Two local businesses have won big at this year's Wedding Industry Awards for the Bendigo and Ballarat region.
Caz West from Central Vic Marquee Hire and Sweet Caroline Caravan Bar took home top prize in the event hire and caravans, trucks, carts and bars categories.
West, who also works in circus and festivals, launched Central Vic Marquee Hire before adding the Sweet Caroline Caravan Bar, a restored 1970s caravan as a natural extension for backyard weddings.
For the fifth consecutive year, Harcourt Valley Vineyards also claimed top spot for best wedding venue – winery.
The family business also took out the best wedding venue coordinator in recognition of the tireless efforts of the venue's dedicated coordinator Marie Bourne.
Launched in 2008, the Wedding Industry Awards — formerly the Brides Choice Awards — is a non-member organisation aimed at highlighting regional wedding businesses that have excelled and exceeded the expectations of newlyweds. The awards are voted on by couples themselves, creating a referral mechanism for newly engaged couples looking for vendors in their region.
Following regional wins, businesses go through an auditing process for the chance to compete at the Australian Wedding Industry Awards, to be held in Brisbane on January 6.
Last year, Harcourt Valley Vineyards placed second for best venue – winery at the national awards.
"Our local area really isn't represented, so to get second in Australia — that's pretty huge," Caz said of Marie's 2025 result.
For Caz, this year's regional wins were unexpected. Entering for the first time, she said she heard back from only a handful of past couples after reaching out and assumed the business would miss out. She was wrong on both counts.
"It was definitely a surprise. When we got the caravan award, I was so excited, but I really wanted the event hire too. When we got that one as well — that was huge," she said.
Marie said a fifth consecutive win was equally unexpected and that the coordinator prize carried particular meaning.
"It means a lot because it's like, wow, our couples were really happy to get married here, they really loved working with the staff and me," she said.
The wins reflect a broader wedding community that has quietly taken shape across the Mount Alexander region.
Marie and Caz are among a group of local vendors who have come to know each other through Culture Hitch, a directory of wedding businesses across Bendigo and regional Victoria.
"As a wedding vendor, you generally work on your own; you don't really have colleagues. That's why I think Culture Hitch has been really great for us," Marie said.
As the wedding season enters its winter hiatus, both businesses are turning their attention to the Winter Solstice Bonfire at Harcourt Valley Vineyards on June 20.
Looking further ahead, Central Vic Marquee Hire is eyeing an expansion into tables and chairs, while Harcourt Valley Vineyards continues to renovate and refresh ahead of the next season.