14 wedding venues worth adding to the shortlist

From waterfront hotels and city hideaways to wineries, homesteads and one very photogenic lobster shack, these 14 wedding venues bring plenty to the table. Whether your brief is polished, relaxed, romantic or ready to party, there is a strong contender here for every kind of celebration.

Emu Bottom Homestead, VIC

Set across 70 acres of countryside, Emu Bottom Homestead is Victoria’s oldest heritage-listed homestead and has the working sheep farm, native wildlife and sweeping valley views to prove it. Exclusively dedicated to weddings, it offers serious country character without asking couples to sacrifice the practical parts of hosting 40 to 150 guests.

Henley’s Wine Bar & Kitchen, VIC

Henley’s Wine Bar & Kitchen serves country romance with actual flavour. Its Milawa setting includes white rose gardens, historic buildings and a restored rustic marquee, while the menu leans into local produce, shared feasts, wood-fired pizzas and regional wines. Ceremony furniture, staffing, coordination, setup and pack-down are covered too, which is always a beautiful sentence to read.

Sandhurst Club, VIC

Sandhurst Club offers rolling fairways, manicured gardens and light-filled clubhouse spaces without making the wedding feel like a golf tournament. Couples can choose from indoor and outdoor ceremony settings, flexible reception rooms and all-inclusive package options, with a dedicated events team there to keep everything moving well beyond tee time.

Shaws Road Winery, VIC

Shaws Road Winery is a family-run venue set across 1,500 acres of vineyard, farmland and native gardens just outside Melbourne. There are outdoor ceremony spots, a light-filled indoor Atrium, estate-grown wines, onsite accommodation and packages covering everything from elopements to cocktail weddings of up to 120 guests. Consider the country weekend officially sorted.

ACO On The Pier, NSW

Set inside a restored 1920s timber wharf, ACO On The Pier gives Sydney Harbour weddings a little more character than the standard waterfront ballroom. Three flexible spaces, floor-to-ceiling glass, exposed timber beams and a private balcony overlooking the Harbour Bridge mean the ceremony, cocktails and reception can all happen without the group chat organising transport.

Ace Hotel Sydney, NSW

Ace Hotel Sydney is for couples who want their wedding to feel more like a very good party than a formal function. The boutique city hotel offers multiple event spaces, in-house catering, rooftop dining with city views and accommodation for guests, with the team happy to tailor the day rather than squeeze it into a standard template.

Brisbane Marriott Hotel, QLD

Brisbane Marriott Hotel brings the ceremony, reception, accommodation and next-morning recovery brunch together under one very convenient roof. Its riverside CBD location, flexible event rooms, tailored menus, guest accommodation blocks and dedicated wedding team make it a polished option without adding another 14 logistics to the planning spreadsheet.

Factory 51, QLD

Factory 51 does industrial wedding style without feeling cold or unfinished. The restored Coorparoo warehouse pairs exposed brick, polished concrete and high ceilings with ambient lighting and a crystal chandelier, plus a private laneway and restaurant-level dining. It already has plenty going on, so you can officially step away from the Pinterest décor spiral.

Montauk Tavern, QLD

Sitting beside Calypso Bay Marina in Jacobs Well, Montauk Tavern delivers coastal energy with a polished finish. Positioned between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, it brings the ceremony, reception, dining, drinks, photos and guest parking into one waterfront location, leaving very little opportunity for anyone to get lost between venues.

Stamford Plaza Brisbane, QLD

Stamford Plaza Brisbane makes a strong case for keeping the entire wedding riverside. Couples can exchange vows in a private garden, move into the light-filled Grand Ballroom overlooking the Brisbane River and Kangaroo Point Cliffs, then send guests upstairs to one of 252 rooms and suites when the dance floor finally calls time.

Stamford Grand Adelaide, SA

Beach ceremony people, this one has your name on it. Stamford Grand Adelaide sits on the Glenelg waterfront, allowing couples to exchange vows on the sand before moving into the Grand Ballroom for dinner, dancing and floor-to-ceiling ocean views. Maximum seaside impact, minimal post-ceremony commuting.

Lobster Shack, WA

Lobster Shack puts weddings right on the Cervantes oceanfront, with 180-degree Indian Ocean views and fresh Western Australian seafood taking care of most of the heavy lifting. Beachfront decks, a light-filled restaurant and flexible spaces can handle celebrations from 30 to 550 guests, proving the humble lobster shack can, in fact, clean up very nicely.

Wise Wine, WA

Wise Wine gives couples vineyards, native bushland and Geographe Bay in the same eyeline, which feels slightly unfair to other venues. Ceremonies can take place on the ocean-facing wedding deck or lawn before guests move through the courtyard and into the window-lined restaurant for shared dining, Wise wines, speeches and dancing.