22 of the Best Sydney Wedding Venues

Heres 22 of the Best Sydney wedding venues for you to consider for your wedding

Updated: 13 June 2021

Living in arguably the best city in the world, Sydney is blessed with stunning landscapes ranging from the sandy beaches, up to the hills in the west and out to the farms in the south.

The great thing is, there’s such a huge choice of amazing wedding venues in Sydney that all have something special to offer. Whether it’s the view, the ambience, food or that special sauce that you are looking for, there’s something for everyone.

Where do you start when searching for the best Sydney wedding venue for your wedding day? I know…it’s pretty hard!!

Don’t worry, I’m here to help! I’ve done a bit of legwork for you based on the hundreds of weddings I’ve photographed in the past and only selected the ones I thought were a bit different to the typical purpose built wedding venue, and my clients have all had an amazing experience.

I would say a common feature of all of these venues are uniqueness, has a bit of charm, different, food driven and non-typical. So if that’s what you are after then it I am sure you would love what you’re about to read.

The list should be used for some ideas and inspiration into your wedding planning, and certainly these are venues that you may not have initially thought it was possible to have your Sydney wedding.

I have presented the in no particular order as I wanted to be as non-biased as possible!

Here are my 22 of the Best Sydney Wedding Venues that I will rock your world!

WARNING!! This is a long post

Pilu at Freshwater Beach

Venue Capacity 10-110 guests

Location: Freshwater Beach, Sydney Northern Beaches

Vibe/Feel: fine dining but much more relaxed, beachy feel

Pilu at Freshwater is renowned for its award-winning food and it’s million dollar views. Located on Freshwater Beach in Sydney’s northern beaches, it’s certainly a venue to shortlist if amazing views and really great food are high on the priority.

The venue is right there on the beach so you can quickly duck out for some portraits barefoot, and you can even have your ceremony in the terrace garden courtyard if you have a small enough headcount.

The food is nothing short of amazing as you’d expect from a two hatted restaurant.

Contact the team at Pilu at Freshwater to find out more about having your Northern beaches wedding there

Here’s a recent elopement I’ve photographed at Pilu at Freshwater

Debbie & Elliot – Elopement

Beachside Dojo Manly

Venue Capacity – up to 200 Guests cocktail

Location: Manly Beach, Sydney Northern Beaches

Vibe/Feel: casual, beach very chilled out

Japanese style Hampton’s style beach venue that overlooks one of Sydney’s most famous beaches? Look no further than Beachside Dojo Manly

I loved my time working here and my clients had the most amazing time. The ceremony spot is perched high above Manly beach, but hidden away from the buzz downstairs. You wouldn’t think you’re in the middle of downtown Manly with the beach right in front of you.

The food is really great too, think Japanese inspired style canapés like sashimi, sushi, yakitori, gyoza and those slider things that’s all the rage these daysReally easy going and delicious!

Contact the team at Beachside Dojo to find out more about having your Northern beaches wedding there

Check out Kizzy and Dave’s wedding I photographed at Beachside Dojo here

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel

Venue Capacity – Up to 150 Seated or 350 cocktail

Location: Watsons Bay, Eastern Suburbs

Vibe/Feel: Seaside sophistication, but really relaxed

What’s better than that view of one of Sydney’s most famous bays with the sun setting behind it? Not a whole lot, but imagine having your Sydney wedding right here…damn!!

The food is heavily inspired by Italian family “share” style which I really found was so awesome. Think hearty platters of food generous in portion and you have plenty of variety to choose from.

And best of all, all of your guests can stay right on site so they can turn your wedding into a mini getaway! There’s not many places in Sydney that you can walk out of your door and the wedding is right there (no excuses if you’re late unfortunately).

Check out Cindy & Bruce’s wedding I photographed at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel here

Learn more about the wedding packages at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel here

Olio Kensington St

Venue Capacity – Up to 100 guests seated or 150 cocktail

Location: Chippendale, Sydney CBD near Central

Vibe/Feel: hip, urban and groovy. City feels all over it

Why have your wedding at a boring, dull reception hall when you can have it at a proper restaurant with food that’s just really really good and will certainly impress your guests

Olio Kensington Street is situated in The Old Rum Store. I love the old school warehouse feel that it has and the exposed brick and large glass windows really make this venue very hip indeed!

The food is very Sicilian in nature, and award winning chef Lino Sauro will make sure you and your guests will be transported back to Sicily on your wedding day.

Check out my blog post about the wedding I photographed at Olio here

Contact the team at Olio at Kensington Street to find out more about having your urban inner city wedding there

Museum of Contemporary Art

Venue Capacity – Up to 300 guests seated or 750 cocktail

Location: Sydney Harbour, right next to Circular Quay and the Rocks

Vibe/Feel: sophisticated, contemopary, elegant

Located on the most famous tourist places in all of Sydney, the Museum of Contemporary Art certainly is not a place you would consider at first glance for a wedding in Sydney.

But deep beneath it all there’s some pretty epic spaces that transforms the art museum into a pretty special wedding venue that’s unique and funky in nature, and pretty special too.

I particularly love the rooftop terrace (Harbourside Room) as it has sweeping million dollar views of the entire harbour. You can also have your ceremony with that view behind you on the private terrace deck

Contact the team at Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney to find out more about having your urban Sydney harbour wedding there

Here’s the wedding I photographed in the Harbourside Terrace at the MCA. Check it out here

Beta Bar

Venue Capacity – Up to 150 guests seated or 200 cocktail style

Location: Sydney CBD, in Castlereagh St near Museum

Vibe/Feel: grungy, edgy and chic in a warehouse style venue

Fancy getting married in one of Sydney’s hippest and coolest bars?

Think exposed brick walls, high ceilings and grand archways for a venue with class, sophistication and old world charm. It’s not one of those soul-less venues that lack a bit of character!

It has space for a small ceremony in the bar area, or the main area taking advantage of the exposed brick walls that is really the venue’s greatest feature.

The food and drink are insanely awesome too, particularly the lychee martinis

Contact the team at Beta Bar Sydney to find out more about having your urban inner city wedding there

Check out Christine and Bandoll’s Beta Bar Wedding here

Chiswick at the Gallery

Venue Capacity – Up to 100 guests seated or 200 cocktail style

Location: NSW Art Gallery, near the Domain and Royal Botanic Garden

Vibe/Feel: sophisticated, cultured, slightly more formal but really nice

Simple, elegant and utterly exquisite. Housed in one of the most beautiful art galleries in the world, it’s a pretty unique space in Sydney’s wedding scene.

Not only is it a magical space to have your wedding, the venue is first and foremost a damn good restaurant headed up by Matt Moran, one of Sydney’s most famous chefs and restauranteurs.

What that means is you’re in for a treat if you decide to have your Sydney wedding here.

The food is splendidly wonderful as expected as too is the selection of wine available.

NOTE: One of the best things to note is that you have exclusive access to have your bridal party photos inside the Art Gallery after it closes (fist pump)

Contact the team at Chiswick at the Gallery to find out more about having your wedding inside the Art Gallery of NSW

Check out Wayne & Carery’s Chiswick at the Gallery Wedding here

Altitude Restaurant at the Shangrila Sydney

Venue Capacity – Up to 100 guests seated

Location: 36 floors above the Shangrila Sydney, The Rocks

Vibe/Feel: feels like you’re up in the sky

Is there a place anywhere in Sydney where you can have your wedding party up in the sky? Inside the Altitude Restaurant inside the Shangrila Sydney YES you can!

I can’t think of a more exclusive location to rock your wedding day 36 floors above Sydney Harbour with a Birdseye view of absolutely everything. What was even more impressive was my clients were able to see their Harbourside apartment from the window!

Not only is the view pretty amazing, the restaurant is one of Sydney’s best fine dining restaurants on any given day. You can be pretty sure you will be amazed with the food and that VIEW!! Just make sure you pay attention to the speeches and not get lost with that view outside!

If you’re having a really small wedding, there’s one very exclusive room that you feel like you’re floating in the air 36 levels above. WOW!

Contact the team at the Shangrila to ask about having your wedding here

Check out Anna and Danny’s wedding the Altitude Restaurant here

Grounds of Alexandria

Venue Capacity – From 12 to 550 guests

Location: Alexandria, Inner City

Vibe/Feel: feels like a urban backyard garden on steroids, but really cool

What does the Grounds of Alexandria have to do with Four and Twenty meat pies?

It’s all in the past, but the site used to be a giant pie factory in its day, but how cool is it to be able to be married in a world famous Sydney dining institution?

Probably one of Sydney’s most famous brunch spots that somehow every time you go there you bump into someone you know, The Grounds of Alexandria is a pretty cool place to be on a Sunday morning.

It’s also a pretty cool place to spend the best Saturday evening of your life (i.e. your wedding night)

I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph three Sydney weddings there each time in a different venue. They’ve got spaces for really intimate elopement style weddings (Lock Inn), middle sized ones (The Atrium and Rostery) and even bigger ones (The Garden). Each of the spaces are perfectly themed and has heaps of elegance and character.

The Garden is probably my favourite place in the whole venue. You don’t need to spend huge dollars on styling to make the venue look good as it already looks AMAZING in the first place.

If you’re looking for something truly unique in a super chilled out setting with great food and wine then definitely put The Grounds of Alexandria on your list.

Check out Manel and Macky’s wedding inside the Lock Inn here

Contact the team at The Grounds here

The Boathouse at The Spit ( Zest Waterfront Venues)

Venue Capacity – Up to 280 seated guests

Location: Spit Bridge, Mosman

Vibe/Feel: classy, waterside venue with kickass food

Despite the location being tucked inside a boat club, The Boathouse at the Spit is slightly tucked away on one of Sydney’s busiest road but once you’re inside you’ll forget about all of that pretty quickly!

Located right in Middle Harbour, The Boathouse has a warm feel to it that makes you feel right at home with a touch of luxury to go with it. What I was most impressed with was the attention to detail and quality of food and service that your guests will experience.

What was certainly unique was the canapé stations that a chef prepares right in front of you. How does a dumpling and noodle station where you get a freshly made bowl to start off with, followed by some freshly shucked oysters. It really did taste as good as it looked, and it really was a highlight of the evening amongst guests.

If you thought that was impressive, just wait till you receive your main course.

Right across the road is Spit West Reserve which faces “West” which means it has a pretty epic sunset perfect for taking last minute photos before having the night of your life.

If food is your thing, then definitely look into this venue for your Sydney wedding.

Check out what its like to have your wedding at The Boathouse at the Spit here

Contact the team at Zest Waterfront Venues here

Pier One Sydney Harbour

Venue Capacity – Up to 280 seated guests

Location: Right under the “Bridge”, Sydney Harbour

Vibe/Feel: epic views of the entire harbour, sophisticated

Imagine getting married under one of the world’s most iconic structures. Picture that for a moment…

Then open your eyes, and you’ll see this magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge right there in front of you. That’s what it feels like to have your Sydney wedding right here. Personally I don’t think there’s a better view if you love the city you live in.

In the Main Water Room, there’s huge glass windows so you can take in the magnificent view all night long and when the sun sets to the west it’s just magical.

Just a short walk around the venue you’ve got some really great wedding photography locations in Sydney such as the Opera House, the finger wharf, Observatory Hill and the Rocks.

To see Roxanne and Shaun’s wedding at Pier One Sydney click here

To learn more about your wedding package at Pier One Sydney Harbour click here

Gunners Barracks

Venue Capacity – Up to 130 guests

Location: Middle Harbour near Mosman

Vibe/Feel: epic views of the entire harbour, sophisticated

One of Sydney’s most famous wedding venues with a world class location, Gunners’ Barracks was constructed in 1873. It was so well built in fact, it’s still standing in the same spot today then it was 200 odd years ago.

No one fired any cannons at it, and the walls are still very much intact. Good news is, now that they don’t use it as a fort anymore, small intimate Sydney weddings and high tea are now their specialty.

One of the drawcards of the venue is that view of the entire Sydney harbour and why it is always such a popular place for weddings in Sydney.

I particularly love the sandstone courtyard where you can have your wedding ceremony in complete privacy or you could have it ontop of Georges Lookout overlooking the entire Chowder Bay.

I wrote a blog post about why I love photographing weddings at Gunners Barracks, You can check it out here

Want to book Gunners Barracks for your wedding day? click here

Kittyhawk

Venue Capacity 25 to 350, 3 diffrent spaces available

Location: In the city CBD

Vibe/Feel: like your in the 1940s and you’ve just won the war

Kittyhawk is a French restaurant and cocktail bar with amazing food and exceptional cocktails. In my eyes that’s a winning combination!The venue is designed around the Liberation of Paris in 1944 and brings an old world charm that’s really unique when it comes to weddings in Sydney.

I recently photographed a wedding here and I was amazed at the level of service, attention to detail and friendliness of their team. They really do go above and beyond to make you extremely happy, not just with the food, drinks but do everything with a smile on their face. And that sometimes will make or break your day!

Starting off with the space, for a small intimate wedding around 50 people you can have the entire top floor away from the usual area so it’s nice and private and away from the general crowd. You have your own dedicated bar team and staff to look after you. The room is adorned with 1940’s liberation posters and makes it a unique and cozy space.

The food here is just amazing and you can tell the French influence in the menu. Think pork terrine, freshly sliced cold meats with cornichons, pork belly and duck confit. Warm, hearty and really really tasty. Plus they have their world famous granita on the dessert menu too! Plus, their cocktails are famous for a reason and why it’s such a popular spot in the Sydney bar scene. It’s definately not your typical wedding venue and that’s why you’ll love it.

You can book the entire venue, hire out one of the levels for a private space, out or you can have a small intimate gathering for 25 persons.

Contact the team at Kittyhawk to find out more about having your urban city wedding there

Ottimo House

Venue Capacity from 50 to 450, small to large rooms available

Location: Denham Court, Near Campbelltown

Vibe/Feel: countryside, barnyard feel, easy going

On the outskirts of Sydney about 1 hours drive south west, the large buildings disappear into the distance and you’re out with the cows and farms. It sits on 500 acres of land with a nice big hill in the back that provides the most amazing sunset behind it.

The old building you see as you pull in was an old woodshed where they used to shear thousands of sheep back in the day. What they left behind was a room perfect for that rustic country themed wedding that everyone just loves.

There’s room for about 450 guests there and it also allows for external caterers to suit cultural weddings.

What I love about weddings here is that you can also have your ceremony in the old barn house, location photos and reception all in the one place.

I’ve personally photographed over 10 wedding here and I happen to be one of their preferred suppliers. If you’re having your wedding here let me know and you’ll get a nice bonus from me.

Check out my latest wedding at Ottimo House here

Contact Peter and the team at Ottimo House here

Lindesay House

Location: McKell Park, Darling Point

Vibe/Feel: 1800s old English mansion like vibes, formal

Lindesay House celebrated its 180th birthday recently and it still looks as good as ever. It’s stunningly timeless and is one of Sydney’s finest examples of Georgian and English architecture.

Not only does it belong to Sydney’s living museums, it’s also available to have your Sydney wedding ceremony for exclusive use.

Inside the home there’s a number of rooms which you can use for your photography, just make sure you don’t break anything because everything inside is priceless!

To conserve Lindesay’s heritage, only 12 large functions are permitted annually, so make sure you book early so you can secure such an exclusive wedding venue.

Have a look at Linda and Zhen’s wedding at Lindesay House here

To book Lindesay House click here

Gledswood Homestead

Location: Gledswood Hills, near Campbelltown

Venue Capacity 3 rooms that cater for weddings from 50 to 450 guests. Small to large rooms available

Vibe/Feel: countryside, barnyard feel, easy going

One of my favourite places for a wedding on the outskirts of the Sydney metro area without being too far away, Gledswood Homestead is a historic property located in the Macarthur region of Sydney.

On the grounds there is a magnificent Homestead (circa 1810) which is original to this day and looks amazing in photos. The venue is surrounded by elegant gardens perfect and has a lot of character and charm all year round.

What is great is that you can have your wedding ceremony, photography location and reception right in the same place. Super easy!

I’ve photographed many weddings here and I also happen to be one of their preferred suppliers!

To see my latest wedding at Gledswood Homestead click here

Contact Nadene at Gledswood Homestead for more information here

Vaucluse House

Location: Vaucluse

Vibe/Feel: old world charm, elegance and formal

Vaucluse House is just one of those truly unique Sydney wedding venues that is just something special from years gone past.

Dating back to 1803, Vaucluse House has heritage, charm, sophistication and really just perfect for wedding photography. It’s one of those hidden gems that is off the radar for most couples planning a wedding.

Lone Pine Garden is surrounded by beautiful greenery, and the feature lone pine stands proudly tall.

Not only is it great for wedding ceremonies, it is surrounded by lush gardens and an old original horse stable which is perfect for wedding photography.

I really had a great time exploring the old English style garden and looking for photo opportunities everywhere.

Check out Jade and Jason’s Vaucluse House wedding here

Contact Sydney Living Museums to book the venue for your wedding here

Orso Bayside Reception

Venue Capacity: Up to 240 seated

Location: The Spit, Mosman

Vibe/Feel: seaside feels, bright and easy going

Orso Bayside is right there on the water next to the Spit Bridge. In 2020, the venue underwent a major refurbishment with a fresh new look and making a great venue even better.

Each day the resident pelicans come to say hi and there’s plenty of great photo opportunities right within walking distance from the venue.

The staff at Orso Bayside really do a great job with the food as well

Having an accessible jetty is a really cool bonus, which means couples can have a sparkler exit straight into a waiting water taxi to end the night. Pretty cool!

Check out the wedding I photographed at Orso Bayside here

Website Orso Bayside

Lion Gate Lodge in the Royal Botanic Gardens

Location: Right in the heart of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Venue Capacity up to 120 cocktail style

Vibe/Feel: a hidden outdoor oasis tucked away in a very public space

A little hidden venue inside a very public garden, Lion Gate Lodge is set in a quiet little pocket of the Royal Botanic Gardens. It has a private entrance and is secluded enough that you won’t have those pesky tourists peeking in and trying to get a glimpse of that wedding dress of yours!

Lion Gate Lodge has a nice sized grassy area so you can setup tables and chairs with ease and there’s a paved area for you to put whatever you like there. Everything is BYO in this venue including the catering so you can do whatever you like with the space. Great for DIY weddings!

The best thing is, the whole garden is right there next to you so the photo opportunities are endless.

Contact the Royal Botanic Garden for more information about hiring Lion Gate Lodge for your DIY wedding

Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery

Capacity – Up to 220 seated and 250 standing, smaller spaces available for smaller numbers

If you’ve always dreamt about having your wedding in a chic urban warehouse that has killer food and awesome vibes, this is it.

Their philosophy on everything is no-fuss, buying local and ethically farmed produce that makes real food and great company. It’s a foodies dream wedding I reckon!

Located in a converted industrial warehouse with high ceilings, exposed beans and concrete floors, its awesome for those wanting to create an rustic themed wedding that stands out from the ordinary.

Website – Three Blue Ducks

Cell Block Theatre (National Art School)

Venue Capacity – Up to 150 sit down or more for cocktail style

Vibe: like you’re in a old jailhouse, but pretty cool

Little did I know there was a women’s jail right in the heart of inner city Darlinghurst. It’s not a jail anymore, but they left behind a nice unique wedding space that you can make it your own.

You can see the old cell blocks that were in place and if you’re after something old and rustic this place has it in spades.

You get the whole place to yourself including the National Art School campus to run around and take photos in. You can also do your own catering and DIY everything.

It will give the song Jailhouse rock new meaning if you get married here! Sorry bad joke

Check out the wedding I’ve photographed at the Cell Block Theatre here

Website – National Art School

NSW State Library

Location: Right in the heart of Sydney CBD

Vibe: formal, sophisticated and elegant

Did you know you can have your wedding ceremony and reception inside the NSW State Library? Most likely you have not, but something that is quite different that’s for sure.

Inside the very original Mitchell Building houses several rooms suitable for smaller Sydney wedding ceremonies under 100 persons. More recently I photographed in the Friends and gallery rooms. It’s got a lot of old world charm and character.

You can also access one of the rooms that is normally closed to the public, the Shakespeare room where it feels like an old English library room complete with a statue of the old man himself, William Shakespeare.

Check out Belinda and Matt’s wedding inside the NSW State Library here

To book the venue, contact the NSW State Library here

Final Thoughts…

So, there you have it, that’s my list of 22 of the Best Sydney wedding venues for you to check out.

I really think you’ll get a lot out of this if you’re just beginning your research into choosing a Sydney wedding venue

If you already have a venue, awesome! Have a pat on your back but you’ve still got a lot more to do!

I also got some more really great tips to help you plan your Sydney wedding

5 Simple Tips on how to get better wedding photos

10 Crazy Important Questions to ask Wedding Vendors before booking them

8 Ways to find a trustworthy wedding vendor for your wedding

Click here to return to my blog