SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE WEDDING VENUES FOR YOUR BIG DAY IN SYDNEY AND ITS SURROUNDS.

Looking to book a venue that ticks all your boxes for the big day? It can certainly be a challenge. But take it from us: we’ve photographed at weddings across the state and there are brilliant and beautiful venues galore. Here are 11 of our favourites in and around Sydney – in no particular order, of course!

BOXGROVE

Everything about BoxGrove is a family affair. This serene country venue on the outskirts of Bathurst is run by sisters Kayla and Melissa, together with their respective husband and partner (both called Ben!) and has been in the family for more than 50 years. Not only can you do the whole wedding on site for up to 170 guests (no pesky transport logistics!), you’ll also have the support of Kayla, who comes armed with years of event experience, as your wedding planner throughout the whole process. With several indoor and outdoor options for your ceremony and reception, BoxGrove is a venue where you can truly make your day uniquely your own - rain, hail or shine. Plus, with peaceful country fields for photos and delicious food and drinks packages to suit your needs, Boxgrove is one for a wedding to remember!

Address: 119 Duramana Road, Eglinton NSW

Handle: @boxgrovebathurst

NOVOTEL WOLLONGONG NORTHBEACH

Whether you’re getting married in front of a more intimate group of friends and family or catering for an epic party of 350, the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach has got you covered. Located beachside in the beautiful Illawarra, what we especially love about the Novotel is that it is a one-stop wonder – the bridal party can stay over and get ready on-site before a ceremony on the scenic rooftop terrace, and a reception in one of five rooms, dependant on party size. For photos, it’s just a five-minute drive to the hidden gem that is the Wollongong Botanic Garden, or a stroll across the road to Northbeach for romantic sunset shots. Convenient, and with those views, it’s stunning too.

Address: 2-14 Cliff Rd, North Wollongong NSW

Handle: @wollongongbeachweddings

SERGEANTS MESS

If you’re looking for a jaw-dropping Sydney location that will knock the socks off your wedding guests, the glamorous Sergeants Mess could be the one for you. Situated waterside surrounded by bushland in Chowder Bay, Mosman, Sergeants Mess is a ‘does it all’ venue for up to 350 guests. Boasting an impressive and slick menu to make your choices from, chic interior décor and a spacious balcony with spectacular views over the harbour towards Vaucluse and Watsons Bay, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable day. Plus, with the history-rich Georges Head Battery a stone’s throw away, there are plenty of opportunities for varied and incredible photos which, for obvious reasons, we’re a big fan of.

Address: Chowder Bay Rd, Mosman NSW

Handle: @sergeantsmess

HANDPICKED WINE CELLAR DOOR

If you’re planning a more intimate wedding or elopement, one of our favourite Sydney venues is Handpicked Wines, Chippendale. An urban cellar door in the centre of town, the industrial-style premises on Kensington Street is home to four bright and modern spaces for hire, the largest of which hosts up to 60 people. On selected Fridays, the Experience Room is also available for wedding ceremonies arranged through the NSW Registry Office. We love the venue’s brilliant location, including that it is a one minute walk to Spice Alley, a laneway hawker-style food court that is an excellent space for memorable photos. Add to that the menu options of mouth-watering charcuterie and cheese, and as you can imagine, unbelievable wines everywhere you look, Handpicked Wines is a venue with a difference.

Address: Kensington St, Chippendale NSW

Handle: @handpickedwines

URBAN WINERY

If you’re a self-professed wine connoisseur after a modern style for your wedding, look no further than Urban Winery, Moore Park. An event space in the heart of the bustling Entertainment Quarter that caters for up to 250 guests, Urban Winery can host both your ceremony and reception, with indoor and outdoor options and great package deals. Our favourite thing about the venue is the opportunity for unique wedding photos that you’ll treasure forever - think towering backdrops of rustic wine barrels and industrial tanks, all with an inner-city twist. Of course, we couldn’t forget our other favourite part - the impeccable wine from A.Retief wines you and your guests will be drinking all night made on-site in the winery. Cheers!

Address: Building 121, The Entertainment Quarter, 116 Lang Rd, Moore Park NSW

Handle: @urban_winery_sydney

DOCKSIDE DARLING HARBOUR

Been fantasising about a waterside city reception? Dockside Darling Harbour might be right up your street. Located in Cockle Bay, Dockside’s professional weddings team have been making big days special for 30 years. With that much experience, you can trust you’re in safe hands here! Its spacious and well-lit rooms offer a brilliant canvas to decorate – meaning you can put a stamp on your wedding that’s unique to you. We particularly love the soft, warm lighting throughout the whole venue, making your guests look even more beautiful. Plus, the Sydney city location makes for really stunning wedding photos, especially at night.

Address: 2 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW

Handle: @docksidegroup

OTTIMO HOUSE, DENHAM COURT ESTATE

Are you after a country-style wedding, without the hassle of having to travel far from central Sydney? Ottimo House Denham Court could be your perfect match. Sitting in a quiet pocket of southwest Sydney, halfway between Liverpool and Campbelltown, Ottimo House is the perfect venue if you have a larger guest list, with a choice of rooms or outdoor spaces to meet your needs, meaning you’re also covered in the event of wet weather. Aside from roaming its beautiful and spacious grounds for photos, our favourite thing about the venue is its mouth-watering Italian menu: with generous portions of delicious pizza, pasta, salad and meat, none of your guests are going home hungry!

Address: 205 Campbelltown Road, Denham Court NSW

Handle: @ottimohouse

LONG REEF GOLF CLUB

Located in Collaroy on the northern beaches of Sydney, Long Reef Golf Club is an idyllic beachfront wedding venue. If you’re looking for an outdoor ceremony, Long Reef Golf Club has a number of different packages, all against a peaceful ocean backdrop. You can leave the fancy car out of the wedding budget because at Long Reef, you won’t need one! With the option to drive around the grounds in golf carts, you’ll have a laugh with your bridal party and get excellent photos too. With delicious and seasonal Asian fusion food, served either as banquet-style share platters or traditionally plated, huge windows with loads of natural light and a magical first dance under twinkling fairy lights, your reception here will be one to remember. Not forgetting our favourite thing - because of how the reception room is configured, we’ve photographed some of the most fun dance floors we’ve ever seen here.

Address: Anzac Ave, Collaroy NSW 2097, Australia

Handle: @longreef_weddings

EDEN GARDENS

Many Sydneysiders are probably familiar with Eden Gardens as a nursery and café during the week, but Eden Gardens is also a unique wedding venue. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it is located right next to the M2 on and off-ramps in Macquarie Park – the Gardens are a quiet and peaceful haven above and away from the traffic noise. Plus, this makes it incredibly central and easy to get to for guests travelling to your big day, which we love! With its industrial feel meets secret garden vibe, Eden Gardens also has one of the most unusual and beautiful reception rooms we’ve seen, with as much greenery as you’d expect from a nursery and a fountain right in the middle! Add to that the iconic Sydney cityscape in the distance, and you’ve got a recipe for a beautiful wedding day.

Address: 307 Lane Cove Road, cnr Fontenoy Rd, Macquarie Park NSW

Handle: @eden_macquariepark

ENTRATA

Looking for a cosy venue to hold a wedding reception in the Hills District of Sydney? One of our favourites is Entrata, a family run Italian restaurant backing onto a stretch of bushland in Glenhaven. Owned and operated by the Pagano family, Entrata looks like a big house from the outside, but that’s the vibe – it’s all about sophisticated home-style here, from the beautiful Italian cookery to the warm and friendly staff. With an exposed brick Mediterranean vibe, the main dining room seats up to 90 guests, but Entrata can cater for smaller groups as well. We especially love it for an intimate winter reception following some photos in a beautiful open space like Fagan Park, located only 15 minutes away. Now, Torta di Formaggio, anyone?

Address: 143 Glenhaven Rd, Glenhaven NSW

Handle: @entratarestaurant

CROWNE PLAZA HAWKESBURY VALLEY

If you’re after a spacious venue that does it all, we’re big fans of the Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley. Sitting just outside of Windsor, the venue is surrounded by eight hectares of picturesque gardens, meaning plenty of opportunities for photos that suit you and your style. Choose between an indoor ceremony in the charming on-site chapel, or say your vows outdoors by the peaceful lakeside. There are also six different reception spaces (including one outdoor option) to choose from. You and your guests can also stay in the hotel overnight, meaning no panicking about how Aunt Susan will get home after enjoying the sparkling wine a little too much. At the Crowne Plaza, you’ll be working with one of the friendliest teams in the business who will help you bring your big day to life exactly the way you’d imagined.

Address: 61 Hawkesbury Valley Way, Windsor NSW

Handle: @cphawkesburyvalley