and creatives who know the area, understand the logistics and genuinely care about creating a beautiful experience.
What does a couple gain from planning their wedding through OWE compared to just googling suppliers themselves?
Google is helpful, but it can also be overwhelming. You can spend hours searching and still not know who services the area, who works well locally, or what options are actually available.
OWE gives couples and event organisers a more curated starting point. Instead of searching through scattered websites, social media pages and random listings, they can explore local venues, suppliers and services connected to the Great Ocean Road, Otways and Hinterland region in one place.
They also gain local knowledge, which is a big part of planning a regional wedding or event. Travel times, accommodation, transport, weather, access and supplier availability all matter. Local businesses understand these details because they work here.
As a founding member of OWE, I have seen firsthand how passionate the local vendor community is here. What has surprised you most about the response from local businesses since launching?
What has surprised me most is how much people genuinely want this to work—not just for themselves, but for the region as a whole.
There has been a real sense of encouragement from local businesses who understand that collaboration is not about competition. It is about creating more visibility, more opportunity and a stronger industry for everyone.
Starting something new takes a lot of energy, and there are always moments where you wonder if others will see the vision too. To have businesses come on board, share the idea, attend events, contribute content and encourage the direction of OWE has been really meaningful.
It has confirmed what we believed from the beginning—this region is full of passionate, talented and community-minded people.
Where do you see OWE in five years? Is this always going to be a regional network or do you have bigger plans?
In five years, I would love to see OWE recognised as the go-to platform for weddings, celebrations and events across the Great Ocean Road, Otways and surrounding regions.
The first priority is to build strong foundations here. We want to support our local members, grow awareness of the region, create meaningful partnerships and continue building a network that businesses are proud to be part of.
There are definitely bigger dreams, but they need to grow from a strong and genuine place. For now, it is about doing this well—building trust, listening to the local industry, supporting members and showcasing this region in a way that feels authentic.
What is your favourite hidden gem in the region that more couples should know about when planning their wedding or event?
That is such a hard question because there are so many beautiful pockets throughout this region.
For me, the hidden gems are often the places that feel a little unexpected—the quiet forest areas, country properties, boutique wineries, gardens, small towns and scenic locations that do not always get the same attention as the major tourist spots.
I think more couples should look beyond the obvious locations and consider how they want their wedding or event to feel. Sometimes the most special places are not the most well-known. They are the ones that feel personal, peaceful and connected to the story you want to create.
That is one of the things I love most about this region—there is always another beautiful place to discover.
If this conversation sparked something for you, whether you are a couple starting to think about a regional wedding, or a local business wondering if OWE might be a good fit, I would encourage you to head over and take a look at what is being built.
This region has always had the venues, the scenery and the talent. Now it has a network to match.
You can find Otway Weddings and Events here and follow along on Instagram here
