Ballara Receptions

5.0  ( 155 reviews ) · 1435 Main Rd, Eltham, Victoria · Show Phone
 SupplierHero Popular Choice 85 +

OVERVIEW

If you're planning a romantic garden wedding and are on the hunt for a gorgeous all-in-one Melbourne wedding venue, Ballara Receptions is an excellent choice. This picturesque estate has six stunning ceremony locations to choose from and an enchanting ballroom that’s perfect for elegant wedding receptions. Ballara also offers exclusive use of the estate for weddings, which means you’ll have unrestricted access to the grounds for your photographs. 

Weddings at Ballara are consistently praised for the exceptional service, and you'll be in good hands with their dedicated team. Your dedicated bridal host will also be there on the day to act as a personal assistant and ensure the wedding runs smoothly. They’ll take care of any issues that may arise, allowing you to relax and enjoy your day.

Ballara Receptions’ bespoke wedding packages can be tailored to suit your wedding vision and budget. Depending on your wedding style and guest numbers, choose from their cocktail, sit-down, and grazing menu options. You can even opt for a high tea style wedding if you like that vibe instead. No matter which type of menu you choose, you’ll be blown away by the incredible flavours of each dish.

“My husband and I had our wedding at Ballara Receptions and it was just perfection. From the initial enquiry right up until the big day their communication was outstanding. Our wedding went so smoothly and the food was great, the staff were a huge standout, and they were there for anything we needed. They went above and beyond for us, I cannot recommend Ballara Receptions enough.” - Olivia C. 

What you’ll love about your Ballara Receptions wedding:

  • The beautiful setting. Surrounded by picturesque English gardens and weeping willow trees, we can’t imagine a more romantic setting for enchanting estate weddings than Ballara Receptions. You’ll fall in love with this gorgeous garden wedding venue when you walk through the door.
  • The elegant ballroom venue. Ballara Receptions’ chandelier-lit ballroom is a stunning space for wedding receptions, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the landscaped gardens. The ballroom’s neutral interiors can be dressed up to suit any wedding colour scheme, with elegant round tables surrounding a large central dancefloor.
  • The photo opportunities. There are endless backdrops for your wedding photographs at Ballara, from enchanting English gardens to a tranquil lake surrounded by lush greenery. Thousands of fairy lights are dotted around the estate, creating a beautiful backdrop for photos after dusk.

Choose from 6 locations for your ceremony at Ballara Receptions:

  • The Chapel. Ballara Receptions’ picturesque chapel is a beautiful all-weather ceremony option, with soaring ceilings, rustic timber beams, and shimmering chandeliers. There’s pew seating in the chapel for up to 100 guests, with room for 60 standing guests.
  • The Gazebo. This stunning Victorian gazebo is perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies, with delicate white detailing and endless options for personalisation with dreamy floral arrangements. Say your vows overlooking the lake surrounded by majestic willow trees. 
  • The Lakeside Garden. This tranquil lakeside spot is famous for romantic outdoor ceremonies at Ballara. You’ll love the ‘secret garden’ feel, nestled amid lush greenery and beautiful trees.
  • The Courtyard. Ballara Receptions’ enchanting courtyard offers a more secluded feel for outdoor ceremonies, with a delightful water feature and space for up to 60 white americana chairs. 
  • The Lakeside Jetty. The lakeside jetty at Ballara is ideal for intimate ceremonies and has space for 30 seated guests. The pavilion, willow trees, and picturesque lake form a stunning backdrop for your ceremony on the jetty.
  • Twilight Ceremonies. For something unique, why not have a twilight wedding ceremony at Ballara Receptions? Say your vows beneath twinkling fairy lights at one of the beautiful ceremony locations on the estate.

What Ballara Receptions weddings are like:

  • Stunning location at the foothills of the Yarra Valley
  • Exclusive use of the venue for your wedding
  • Bespoke wedding packages
  • 6 beautiful ceremony locations to choose from
  • Enchanting ballroom for wedding receptions
  • Secluded English gardens and a picturesque lake
  • Menu options include sit-down, cocktail, grazing & high tea 

Here’s what else you need to know about Ballara Receptions weddings:

  • Accommodates 60-160 wedding guests
  • Dedicated in-house wedding planning team
  • 30kms from Melbourne CBD
  • Free on-site parking
  • Plenty of accommodation options within walking distance
  • Endless photo opportunities
  • Winter wedding specials for June, July and August
  • Special offers/discounts for weddings with 130 adults or more 

What do Ballara Receptions provide for weddings?

Ballara Receptions’ comprehensive sit-down wedding packages include a personal function manager, bridal host on the day, private bridal retreat, five-hour beverage package, three-course meal, bridal table with a floral arrangement, podium and microphone for speeches, in-house music system, cake table, large central dancefloor, range of linen and centrepiece options, table numbers, and easels.
Packages can be customised further with the option to include the ceremony, wedding cake, fresh floral centrepieces, lawn games, and more in your price per person. 

There are also packages for cocktail, grazing or high tea-style weddings! 

What’s the capacity for weddings at Ballara Receptions?

The elegant ballroom at Ballara Receptions can accommodate up to 160 wedding guests.

“Ballara is such a magical, special, memorable place to get married. My husband and I are so lucky and thankful we chose this place to make our day come to life. The grounds are well maintained, the food is spectacular, the lighting is beautiful, the workers and wedding planners are amazing. Wow, we can just go on forever. If you are thinking of having your wedding here, STOP THINKING! This is the place to be! My husband and I can't thank the team enough for all the things Ballara has helped us with.” - Tori M.

About

Hello, I'm Christine, the venue manager at Ballara. With over 37 years in Eltham, Ballara has been a cornerstone of unforgettable weddings. I am passionate about events and thoroughly enjoy overseeing them and working with an amazing team. At Ballara, we take pride in bringing couples' visions to life on their special day. Our small team ensures personalised attention and trust as we focus solely on one wedding at a time, taking care of every detail seamlessly.

Christine Taylor

Venue Manager

Virtual Tour


Venue Features

Indoor / Outdoor Ceremony

Min 60 / Max 160 Reception guests

Price per head: Low $145 / High $ 227

Min 1 / Max 160 Ceremony Guests

Time restrictions: 1:00 AM

In-house catering or 3rd Party Catering

5.00 hours Event time included

Additional Hours $10 Per Head

Music must end by 12:30 AM


Easy Weddings Special Offer

Four-Tier Champagne Tower valued at $350

Introducing our stunning four-tier champagne tower—a sparkling showstopper sure to elevate your celebration. Whether kicking off the dancefloor or making a grand entrance, this glamorous feature adds a touch of sophistication and sets the tone for an unforgettable event. Cheers to making memories that sparkle!


Minimum numbers apply. No additional discounts or promotions can be used in conjunction.

For new bookings only. Terms and conditions may apply

To enquire, please call (03) 9431 1503 or fill out an enquiry form mentioning this offer! 

Enquire to claim offer Enquire to claim offer

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Nearby Accommodation


FAQ

At Ballara we can seat up to 160-170 guests in our Ballroom. 

Yes! You can get married in our gorgeous chapel or in the beautiful grounds - so its just a matter of which backdrop you prefer!
The authentic chapel seats 100 people and has standing room to up to 160-170, it comes decorated and has a built in sound system and microphone to make it nice and easy plus it has heating and air-conditioning for year round comfort! 
Alternatively the gazebo and lake make for a breathtaking setting, 60 white garden americana chairs are provided along with plenty more standing space. Sound system and microphones plus your decorations are all taken care of again! 

There is accommodation just across the road, plus another one just down the road so rooms are plentiful in the area! 

Definitely not! Ballara is specifically designed for weddings! We have spent a lot of time designing the gardens to ensure they are immaculate and that they give a multitude of spots to capture amazing shots - from the gazebo, swing, love seats, jetty, waterfall, fairylight garden, giant LOVE letters, rustic deck and more, there is just no need for you to have to spend the time and money on the day rushing around to other places. Ballara truly is a one-stop-shop, as you can hold your ceremony, photos and reception all in the one place! 

No way! At Ballara we give you our undivided attention! The venue and grounds are exclusively yours for your time with us so that you and your guests can enjoy everything and not feel rushed or mixed up with another crowd. 


155 reviews 5.0 Write a Review

April 2024

Excellent service and convenient venue! The team at Ballara (particularly Popy) made planning and preparing for our wedding really easy. She also made all of our 'outside the box' requests possible and project managed all of our suppliers. On the day, we could enjoy every moment of our wedding completely oblivious to any of the organising going on in the background because Popy and Ella (my dedicated person on the day) were all over it. Ballara is also a beautiful venue with everything in one place. Plenty of photo spots and areas for guests to explore and take photos. The Ballara team are exceptional and you and your guests will be well looked after. Thank you!

Hannah G.

Ballara Receptions

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience at Ballara! We're thrilled to hear that Popy and the team made your wedding planning process smooth and stress-free. It's fantastic to know that you fully immersed yourselves in the joy of your special day while Popy and Ella took care of everything behind the scenes. We're delighted that you found Ballara a beautiful venue with plenty of photo opportunities and spaces for your guests. Your kind words about our team mean the world to us, and we're so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of your wedding day memories. We'll be sure to pass along your manager's comments from the night to our team. It was truly magical, filled with beautiful moments and unforgettable touches. The shot of vodka, the joyful tradition of tossing the 'sugar' glass, and your brother's saxophone skills—all incredible moments. Once again, thank you for choosing Ballara, and we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness together!

November 2023

Would highly recommend Ballara Receptions! Excellent customer service- always accommodating, easy to communicate with and incredibly professional. The venue itself is beautiful and well maintained. Food was excellent with very generous portion sizes. My husband and I are very grateful to the Ballara team for helping to make our day so wonderful!

Athena D.

Ballara Receptions

Thank you for your review! We're thrilled that you had such a memorable experience at Ballara and to hear you enjoyed your time with us. It was a magical day, from the stunning red tea ceremony dress and lovely princess white dress to your hubby's sharp tuxedo. Your heartfelt vows under the sunny sky created a touching moment for all. We're delighted that your guests from interstate and regional Victoria could join in the celebration and that everyone had a fantastic time dancing the night away. Your kind words about our customer service mean a lot to us. We strive to provide excellent service, and we're glad that you found us accommodating, easy to communicate with, and professional throughout the planning process. Thank you for recommending Ballara Receptions, and we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!

September 2023

What can I say! It was one of the best experiences of my life. Steven and I couldn't be happier with Ballara Receptions for our wedding. Everything was covered from the beautiful surroundings and gardens - even in winter, the gorgeous chapel, and the foyer and reception spaces. Exquisite. The comments from our guests included: "Amazing food", "Great dance space", "Professional", "Welcoming" and "Accessible"! The professional staff were always helpful and very caring with their approach, particularly Popy, Amanda and Loretta who we worked with directly. They coordinated everything to make our Wedding Day beyond special and it was such a relief to leave it all to them, as both Steven and I are very busy people! Hence we give them 5 stars in every area from cleanliness, aesthetic beauty and elegance, organisation and value for money considering all you receive on the day. Thank you!!

Michelle F.

October 2024

Loved ballara, really helpful and a great venue, the food was exceptional and the staff even better. Really happy with our night and experience would recommend them ❤️

Alexandra S.

January 2024

We fell in love with Ballara as soon as we saw it. It had everything we were looking for - beautiful lush scenery for photos, outdoor garden ceremony, a modern reception and allowed external catering. We also liked that it was private and that you couldn't see any other buildings surrounding it. It was like we were in our own little world. We went over our budget for the venue, but it was honestly worth it as it was perfect for us. The Ballara team was also lovely to work with! They spent countless hours answering my questions and providing suggestions when I was unsure. I really appreciate Amanda and Popy for their support with my big day!

Linda X.


Expert Advice

expert advice

As a wedding professional, Ballara Receptions offers expert advice to help couples plan their perfect day. Ask a question or read their expert advice.

Get Expert Advice

Any cute chapels in victoria to get married in?

Ballara Receptions

Here at Ballara we have a gorgeous chapel on-site for your ceremony! We can seat 100-110 within the seats and then up to 160 with the standing room at the back too. We have decorations, signing table & chairs, microphones & sound system plus air con/heating to keep you and your guests comfortable no matter what weather Melbourne decides to give you on the day! You have a function co-ordinator to make sure everything runs smoothly and as per your wishes on the day and we have beautiful gardens to then take all your photos in - your choice if  you would like to hold the reception here too or head off to another location. Happy wedding planning! 

How many people classifies a wedding as a large wedding?

Ballara Receptions

Hi there :) It is honestly relative to the venue. Some venues can only host intimate weddings of 50, some venues host very big groups of 350-500+! On average we find most people tend to have around 100-140 people at our venue and we can seat up to 170. Good luck! 

Why doesn't any wedding venues/reception website state how much it is per head food wise?

I have looked at so many sites to potentially book for my wedding and none have provided the cost per head... I dont understand why even If the can offer different type like for example cocktail menu, buffet etc.... why they cant even give a rough idea?

Ballara Receptions

Hi there :) We honestly find that every couple is looking for something slightly different. It can be quite hard to label just a rough price as this can sometimes include way too many things that some couples don't want (so then they can rule out a place that actually is in their budget) or on the flip slide can not be covering enough for other couples (so then they are shocked when they realise the extra bits and pieces are missing). We try to give people a price range straight off the bat, but then we customise quotes and packages to suit couples from there. You also might find that some venues dont offer certain types of package e.g. buffet or self cater/venue hire etc. And another factor can be guest numbers e.g. a minimum spend or discounts once you hit a certain number of poeple. 
I'd suggest touching base with a few places you like the look of and ask for a rough price based on when you are looking at (as the year, month and day of the week can massively change the price per person e.g. by $50+), and also let them know what kind of catering you are after (sit down, cocktail etc) and the number of people. As these few dot points can definitely help to get the ball rolling...Good Luck! 

Shonnaye V

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