Outdoor Wedding Venues - Public Places

Melbourne is blessed with so many beautiful parks, gardens, beaches and reserves.  From time to time I'm asked by couples for recommendations. That's easy! Here are some of my favourite public places.

City and Inner Suburbs

Nymphaea Lake West - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Nymphaea Lake East - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Picnic Point - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Princes Lawn - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Dog Flat - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Tennyson Lawn - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Tecoma Pavilion - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

Rose Pavilion - Royal Botanic Gardens, South Yarra

For information regarding permits for the Royal Botanic Gardens, contact Blakes Feast

Fawkner Park, South Yarra

John F Kennedy Memorial - Treasury Gardens, East Melbourne

Temple of the Winds Rotunda, Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne

Pioneer Women's Memorial, Melbourne

Lady Janet Clarke Rotunda - Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne

Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne

Carlton Gardens South, Carlton

For information regarding permits for Fawkner Park, Treasury Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens, Pioneer Women's Memorial, Queen Victoria Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens and Carlton Gardens, contact the City Of Melbourne

Grollo Equiset Gardens - National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

For further information relating to the requirement of a permit for the Grollo Equiset Gardens, contact

National Gallery of Victoria and Peter Rowland Catering.

St Vincents Garden, Albert Park

For information relating to permits for St Vincents Garden, contact the City of Port Phillip

North

Edinburgh Gardens Rotunda, Fitzroy

East

Malvern Gardens, Malvern

Hedgeley Dene Gardens, Malvern East

For information regarding permits for Malvern Gardens and Hedgeley Dene Gardens, contact the

City of Stonnington

Alexandra Gardens, Kew

Canterbury Gardens Rotunda, Canterbury

Maranoa Gardens, Balwyn

For information relating to permits for Alexandra Gardens, Canterbury Gardens and Maranoa Gardens, contact the City of Boroondara

Blackburn Lake Sanctuary, Blackburn

For information relating permits for Blackburn Lake Sanctuary, contact the City of Whitehorse

Heide Museum of Modern Art

Westerfolds Park, Templestowe

For information relating to permits at Westerfolds Park, contact Parks Victoria

National Rhododendron Gardens, Olinda

For information relating to permits for the National Rhododendron Gardens, contact Parks Victoria

The Secret Garden - Sky High, Mount Dandenong

Tim Neville Arboretum, Ferntree Gully

For further information relating to permits for the Tim Neville Arboretum, contact Knox City Council

 

South

Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne

For information relating to permits for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, contact Blakes Feast

George Pentland Botanic Gardens, Frankston

For further information regarding permits for George Petland Botanic Gardens, contact  

Frankston City Council

West

Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Williamstown

For information relating to permits for Williamstown Botanic Gardens, contact  

Hobsons Bay City Council

Werribee Park, Werribee South

State Rose Garden - Werribee Park, Werribee South

For information relating to permits for Werribee Park, contact Parks Victoria
 

Footscray Park, Footscray

For information relating to permits for Footscray Park, contact the City of Maribyrnong

Bayside

St Kilda Pier, St Kilda

For information relating to permits for St Kilda Pier, contact Parks Victoria

Catani Gardens Rotunda, St Kilda

St Kilda Botanical Gardens, St Kilda

For information relating to permits for Catani Gardens Rotunda and St Kilda Botanic Gardens, 

contact the City of Port Phillip

Brighton Bathing Boxes - Brighton Beach

Kamesburgh Gardens, Brighton

Band Rotunda, Sandringham

For information relating to permits for the Brighton bathing boxes foreshore, Kamesburgh Gardens, Brighton Town Hall gardens, and the Sandringham band rotunda, contact Bayside City Council

If you plan to hold your ceremony in a public place, be sure to check with local council or Parks Victoria to confirm whether a permit is required and the conditions of the permit.  Conditions may relate to site and insurance fees, bond payment, hire duration, maximum group size and whether structures such as marquees and market umbrellas can be erected. 

Looking for a little more outdoor inspiration? Take a look at my blog Outdoor Wedding Venues - Privately Owned Spaces.

Sally Hughes
Authorised Marriage Celebrant
The Words & Music Company

Images:

Royal Botanic Gardens courtesy of Blakes Feast
Pioneer Women's Memorial courtesy of John Torcasio

National Rhododendron Gardens courtesy of Cosplay

Footscray Park courtesy of The Words & Music Company
Band Rotunda, Sandringham courtesy of TappaNappa

Laura & Andrew's Mount Macedon Marriage

It's quite appropriate that Laura and Andrew, self-confessed film enthusiasts, met at EzyDVD.  Andrew interviewed Laura for a position at EzyDVD in the food court at Sunshine Plaza.  Andrew liked Laura's glasses and thought she was smart.  He decided immediately that the position was hers, though he took three days to offer it to her.  Laura was thrilled, as she thought her new boss was handsome and very cool.

Their first date was to Ryan Gosling's latest movie offering, Lars and the Real Girl, and much like the film script, it began a little awkwardly.  When Laura made light of the fact that they were both acting far too nervously, they immediately relaxed.  Their second date was to a screening of American Beauty and this time there was no hint of awkwardness.  In fact, Laura and Andrew shared their first kiss afterward.

It comes as no surprise that a movie features in their engagement story.  Laura and Andrew share a particular love of old Hollywood movies.  Having received Laura's mum's blessing, Andrew took Laura to the Astor Theatre in St Kilda to see a screening of Gone With The Wind.   During the scene when Rhett Butler proposes to Scarlett O'Hara, Andrew began to whisper Rhett's proposal lines to Laura.  He then presented her with a beautiful engagement ring.  Unlike Scarlett's reaction "Turn me loose, you varmint, and get out of here", Laura's response one of great surprise and sheer delight.

Laura and Andrew were married on a wonderfully warm and sunny day by the Memorial Cross in the Mount Macedon Ranges. The 21 metre high structure, set against the brilliant blue sky, was most certainly an awesome sight to behold. 

Laura was accompanied down the dramatically long aisle (it's 200 metres!) by her mother and bridesmaids to Regina Spektor's Real Love.  She and her bridesmaids wore stunning Collette Dinnigan gowns, carried peony roses and smiles from ear to ear.

Family and friends came forward and read passages by William Shakespeare Hays, Dante Aligherie and one of my favourites, an excerpt from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.  The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.  We pardon to the extent that we love.  

Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never by lonely again.  And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.  

Loved for ourselves.  And even loved in spite of ourselves.   

"In all that lies before us, I pledge my faith to you, as long as we both shall live."

 

We signed the marriage certificates to Cats & Dogs & Coeur D'Alene by The Head and The Heart. 

When the newlyweds were introduced to their family and friends, they received such a loud cheer.

What a wonderfully sunny and laughter-filled afternoon we had.   Congratulations Laura and Andrew on declaring your love from a mountain top.  May you always remain as happy as you were on your wedding day. xx

Sally Hughes
Authorised Marriage Celebrant
The Words & Music Company

Photos: Corey Sleap Photo
Venue: Mount Macedon Memorial Cross
Stylist: Laura and her mum, Wendy.  Rather impressive hey?
Laura's Dress: Collette Dinnigan