Who doesn’t dream of a beach wedding? It conjures up images of a sparkling sunset over the rolling waves while you and your guests sip champagne and feel the sand between their toes. Of canapes on the deck and music from the band drifting across the moonlit sand. With sunshine and sea breezes and warm salty air and…Melbourne?
Yes, Melbourne. While thoughts of a beach wedding usually make you think of the Gold Coast, or a destination wedding to an island somewhere, or even Sydney’s Bondi, it doesn’t necessarily make Melbourne pop into your mind.
A coastal wedding inspires a laidback boho vibe that sounds perfect for the most important day of your life, and the very best start to your life together as a married couple. And we have excellent news for all of our Victorian and cityside engaged couples; Melbourne has some wonderful options for venues that will make your perfect beach wedding celebration dreams come true.
Ten Melbourne Reception Venues for a Beach Wedding
Brighton Savoy
Overlooking the famous Brighton Beach is the Savoy, which has been creating perfect weddings for couples for decades. They take pride in giving all of their couples a flawless day by the bay. There are a number of stunning ceremony spots to choose from, including of course on the beach, as well as a four gorgeous reception rooms. Your beachside love story wouldn’t be complete without photos of the iconic Brighton Beach boxes. With a dedicated team of staff and connections with some of the best suppliers across Melbourne, you can see why this venue books out well in advance.
Sails on the Bay
This renowned restaurant offers an extraordinary outlook over Port Phillip Bay, that in summer or winter is like an everchanging work of art. Their dining and event packages can cater for weddings from intimate to enormous and everything in between. They are critically acclaimed for their modern Australian cuisine, which is perfectly matched with a wine list of premium wines and beers from all over the world. Sails on the Bay is Melbourne’s best located fine dining restaurant and a shining example of why a beachfront wedding need not compromise on quality or style.
Sandringham Yacht Club
Holding your wedding reception in the Clubhouse of the Sandringham Yacht Club will make your guests feel like are walking on water. Using gorgeous vistas as their starting point, the Clubhouse is a unique and flexible space that can adapt to any wedding design or theme. Equally perfect for a casual cocktail party or a formal seated affair, they also have several magnificent spots to say your vows witnessed by your family, friends and all of the waves of the bay.
The Portsea Hotel
This lovely old hotel is one of the most naturally beautiful and picturesque places to hold your wedding celebrations. Ceremonies are held on the lawn overlooking the manicured gardens and of course the incomparable beach panorama. The bride may compete slightly with the view as to who is the most stunning on the day (just kidding, the bride wins – just!). Their reception rooms open out onto terraces over the water, offering breathtaking views by day and at dusk, and by night their alfresco style opening walls enable you to gaze up at the stars.
All Smiles Sorrento Ocean Beach
At a venue named All Smiles, you just know that your wedding day is going to be a happy one! Proudly setting itself apart from the wedding venues that all start to look the same, All Smiles has created a contemporary décor for a thoroughly modern couple. This venue is an exciting and unique alternative to all the events you’ve seen before, with an unmatchable quality of service and 180-degree views of Bass Strait and the rugged peninsula coastline.
Encore St Kilda Beach
While many a beachfront venue boasts an incredible location, no other place can quite match this outstanding waterfront position. You can say your vows on one of Melbourne’s most loved beaches, and then party on until dawn in the St Kilda nightclub and entertainment precinct. With its background of shimmering water, swaying palms plus an infinite audience of sailboats waving at you, your life together will definitely get off to the right start. Encore; silhouetted against the golden sunset over Port Phillip Bay.
Little Blue St Kilda Pier
In a part of Melbourne steeped in character and history, St Kilda Pier is in a category all of its own. Little Blue not only offers wonderful food and drink packages to satisfy all of your family and friends but can cater an event as laidback and casual or elegant and refined as you always dreamed it would be. Cast your eye over the photos of the antiquated pier with the bay stretched out behind, and imagine painting your wedding day onto this mesmerising canvas.
Mornington Golf Club
Perched high on a rugged cliff surrounded by lush green lawns and manicured gardens is the Mornington Golf Club. Hold your ceremony on the tenth tee, before being whisked away by motorised carts to create your perfect wedding photo album, while your guests are served sparkling wine over the bay. With views not only of the water but back across Melbourne’s twinkling skyline, this waterfront venue is truly one of a kind.
True South
In a little known beachside suburb called Black Rock, marry your true love somewhere completely different, like this refurbished art deco garage! With a slick modern interior and views over the water and beach, your big day will be capped off with a wonderful celebration of exquisite food, wine, craft beer and matching cider. A beautiful space, a breathtaking view, and unmatched culinary experience; what more could you ask for?
The Baths Middle Brighton
Situated above Melbourne’s only remaining baths, this versatile venue has a wide range of spaces to offer for your wedding reception. With views over the historic baths, glimmering water, and Melbourne skyline, you can choose a casual cocktail party or a sumptuous sit-down dinner. The lovely rooms at the Baths offer outdoor decks extending over the bay so you can enjoy drinks, amazing sunsets and a day you will never forget.
In any season, the ocean has a personality all of its own, so it will make a masterpiece backdrop for your perfect day. Mix it with Melbourne’s love of good food and drink, and there is simply no better place for a wedding at the beach.
