A bride and a groom sit on a staircase covered with flowers and candles.
Photograph: Collections Photography
Photograph: Collections Photography

The best wedding venues in Melbourne and Victoria

From industrial warehouses and sprawling vineyards to ice cream shops and amusement parks, these are the best spots to say 'I do'

Adena Maier
Contributor: Liv Condous
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Planning the perfect wedding is no walk in the park, and one of the first — and most important — things to check off your list is picking your venue. Are you thinking beachside or inner-city converted warehouse? Atop the rolling hills of a vineyard, or in a cactus-filled desert oasis? Or maybe somewhere a bit kooky, like in a retro ice cream shop or at the carnival. 

Whatever you fancy, there's a venue out there to suit your needs, and we've rounded up 30 of our top picks across Melbourne and Victoria. Don't forget to also plan your hen's party, and to pick out a romantic hotel and date-night restaurant for a bit of well-deserved R&R after your special day. 

For your pre-wedding pampering, book in at one of Melbourne's best spas. Don't forget to schedule some time for a mani-pedi and hair styling session

Best wedding venues in Melbourne

  • Attractions
  • Brunswick East

This chic, light-filled space is one of Melbourne's oldest wool mills – the only remnants of its previous life are the soaring ceilings, striking black beams and exposed brick walls. Set over two levels, there are five distinct spaces: the private laneway that's perfect for photo ops, the 136-pax mezzanine, the "I do" room, the 180-pax feasting hall and the moody speakeasy bar. If all the bits and pieces about planning a wedding are stressing you out, you're in good hands here: the venue was designed by wedding stylists and is run by wedding planners. Learn more at the Wool Mill website

  • Things to do
  • North Melbourne
Two Ton Max
Two Ton Max

If you've visited a few venues and thought, 'Hmm, that's a bit much,' then you're likely after something along the lines of this self-described 'perfect blank canvas' warehouse in North Melbourne. With neutral white walls, discrete lighting and a burnished concrete floor, it's up to you whether you want to fill the space with baubles and plants or keep it minimalist. Learn more at the Two Ton Max website

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  • Fitzroy

It doesn't get much more Melbourne than having your wedding in Fitzroy in a converted 20th-century textile factory. The enchanting space can hold up to 250 guests, and the walls feature seven floor-to-ceiling arch windows offering sweeping views of the Dandenong Ranges on one side and Smith Street on the other. Thanks to the lofty ceilings, exposed brick walls and ample natural light, you wouldn't be the first to think you've somehow wound up in a New York loft. Learn more at the Panama Dining Room website.

  • Things to do
  • West Melbourne

If you're after rustic charm but also want a wedding close to the city, this industrial warehouse space in West Melbourne offers the best of both worlds. It's split across two levels, with an intimate downstairs area perfect for canapes and cocktails and an upstairs section that can hold up to 320 people. There's even an outdoor deck if you're keen to say your vows beneath the big blue sky. Learn more at the Gather and Tailor Warehouse website.

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  • Attractions
  • Abbotsford

The Altar Electric is shaking up marriage ceremonies in a huge way, bringing a bit of rock 'n' roll to couples who want to break tradition and have a truly unique celebration. Since 2017, the retro Abbotsford venue has held small weddings, giving lovebirds the option of a ceremony with up to 80 guests. And if the newlyweds want a party, too, the venue can throw in food, drinks, a DJ and more. Find out more at The Altar Electric website

  • Restaurants
  • Collingwood

Collingwood’s backstreets are home to Rupert on Rupert, an eyeball-wooing bar and restaurant graced with high ceilings, light-drenched interiors and a mini forest’s worth of pot plants and trees. Ric Corinaldi and his wife Mali opened Rupert in 2015 and have since made it synonymous with cool cocktails, kicked-back Sunday sessions and many bespoke weddings. It makes sense as soon as you enter the big, heavy glass door that separates Rupert from its namesake Collingwood sidestreet. This place is so pretty it deserves a Hollywood screen test. Learn more at the Rupert on Rupert website

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  • Things to do
  • St Kilda

For the dream beach-side wedding, you can't go past this luxurious venue near Port Phillip Bay. It's flush with features and amenities including two private bridal suites, floor-to-ceiling windows, a built-in dancefloor, flexible room layouts and an outdoor terrace overlooking St Kilda Beach. To get a better look at what's on offer, you can check out a virtual wedding walkthrough at the Encore website

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  • Attractions
  • Melbourne

Planning the wedding of your dreams? Then you need to check out Q Events on Queen Street in Melbourne's CBD. Located close to public transport and some of the city's most beautiful parks, gardens and churches (perfect for pics, if you ask us!), this stunning Art Deco-inspired space features a luxuriously appointed bridal suite, designer bathrooms, sheer drapes, operable walls for a flexible floorplan and a spacious outdoor balcony area. The on-site hospitality offerings are world-class, with a range of bespoke menus based on seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Q Events can cater for both cocktail or sit-down events, with a capacity for up to 1,800 standing guests or 450 seated guests. Learn more at the Q Events website.

  • Hotels
  • Boutique hotels
  • Ashburton

A CBD wedding doesn't get much more luxe than the Hyatt Centric. This swanky hotel is home to two exclusive spaces: the Conservatory, which is located on level 25 and ideal for an intimate celebration, and the Bellarine, which boasts an indoor-outdoor area and can accommodate up to 200 people. Whether it's a sit-down dinner, cocktail event or all-out party you're after, the team can create a bespoke package to suit your style and budget. And the best bit? When the festivities wrap up, you can just stumble on up to your room where a plush king-size bed, deep soaking tub and spectacular views of Port Phillip Bay await. Now that's a wedding night you won't forget. Learn more at the website.

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With spaces capable of hosting anywhere between 60 and 1,000 guests, this elegant venue on the banks of the Yarra River is perfect for weddings of all sizes. Despite being just four kilometres from the CBD, it's incredibly tranquil, and you're likely to hear birdsong as the sun sets beneath swaths of willow trees. Learn more at the Leonda by the Yarra website

Located on the top level of the Southgate building on Southbank, this opulent venue pulls out all the stops for an experience that's nothing short of extraordinary. The space can accommodate up to 334 seated guests or 1,100 guests for cocktail-style weddings and boasts spectacular views across the city through nine-metre floor-to-ceiling windows. You'll also have access to the adjoining Aviary Room, a spacious all-weather terrace that opens up to views of landmarks like Flinders Street Station and Princes Bridge. Learn more at the Metropolis website

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  • Attractions
  • Collingwood

From the team behind one of Melbourne’s most beloved Asian fusion restaurants, Aunty Kim’s is an intimate venue in Collingwood that offers the perfect space for any kind of celebration or soirée. With a capacity for up to 100 people, it's ideal for wedding receptions, engagements, birthdays, corporate events, hen’s parties and everything in between. The venue features high ceilings, polished concrete floors and striking chandeliers, creating an industrial chic setting with a warm but historic ambience.

Learn more at Aunty Kim's website.  

  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Melbourne

Prefer to escape the hustle and bustle of the city on your special day? Retreat to Greenfields, an idyllic waterside venue located alongside Albert Park Lake, just three kilometres from the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views across the lake and of local flora, and as the sun sets each night, golden beams illuminate the dance floor. You'll have access to the entire venue, including an outdoor deck and bar, cloakroom, private wedding suite for your party, a dance floor and an area that can seat up to 150 guests. Learn more at the Greenfields website

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  • Museums
  • Abbotsford

Once known as the Convent of the Good Shepherd, the Convent provided refuge for vulnerable women, children and orphans. Nowadays, the convent building and formal gardens play host to all manner of events and festivals, including weddings within the beautiful Rosina Function Space. The space features lead-light windows, atmospheric high ceilings and exposed trusses for a lovely old-world feel, and you can also choose to host your wedding amongst the rolling lawns of the heritage gardens. Learn more at the Abbotsford Convent website.

Established in 1890, this stunning Victorian mansion with manicured gardens is fit for a royal wedding. Inside, you'll find a parquet dance floor, sweeping staircase and hand-painted windows, all classified by the National Trust. While it's kept many of its heritage elements, it has also undergone a renovation to add soaring ceilings, moody lighting and soft drapery. Learn more at the Quat Quatta website

Best wedding venues in regional Victoria

  • Travel

Dreaming of getting married in a gorgeous dessert oasis? This slice of the old wild west is just three hours from Melbourne and is home to the biggest collection of cacti in Australia. Turn your wedding into a fiesta within the five-hectare garden, Mexico-themed indoor and outdoor courtyards and multi-purpose indoor dining room. Learn more at the Cactus Country website.

In 1842, Major Mitchell explored this property and established it as Mount William Station, making it one of Victoria's earliest settlements. In the years that followed, it bore witness to a number of pioneering stories (like birthing a mare that paved the way for the Melbourne Cup) and has been the site of many weddings, including that of a UK prime minister. The sprawling property can accommodate everything from an intimate wedding with close friends and family to a larger gathering with several hundred people. Learn more at the Mount William Station website.

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  • Things to do
  • Food and drink
  • Portarlington

Within moments of stepping onto the top deck of Terindah's multi-level cellar door, it's clear that the name ('most beautiful' in Indonesian) is well-deserved. Say 'I do' on the rolling lawn with the You Yangs and the ocean behind you, then move into the event space featuring floor-to-ceiling windows framing that picturesque view. Learn more at the Terindah Estate website.

This historic homestead at the foot of the Macedon Ranges was built in 1836, making it the oldest existing farmhouse constructed by Victorian settlers. It offers three distinct spaces where you can host your wedding: the intimate homestead, the sprawling outdoor lawns and the rustic woolshed. Learn more at the Emu Bottom website.

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Tucked away in Monbulk within the Dandenong Ranges, this ranch was originally established back in 1978 as a horse riding school for children. Today, the lush four-hectare property plays host to everything from school camps and work retreats to rustic, nature-filled weddings. And thanks to its vintage bunkhouse that offers accommodation for up to 70 people, your guests can let loose without the pressure of a late drive home. Learn more at the Log Cabin Ranch website.

Originally a flour mill established back in 1871, this historic brick venue in Euroa has been restored as Northern Republic, a charming drinking and dining destination. For weddings, it offers two beautiful spaces: the 70-pax old wine hall and the 130-pax outdoor garden space. For food and drink, expect Italian dishes and an extensive range of local and imported Italian wines. Learn more at the Northern Republic website.

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Just six minutes from the Daylesford town centre is this 100-hectare farm that's home to 40 Angus cows and their calves, a wood supply operation and sprawling fields of cereal crops. Weddings are held at the rustic barn, which is flanked by lush sculptured gardens that form the aisle you'll be walking down. And if you'd prefer to do food trucks rather than catering, there are open spaces where they can park. Learn more at the Farm Daylesford website

  • European
  • Daylesford
  • price 4 of 4

Lake House is one of Australia's most awarded boutique hotels, renowned for its lakeside location, two-hatted restaurant and award-winning cellar. There are several distinct spaces to choose from, including the luxe terrace room replete with soaring ceilings, chandeliers and a stone fireplace and the waterfront pavilion, a bright, white-panelled space offering breathtaking views over the glistening lake. Learn more at the Lake House website.

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Dreaming of a rustic, American-style wedding? This 160-year-old barn was imported straight from Indiana and placed in the Delatite Valley. Its charming heritage elements have been preserved, but its interior has been updated for a more contemporary and luxurious offering. For those planning a smaller wedding, the barn is perfect for intimate elopements and micro weddings with your nearest and dearest and even has five bedrooms with space for up to 11 guests. Learn more at the Coombs Hill Barn website

  • Italian
  • Yarra Glen

Situated within the stunning Yarra Valley, this lush property has a cellar door and Italian restaurant as well as forty-five acres of vines and lawns. It offers postcard-worthy views – especially in the autumn, with red-leafed trees lining the perimeter – and has capacity for 140 seated guests. Learn more at the Zonzo website.

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Set amongst a working, award-winning olive grove, this venue offers expansive views across Port Phillip Bay and Geelong, established grand gardens and multiple ceremony sites to suit your wedding size and needs. Bonus: Rusty Gate offers drone packages so that you can get incredible aerial shots above your wedding. Learn more at the Rusty Gate Weddings website.

This sprawling homestead, which encompasses nearly 500 hectares, was built in the 1840s and is now home to a winery, sustainable farm and beautiful accommodation. For your wedding ceremony, choose between the secluded secret garden or the light-filled green grove, and then host your reception in the rustic woolshed or the breathtaking Angliss room with views across the Macedon Ranges. You can even book the entire homestead and range of cabins, to ensure you and your guests can get some R&R before and after the ceremony. Learn more at the Marnong Estate website.

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This charming 19th-century farmstead is located in a picturesque area known as the Valley of a Thousand Hills, named for the countless hills and valleys that dimple its surface. Enjoy a lakeside ceremony beneath a rustic arbour, while a creek burbles alongside you, or say your vows against a country sunset while toasting with a cascading 40-glass Champagne tower. Learn more at the Flowerdale Estate website

Kooky places to say 'I do' in Melbourne

  • Ice cream and gelato
  • Thornbury

This High Street ice cream shop is weird, bright and wonderful, serving up scoops in flavours that evoke childhood nostalgia (fairy bread, Iced VoVo) alongside stranger finds like soy sauce with choc-coated rice. It's also a bookable wedding venue, with space for you and up to 20 guests. A celebrant is provided — you can even ask her to impersonate Dolly Parton if you wish — and you'll finish up with scoops of prosecco sorbet. Learn more at the Kenny Lover website

  • Museums
  • Parkville

It may sound odd at first to have your wedding at Melbourne Zoo, but if you're after natural surroundings without having to drive hours outside of the CBD, it's a great option. For your ceremony, choose between the Japanese garden, platypus lawn, butterfly house, Australian bush exhibit, giraffe deck and Moreton Bay fig tree. You can even add on a few animal experiences to make the day extra special. Learn more at the Melbourne Zoo website.

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Not so keen on the fuss and expense of a big wedding? For just $400 and seven minutes of your time, you can elope instead! With this service, all you have to do is tell them where you'd like to get married (at the beach, in the hills, at your home... anywhere, really) and book one of their celebrants. Once you've paid your invoice, you fill out a notice of intended marriage, send them your ID, wait one month and then get married. How simple is that? Learn more at the I Do Drive Thru website

  • Kids
  • Play spaces
  • St Kilda
Luna Park
Luna Park

You likely have fond childhood memories of walking through Luna Park's famous giant mouth, zipping through the sky on roller coasters and riding historic carousel rides. But did you know that you can also host weddings at this St Kilda mainstay? The ceremony will be held in a partitioned-off area, and after you've said 'I do', you can run off to soak up the carnival atmosphere, hop on rides and play some games. Learn more at the Luna Park website

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