MEET LIZZIE RANDALL
Our Events Manager and Your Go To Gal For Fraser Island Weddings.

A Girl Who Loves Her Job…
For a gal who spends a good deal of her days planning and stage managing weddings, Lizzie Randall, has not always been that enamoured by them.

“I’m definitely not the girl from the movie 27 Dresses,” she laughs.  “As a child I was a flower girl three times.  As a grown up, I have been a Maid of Honour and Bridesmaid.  My friends just loved me being a part of their wedding party as I could organise everything and keep the reception venues in line.”

“In fact, one of my mates was worried about what I would think about her wedding centre pieces - because of my job and because she’d picked them without me – but she was worried for nothing, they were stunning.”

It is those traits that make Lizzie a great choice when it comes to the business of tying the knot.

“To be honest, I’ve always had an interest in operations and what makes resorts tick… but over the years, the more weddings I’ve planned, the more I’ve fallen in love with my job.”

“How could you not?”

My Favourite Thing about Weddings…
Lizzie says her absolute favourite part of the weddings on Fraser Island is when she fixes the train on the bride’s dress just before she walks down the aisle to meet her husband-to-be.

"For me the last minute of fussing – making sure the wedding train is spread out and the eyelet at the top of her dress if fastened just before she marries is amazing – instantly I see a smile, and off she walks down the wedding aisle,” she said.  “My second favourite thing is watching the Groom’s face as he sees his bride for the very first time.”

On Weddings at Kingfisher Bay Resort…
The wedding gallery says it all – Fraser Island’s famous mango-coloured sunsets and golden light in the afternoon, gorgeous beaches, the resort’s amazing architecture and Fraser’s stunning scenery really do provide a stunning backdrop for outdoor weddings.

As Lizzie says, “My favourite place on Fraser is our gorgeous ‘enchanted wedding aisle’ that leads down to a picturesque spot on sunset beach.”

“It's just beautiful watching a bride walk down the green, ferny track – surrounded by paperback trees and sunlight peeping through the tree canopy. Who wouldn’t want to get married in a place like that?”

Fraser Island is one of the only places on the east coast where you can see the sun set over water – in this case the pristine ‘Great Sandy Strait’ and another favourite for photographers and couples.

Most Memorable Fraser Island Wedding…
When you’re planning an outdoor wedding, you’ve got to remember that sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t play ball.  Kingfisher Bay Resort’s stunning, architecturally-designed atrium and Centre Complex provide a fabulous alternative location…

“Teela and Brian came out from Devon England to marry at Kingfisher Bay Resort - it was just the two of them and they arrived at the Hervey Bay when the weather wasn’t the best.

“I met with them both and they were worried, but I assured them we would work with them to give them a day they wouldn’t forget.  We had liquid sunshine for three days – it’s the perfect time to see the rainforest on Fraser Island, before there was a break in the weather.

“Their wedding day was perfect - a little rain fell just after the ‘I dos’ – which is actually considered lucky.

“The bride wore the most amazing black satin Vera Wang full length dress with a fish tail train. We had become very close in the planning and lead up to her wedding.  On the day, I helped Teela with her dress and accessories – including buckling her gorgeous heals.  To this day we keep in touch and we’ll be catching up when they come back to Australia later this year.”

Biggest Disaster…
We’ve all got a crazy wedding guest somewhere… so what’s a wedding without a bit of fixable drama?

“We hosted a lovely, casual wedding at The Sand Bar – which is our open air bistro – that has lovely big Queensland verandas.  The wedding cake was shown off in full glory as it was lit by a backdrop of fairy lights.”

“Unfortunately one of the guests tripped on the backdrop prior to the bride’s arrival… and the whole thing toppled onto the wedding cake.”

“We quickly whipped the cake to the kitchen and our talented Chefs fixed it like new – the bride was unaware anything had happened… and the rest of the wedding guests kept mum about it – though I’m sure the story has come out by now.”

Secret to Success...
Lizzie has been at Kingfisher Bay Resort for around four years – and have been involved with planning around 120 of the weddings we have hosted here. 

“There are a lot of things to factor in with weddings on Fraser Island - tide times, sunset and logistics for locations.  I think the secret to our success is that we are completely honest with the Bride and Groom at the outset and we tell them what we think will and won’t work on the island.

“It’s also about building relationships between the couple getting married and the resort team – if the Bride and Groom feel at ease – we can build the trust and take the stress out of the planning process.

“It is also really important to remember the parents and grandparents who also have a stake in the big day – and if they are not stressed or worried about things, it doesn’t stress the bride.”

Best Kept Secret about Outdoor Weddings…
Here comes the bride with her electronic mozzie repellent…

“Don’t laugh – these little gadgets emit high frequency sounds and clip easily inside wedding dresses or in suit pockets.  We’ve even seen a florist fit one into the Bride’s bouquet. They’re great little gadgets for outdoor weddings and can keep unwanted wedding visitors away for up to 12 hours.”

It takes just one ring from you...