Find your Garden Wedding Venue in Melbourne

Who wouldn’t want to marry in one of the beautiful gardens of Melbourne? Australia is known for its natural wonders (sometimes called “the bush”) and wide open spaces. Seems like the best place to have your wedding, right?

Now you know weddings in Australia are a bit on the expensive side, we have some other things you should look out for before picking the perfect garden for your wedding in Melbourne:

• Catering – With a garden wedding, a big concern is food getting spoiled by the sun or warmth or unexpected rainfall ruining your big event. That’s why you might only want to consider garden wedding venues in Melbourne with in-house catering, so you don’t have to worry about anything at all. Look for venues that offer an extensive gluten-free/vegan menu (for those who need it), alcohol, halal, kosher, and more options, adjusted to your, and your guests’, needs.
  
  
• Pick an affordable date – Cutting costs on the date for your wedding can have a significant impact on your total wedding costs, especially in Australia. In Australia, the cheapest months to marry are June and July. Also, consider booking a venue on a weekday (or Sunday). To avoid the coldest months of the year, you could choose to have your garden wedding in May for a lower (than usual) price and after summer feeling.
  
  
• Have a backup plan – If you choose to celebrate during the coldest months, there’s more chance of bad weather. It doesn’t mean that you can’t organise a garden wedding during the winter months. You just need to have a backup plan for people who prefer to stay warm and unaffected by the weather. You could do this by renting heaters for outside or by looking for a venue with enough space to fit all your guests both outdoors and indoors, just in case.
  
  
• Insurances – A wedding is a huge investment, so protecting this event with insurances is a good call to enjoy a stress-free marriage. Two insurance policies can help you out: wedding liability insurance (in case your drunk uncle Jack decides to kick equipment around) and cancellation/postponement insurance.

Until now everything sounded amazing, but we have to talk about the costs. The average cost of a wedding in Australia, according to a survey run by Bride to Be magazine, is $65,482. The biggest expenditure for a wedding is the venue. Luckily you can cut costs on the type of venue. We listed the minimum and maximum costs per pricing model (below) to make it easier for you to prepare your budget for a garden wedding in Melbourne:

• Minimum spend – You can get away with a free venue if you spend a minimum of $1,750 on a weekday somewhere between May and September (for up to 100 guests). The highest minimum spend rate is $18,000 on a Saturday evening (for up to 120 guests).On average, you’re looking to spend anything from $17.50 to $150 per person.
  
  
• Per person rate – You don’t want to worry about who attends your wedding and who doesn’t? Many venues offer the option to pay only for the guests who actually attend your wedding. With only $48 per person, you will have an amazing wedding. At most, you’re looking at $125 per person (with a minimum of 80 guests).

What are the most popular locations for organising a garden wedding in Melbourne? Here are some of our favourite ones:

• Flagstaff Gardens – Multiple garden wedding venues in Melbourne are located in and around these gardens of historical significance. Close to the Central Railway Station of Melbourne, this place is easily accessible by train, tram, and bus.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne – The must-see’s of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne are the Fountain Island and Shrine of Remembrance. Approximately one million people visit this wonderful park every year. Enough reason to check it out for yourself too!

Frequently asked questions that might help you out:

Can I have the ceremony AND reception at the same garden venue?
Yes! It is possible, but make sure your venue has an alcohol licence (which you’ll probably need).

Are there any additional charges or is everything included in the hire fee?
Some venues charge additionally for catering (food, drinks, crew), others already include that in the fee. If you have any other questions, please ask your personal event manager at Tagvenue so you can plan with a peace of mind.