Here are the things you need for your dream wedding: the perfect spouse? Check. The perfect wedding dress? Check. All of your friends, family, and loved ones gathered at a gorgeous location to celebrate this new chapter in your life? Check, check, check.
As a bride-to-be, you’ll have to make a lot of crucial decisions before your big day, but few are as impactful and significant as which wedding venue to choose. How do you know it’s ‘The One’? And why is it so important in the first place? Let’s take a look at why your wedding venue matters, how to choose the perfect wedding venue, and our eight favourite wedding venues in Canberra.
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What The Right Venue Can Do For Your Wedding
You’ve heard it before: location, location, location. And while that adage is usually about business, it perfectly applies to your wedding as well.
The right venue sets a mood, the perfect atmosphere for you and your guests to create lifelong memories. Whether it’s dreamy and romantic, grand and luxurious, rustic and charming, or quirky and vintage, your venue is there to express your personality as individuals and as a couple.
Besides the emotional significance of the right venue, there’s also a practical one. Your choice of wedding venue will also dictate what kind of entertainment you can book, the caterers you can work with, and your overall wedding planning experience. Great venues aren’t just beautiful, they’re also helpful and hospitable.
What To Look For In A Wedding Venue
Look & Feel
Most weddings have a “theme”, but even if yours doesn’t, you’ll want a venue that gives off the right vibe. For example, an outdoor wedding at a winery has a very mature, intimate, and romantic feel, while an indoor wedding at a hotel’s ballroom can feel lavish and larger-than-life. Match the venue to the tone you want to set, and it will be easy to decorate from there.
Size
Big weddings, small weddings, or somewhere in between – there are reception venues that cater to wedding parties of all sizes. Now, you don’t need an exact headcount before booking your venue, but you should have a pretty good idea of how many people you’re inviting before you check out ideal spaces. This way, you won’t accidentally book a venue that’s too big or too small for your guest list!
Accessibility
If we could all have a destination wedding, we would. But that’s not always a practical option for you or your wedding guests. Of course, you can fly away to Bora Bora and have an intimate ceremony with only your significant other and closest friends and family, but the more guests you want to invite, the more accessibility becomes an issue. If your #1 priority is having as many loved ones at the wedding as possible, consider a venue that’s close (and cheap) enough to get to easily.
Budget
If you’re already doing your wedding planning, then you know that everything comes with a wedding tax, especially venues. And with all of the other expenses (like photographers, bands, and florists), you don’t want to blow your entire budget on a venue, no matter how perfect it might be. Set a realistic budget and look for unique spaces. Get creative, think outside of the box, and be open to unusual venues, and you’ll be sure to find something reasonably-priced.
The Best Wedding Venues In Canberra
8. Carillon
Price: Available upon request
Where: Aspen Island
Capacity: 500 pax
How about a wedding on your own private island? The National Carillon is located on Aspen Island, a breathtaking space in the middle of Lake Burley Griffin. There’s limited parking and you can’t bring vehicles on the island, but the lush greens and stunning views are more than worth it.
7. Botanic Gardens
Price: Available upon request
Where: Acton
Capacity: Up to 3000 pax
The Australian National Botanic Gardens is just one of many natural public spaces that you can hire for your wedding. Choose from the gardens’ many wedding packages, which include a stunning outdoor venue of your choice, ceremony host, photography, and first-class catering.
6. Gold Creek Chapel
Price: $990
Where: Nicholls
Capacity: 130 pax seated
The Chapel at Gold Creek is one of the most sought-after Canberra wedding venues for its rustic, rural charm. For less than a thousand dollars, you could have this beautiful non-denominational venue for your ceremony. Plus, it already comes with floral arrangements, rehearsals, music, and light catering for your guests.
5. Hotel Kurrajong
Price: Starts at $115 per pax or $1500 for the ceremony
Where: Barton
Capacity: Up to 300 pax
Celebrate your wedding in style at the Hotel Kurrajong, a historic hotel in the nation’s capital. Their wedding packages range from simple cocktail-style receptions to full plated meals and unlimited beverages. Whether you want it intimate or grand, the Hotel Kurrajong can make it happen.
4. The Boat House
Price: Available upon request
Where: Barton
Capacity: Up to 180 pax theatre-style
The Boat House by the Lake is a first-class restaurant with scenic views of Lake Burley Griffin. This “enchanting” private space is perfect for sunset weddings with exceptional catering.
3. Arboretum
Price: Starts at $1350 for the Classic Package
Where: Molonglo Valley
Capacity: Up to 100 pax
Multiple food & beverage packages, two venues, magnificent natural backdrops, and even a bridal room at the nearby Hyatt Hotel are just a few of the reasons you should check out the National Arboretum (℅ Ginger Catering) as your wedding venue.
2. Hyatt
Price: Starts at $129 per pax
Where: Commonwealth Ave.
Capacity: From 100 to 350 pax
For a traditional grand wedding, the Hyatt in Canberra is a classic choice. Choose from over a dozen different rooms, function halls, and courtyards for your ceremony. Wedding packages include canapes, plated options, beverages, and even a complimentary stay at the 5-star hotel for the bride and groom.
1. Goolabri
Price: Available upon request
Where: Sutton
Capacity: Up to 450 pax seated or 1000 pax standing
The sprawling Goolabri property has five different indoor and outdoor wedding venues to choose from. There’s the small and intimate Garden Room Chapel, the massive Wedgetail Pavilion, and any picturesque spot across Goolabri’s 300 acres.
Conclusion
Start your marriage right – surrounded by the people who matter most to you in a beautiful and romantic setting. Choosing your wedding venue is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, but just remember that a wedding is more than the sum of its parts! It all boils down to one thing: celebrating the love between you and your new life partner.
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