The Laughing Forest

The Laughing Forest Wedding Venue is situated in Elysium on the KZN South Coast. (55 mins from Durban). Our venue is “in the bush” but also right on the beach in a beautiful 6 acre garden. The perfect setting for your most important day.

There are three options for the ceremony:
(a) On the beach where you can feel the sand between your toes;

(b) The wedding chapel which is on a grassed terrace, that has stunning sea views; or

(c) Indoor chapel where you are secure from the weather.

The Reception Hall caters for a maximum of 200 pax.

All catering requirements are done in- house and we have a Buffet Menu from which you can choose your wedding menu. The menu can also be tailor made to your specific requirements. The Reception Hall comes fully draped with fairy lights or we can take the draping down for a more Rustic feel. All tables, white tablecloths, white napkins, chairs, cutlery, crockery and glassware are included in the venue hire.

There is accommodation on site and consists of:

4 x Family Cabins (each sleeping 5 pax)
4 x Double Rooms with own bathroom (Sleep 2 per room)
3 x Twin Rooms with own bathroom (Sleep 2 per room)
1 x Honeymoon Suite, which is complimentary for the night of the wedding and includes breakfast the next morning.
There is also other accommodation in the area if required.

The venue has a fully licenced bar facility, which is fully stocked and can also be personalized to suite your individual needs. Barman and waitresses are included in the wedding package.

The venue is immaculately maintained and there is a wide choice of areas for the bridal party photoshoot, including the beach, garden areas, a putting green, various photo booths, swing, and railway tracks.

Come and explore the hidden gem on the KZN South Coast. Our 2023 inclusive packages have been priced and designed to suit your pocket.

What an amazing place run by passionate people. We booked the date night special and boy did we feel special. The room we stayed in was beautifully decorated inside and out and oozed of romance. A stunning dinner table setup on our deck with a bottle of red and rose petals scattered everywhere. Dinner was magnificent, the steak was the best we’ve ever had so our compliments to the Chef. Brekkie in the morning and delicious and the beach was breathtakingly beautiful and accessible from the property. The special care and tremendous effort that Debbie, Phil and their staff put into The Laughing Forest is seen a round every corner of the property. Thank you for making our date night so special. P.S. If you feel the need to reconnect with nature make sure you go for a walk in the Laughing Forest. – Adri 

Having just returned home to the UK from my daughter’s wedding at this spectacular venue, it would be remiss of me not to write a positive review about The Laughing Forest. From Debbie and her husband, the owner/managers, to her amazing staff, to the venue, accommodation and lovely grounds, everything smacks perfection. Like myself, the wedding guests were blown away by the entire day. Thank you so much for making Jade and Jarrod’s day so memorable. – WayneCB

Debbie and Phil run a lovely, personalised wedding venue, with the finest attention to detail. Debbie has an instinctive way of dealing with brides, ensuring they get the wedding they want, within their planned budget. Their hands on approach and the way thins “just get done” is to be applauded. We spent the weekend at the venue, with my son’s wedding on Sunday at midday. Everything ran like clockwork with the hosts ensuring that all Covid curfews and protocols were observed at all times and we still enjoyed every minute. Phil’s bar service, variety and prices could teach quite a few operators how it should be done. Phil has developed a single green golf experience and with the beach and some fine snorkelling off the rocks, it kept the energetic occupied throughout the weekend.  A fun place to be at. – Iamanafrican