From crunching numbers to saying ‘I do,’ Far North couple re-open Japanese wedding venue

From crunching numbers to helping couples say ‘I do,’ a Cairns husband and wife have managed to marry two different business schemes into the one office. Here’s how.

The historic Whitfield Chapel is hosting event weddings again, after Matthew Parrish and Monique Parrish bought the building and moved their financial planning business into the office space. TPicture: Brendan Radke

An office relocation has taken an unexpected turn for financial planners who crunched the numbers and opened a new wedding venue.

Monique Parrish, whose husband Matthew runs Parrish Financial, is now taking wedding bookings at Whitfield Chapel, located at Heavey Crescent.

She said opening a wedding venue was not on her 2025 bingo card, but the venture had presented itself naturally.

“We were actually gonna turn the chapel into an office space but then we had someone approach us to use it for their daughter’s wedding,” Ms Parrish said.

“We said no we’re gonna not do this, but they said ‘Let’s see, let’s do a wedding,’ so now we’re doing weddings.”

The couple's first wedding event was held in August, with many more overseas brides and grooms already booked in. Picture: Brendan Radke

It comes as a full circle moment for the venue which opened as a Japanese wedding site in 1996 before it was used as real estate offices for RE/MAX and Ray White.

“Originally it was built for Japanese weddings … so (couples) would come over, have the hair and makeup done upstairs, then get married downstairs,” she said.

“Even some locals got married there, we know a few people who’ve said oh, we got married there 30 years ago.”

However, Ms Parrish said couples could hire the space and decorate the chapel.

“There’s not a lot of places in Cairns that are non-denominational without being at a hotel, so it’s a separate space where you can have your ceremony and go as you would for your reception,” she said.

“It’s a really nice space in a really quiet suburb with lots of space around it.”

Ms Parrish welcomed couples to tour the venue at an open night on Wednesday, November 19.

“Anyone can come through and have a look and have a drink, we’ve made it a bit of an event,” she said.

Originally published as From crunching numbers to saying ‘I do,’ Far North couple re-open Japanese wedding venue