Top 21 Reception Venues in Australia
Looking to get married in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne or Adelaide?
Or perhaps have a destination wedding in the surrounding suburbs? Look no further, because we have the best wedding venues right here for you!
Photo: Showtime Events Centre
Finding a perfect wedding venue is one of the biggest things to tick off your wedding to-do list, but it can be a challenge choosing one that’s just right for you and your partner.
If you’re still searching for your dream venue, ABIA is here to help! We’re connected to some very important and reliable people who have voted for and rated their favourite venue at the prestigious 2019 ABIA National Designer of Dreams Awards.
These people are no other than the real Wedding Couples who have recently married and reviewed their wedding venues! Their ratings determined the top reception venues from all around Australia.
It’s no easy feat to earn the title of Designer of Dreams. To qualify as a National Finalist or Winner of this Award, a wedding venue is required to receive high-quality ratings and reviews over the past 4 consecutive years.
So, to kick things off, ABIA presents you with Australia’s ABIA-Awarded Reception Venues as determined solely by the only judges qualified to do so – the Brides and Grooms!
No.1 - Showtime Events Centre
Melbourne, VIC
| 230 Guests
Voted the Top Reception Venue in Australia at the 2019 ABIA National Designer of Dreams Awards!
Showtime Event Centre has grown to be one of the trendiest and chic wedding venues of Melbourne. This show-stopping riverside warehouse boasts contemporary flair with LED wall panels and chandelier bar, yet is perfectly balanced with authenticity having original timber floorboards and exposed high ceilings.
With impeccable food, phenomenal service and prime location, the brilliant Showtime team has you absolutely covered when designing your dream wedding!
Visit their ABIA Profile to arrange a site visit or find out more about their packages.
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No.2 - Maleny Manor
Sunshine Coast Hinterland, QLD
| 20 - 120 Guests
| Accommodation Available
#2 multi-award-winning wedding reception and ceremony location
Maleny Manor is one of Queensland's most sought-after wedding venues. Located on a private estate, this highly-awarded wedding venue will leave your guests in absolute awe and talking about your special day for years to come. Offering both ceremony and reception options with stunning hinterland and ocean views, Maleny Manor’s genuine team of people will add love and quality to your wedding.
Check the Maleny Manor Wedding Customer Reviews – there are over 200 to read!
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Top 3 - Orso Bayside Reception
Sydney, NSW
| 50 - 250 Guests
Boasting magnificent Sydney water views, Orso offers a boutique waterfront wedding venue perfectly designed to celebrate you and your partner’s love and commitment to each other. It has its own beach, wharf, jetty and deck, and a resident family of photogenic pelicans that can be seen paddling outside at most times. Guests can even arrive by boat and tie up at Orso’s private jetty!
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Top 5 - Bramleigh
Melbourne, VIC
| 100 - 350 Guests
*Bram Leigh Receptions has recently moved and is now Bramleigh Estate
Nestled on 10 acres of natural bushland next to the Yarra River, Bramleigh Estate’s stunning upmarket Hamptons-styled venue will leave you and your guests breathless. Featuring a timber ceremony deck, stunning bridal retreat and mouth-watering cuisine, this beautiful location is the perfect backdrop for your wedding.
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Top 5 - Villa Botanica
Whitsundays, North QLD
| 100 Guests
| Accommodation Available
Villa Botanica is a magical tropical paradise nestled among 5 acres overlooking the Coral Sea with rainforest backdrops, fountains, amazingly detailed architecture and even a private beach. Whether you choose to have your reception in an intimate setting or outdoors under the stars, Villa Botanica will make your destination wedding truly unforgettable.
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Top 10 - Albert River Wines
Gold Coast Hinterland, QLD
| 150 Guests
Celebrate your wedding on a beautiful deck under the stars with your family and friends at this rustic heritage venue. Choose from their new Auchenflower House Ballroom with a huge outdoor deck, or the Tamborine House Verandah, a 1800s architectural masterpiece. With exquisite 360-degree views of lush vineyards and Tamborine Mountains, you can expect history, elegance and a relaxing wedding.
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Photo by Sunlit Studios
Top 10 - Serafino McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale, South of Adelaide, SA
| 380 Seated Guests
| Accommodation Available
Serafino has an incredible reputation for providing the perfect venue supported by a professional approach. You’ll be blown away by the exceptional standards for both their outdoor ceremony venues and reception. Nestled amongst a stunning winery with a tranquil lake and 200-year-old gum trees, your beautiful wedding will be romantic, memorable and a whole lot of fun for you and your guests!
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Photo by ABIA Award-winning Glenn Alderson Photography
Top 10 - Sylvan Glen Country House
Southern Highlands, NSW
| 500 Guests
| Accommodation Available
Ceremony Venue Winner of NSW in 2018
That charming and private wedding venue you were looking for? You’ve found it. With a Sylvan Glen wedding, you’ll have the whole weekend to eat, play, dance, laugh and relax with the people you love most, surrounded by 60 acres of woodland, water and vineyard, and kangaroos bounding across the gardens as the sun goes down.
Photo by The Evoke Company
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Top 10 - L’Aqua
Sydney, NSW
| 170 Seated & 550 Cocktail Guests
Setting the gold standard for weddings, L'Aqua is Sydney's most prestigious event venue for intimate events, where timeless sophistication and contemporary style go hand-in-hand. Perfectly positioned on the rooftop of Cockle Bay Wharf, L'Aqua offers uninterrupted views overlooking the spectacular shores of Darling Harbour, making it the ultimate venue for your wedding reception.
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Top 10 - Dockside Darling Harbour
Sydney, NSW
| 500 Seated Guests
Dockside Darling Harbour blends sheer stylishness and space to create your ideal reception. This versatile venue suits a chic cocktail occasion to a grand formal sit-down wedding reception, with several spectacular wedding rooms and magnificent harbour views. Presenting a tantalising menu of freshly-plated Australian cuisine, Dockside's team of chefs creates meals that are generously crafted with love and delivered with flawless service.
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Top 15 - Adelaide Pavilion
Adelaide, SA
| 220 Seated Guests
2018 Function Coordinator ABIA SA Winner
Adelaide Pavilion will make certain your wedding feast is an experience that will be a cherished memory to last a lifetime. This elegant function centre features a unique roof design and floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the gardens, and where you and your guests will be served with wonderful French and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
You can also combine your stylish wedding reception with an elegant garden ceremony and photos in their spectacular Veale Gardens!
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Top 15 - Cloudland Functions and Weddings
Brisbane, QLD
| 300 Seated & 700 Cocktail Guests
Put your head in the clouds and dream big at Cloudland, a premium Brisbane wedding venue. Enjoy a red-carpet welcome, 10-metre sparkling waterfall, vertical garden with 5,000 live plants and a range of glamorous rooms that fascinate at every turn. Have your starry wedding amidst marble and stained glass, a glass roof or enchanting chandeliers.
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Top 15 - Eco Studio Fellini
Gold Coast Hinterland, QLD
| 40 - 250 Guests
| Accommodation Available
A magical venue surrounded by the rainforests of the Gold Coast’s Springbrook, Ecostudio Fellini is the perfect intimate setting for your Gold Coast wedding. The open, split-level deck offers the ideal reception where your guests can enjoy a sumptuous menu of speciality cuisine while indulging in breathtaking views over the lush gardens and lake. Be surrounded by nature and love!
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Top 15 - Summergrove Estate
Near Tweed Heads, QLD
| 130 Guests
| Accommodation Available
Function Coordinator 2019 QLD Winner and 1st Night Honeymoon 2019 Winner in the National & QLD Awards
If you're a nature lover looking for privacy, impeccable food and a fun team to work with, you’ll fall in love with Summergrove Estate. Have your wedding in the open amongst beautiful scenery or in the popular custom-designed Barn, fit for any season. You can also have your ceremony here looking over the hinterland or in the quaint chapel with romantic views, and with accommodation options as well, this enchanting wedding venue absolutely has it all.
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Top 15 - Merrimu Receptions
Melbourne, VIC
| 350 Guests
If you’re after sophistication, elegance and an exceptional culinary experience, Merrimu Receptions will achieve exactly what you’re looking for. Its interiors radiate opulence with their grand staircase, ornate ceilings and chandeliers, and its English-style courtyards are perfect for an intimate ceremony or spectacular photo opportunities.
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Top 20 - Longview Vineyard
Adelaide Hills, SA
| 150 Seated & 180 Cocktail Guests
| Accommodation Available
Ceremony Venue 2018 Winner in SA
Supremely popular as an Adelaide wedding venue, Longview Vineyard’s charming, renovated Heritage Barn is a multi-function space with plenty of room for dining and dancing. The breathtaking reception room is a blank canvas with arched ceilings, rich timbers, stone and outstanding galvanised iron. You and your guests will be surrounded by gorgeous panoramic views over the vineyard.
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Top 20 - Highfields Cultural Centre
Toowoomba, QLD
| 300 Seated & 500 Cocktail Guests
The most important day of your life deserves a stunning venue like the Highfields Cultural Centre, with its high ceilings, complimentary lighting, splendid cuisine, brilliant service and a wonderful atmosphere. Highfields’ dedicated event team will help you with every detail and allow you to celebrate your happy day with ease and confidence.
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Top 20 - Glen Erin at Lancefield
Macedon Ranges, VIC
| 180 Guests
| Accommodation Available
Over the past 20 years, Glen Erin at Lancefield has developed a strong reputation for its fine food and wine. Located on a boutique vineyard with a picturesque view of the Macedon Ranges, your countryside wedding will feel exclusive and private to you and your guests. Only an hour’s drive from Melbourne, your guests will have the opportunity of experiencing a mini-destination wedding without the hefty price tag. They can also stay at one of Glen Erin’s 30 luxury ensuite rooms!
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Top 20 - Abbey of the Roses
West of the Gold Coast, QLD
| 120 Guests
| Accommodation Available
Fancy having your reception in a castle? You can at the Abbey of the Roses! Whether you want a fairy-tale elopement, small intimate gathering or a gala affair, the Abbey can cater to your desires, unique style and budget. Located in Warwick just 2 hours from Brisbane and 1 hour from Toowoomba, this all-in-one vintage-style country manor is the perfect destination Queensland wedding venue.
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Top 20 - Marybank Weddings & Functions
Adelaide, SA
| 50 Seated & 100 Cocktail Guests
| Accommodation Available
SA Winner of 1st Night Honeymoon in 2018
Only 15 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, Marybank offers you a relaxed and intimate wedding experience like no other. Their convenient location, rustic spaces, countryside and delectable food will make Marybank the memorable wedding experience you're looking for. All catering is by their local chef, Billy Bain, who has over 25 years’ experience and specialises in Mediterranean and tapas-style cuisine (but loves Asian cuisine too!).
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Photo by Israel Baldago
Top 25 - The Grand Ballroom
Adelaide, SA
| 450 Seated Guests
There’s a reason why the word ‘Grand’ features in this venue name, because it is exactly that. From the moment you enter the Ballroom, you’ll be swept away with its mood of romance.
The venue is run by husband and wife team, Donato and Mimi, both qualified chefs with more than 40 years’ combined experience. They will tempt every tastebud with their menu, utilising fresh, seasonal produce in their culinary creations. Surround yourself with elegance and exceptional service that will give your wedding that extra touch.
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Find more Wedding Venues in Adelaide or Sydney Wedding Venues.
View the entire ABIA Wedding Directory.
