Gabbinbar Homestead: a headless platform built to match the brand.
A fully custom headless platform designed to reflect Gabbinbar's premium brand experience while giving the internal team full editorial independence. Built with Next.js, DatoCMS and carefully considered motion, delivered in under two months.
- Client
- Prethink Group, Queensland, AU
- Industry
- Premium hospitality
- Scope
- Headless · Next.js · DatoCMS
- Engagement
- 2024, ongoing partner
A premium brand that a templated site could not reflect
The challenge
Gabbinbar Homestead is one of Queensland's most recognised premium wedding venues, a brand where visual identity and attention to detail are central to what clients are paying for.
The existing site was built on a traditional CMS framework: elegant in tone, but templated in execution. The brand wasn't reflected with precision, the team couldn't manage content independently, and there was no clear path to evolving the platform as the business grew. There was no room for “close enough.”
Our approach
Build a fully custom headless platform. A React-based component library on the frontend with Next.js, and DatoCMS as the structured content layer, designed from the ground up to match the brand exactly. No templates, no off-the-shelf themes. Every component built to reflect the premium positioning of the venue.
The content model was structured around how the Gabbinbar team actually works, not a generic setup adapted from another project. A structured editorial workflow that gives editors flexibility without the risk of breaking layout or visual consistency.
A custom headless platform, down to every component
A fully custom headless platform: a React-based frontend with Next.js, structured content via DatoCMS, Framer Motion animations, hosted on Vercel. No templates, no off-the-shelf themes. Every component designed and coded to reflect the premium positioning of the venue.
The result is a platform that accurately reflects Gabbinbar's brand in every detail, and one that's built to stay that way as the brand evolves.
- 01FrontendNext.js
- 02CMSDatoCMS
- 03AnimationsFramer Motion
- 04HostingVercel
- 05ArchitectureHeadless
Why headless made sense
Brand precision
The visual experience could be designed exactly around the brand, not constrained by what a theme permits. Headless website development removes the design ceiling entirely. Every detail was an intentional decision.
Editorial flexibility
Decoupling the content layer from the frontend means the team owns their editorial workflow completely: day-to-day updates, seasonal content and gallery management, without any developer dependency.
Long-term scalability
The platform was built to evolve as the business grows. New pages, content types and integrations are absorbed without rebuilding core systems. Scalability by design, from day one.
Built around how the Gabbinbar team actually works
The Gabbinbar team needed to manage day-to-day content, seasonal updates and gallery changes without raising a support ticket. The entire content model was structured around that requirement, not adapted from a generic setup, but built to reflect how the team actually works.
The result is a platform the team owns completely. Updates are straightforward, layouts hold, and the brand is protected regardless of who is making changes, with zero engineering dependency after launch.
Designed with precision. Built with the same care.
For a premium hospitality brand, close enough was never the goal. Every component was built to spec, with no approximations and no gap between what was designed and what shipped.
Motion was intentionally restrained and refined, designed to feel elegant rather than distracting. The mobile experience was built mobile-first and considered across every device, addressing a core shortcoming of the previous site.
A platform that reflects the brand, and a team that runs it
The result is a platform that reflects the Gabbinbar experience with precision, while giving the internal team the flexibility to evolve content independently as the business grows.
Gabbinbar remains an active partner, with Code Pros on call as the platform and brand continue to evolve. Built for today, and structured to scale over time.
- 0Developer dependencyThe team manages all content independently. No engineering involvement required after launch.
- < 2 monthsTo deliverFull platform delivery: architecture, frontend, animations and editorial handover.
- CustomComponent libraryEvery React component purpose-built for the brand, with no off-the-shelf themes and no template constraints.
- OngoingPartnerCode Pros on demand for future development as the brand and platform grow.
Their responsiveness ensures that our requirements are met and any issues are resolved efficiently.
Chloe SmithGroup Marketing Manager, Prethink Group
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