21st Birthday Party in Melbourne

Your Melbourne 21st Birthday Planning Guide

Most 21sts are dance-floor parties with speeches in the middle, so the first job is a room with its own bar, a spot for a DJ and space for everyone to stand. Melbourne's pubs handle this well. Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane takes up to 840 when booked in full, with canapés From $40 per person, and the Royal Melbourne Hotel on Bourke Street has a Heritage Room with its own bar, dance floor and street entrance, From $35 per person. Out of the city, the Sandown Park Hotel in Noble Park starts From $18 per person, and the Fountain Gate Hotel in Narre Warren has a central bar, stage and dance floor in its Jewel Room.

For a night that feels more like a club, Rubix Warehouse in Brunswick comes with its own sound system, DJ gear and LED wall, From $3,600 minimum spend. For something very large, The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne is exclusive hire From $11,000 room hire, with an indoor warehouse and a turfed yard. For something before the party, MANIAX Knox in Wantirna South runs axe throwing From $58 per person, and Holey Moley Crown Melbourne in Southbank mixes mini golf with escape rooms.

What a 21st usually needs on the night:

Someone to run the speeches: Vibe Entertainment Company supplies DJs who also MC
A photo booth: Boothalicious brings hand-built booths with unlimited prints, From $950
Food that keeps people dancing: Big Flavours canapés From $27 per person, or Mamalyn Catering's Vietnamese buffet trays
A balloon wall for the photos: Fairytale Balloons (From $299) or One Big Day Event Hire (From $300), plus a neon sign from A Day to Remember Event Hire, From $100
A way home for the group: Superior Limousines covers the Inner West and Western Suburbs with stretch Hummers

Need the music sorted first? Browse DJs or photo booths that travel across Melbourne.

Main Hall @ Bells Hotel in South Melbourne: a rooftop hall with a retractable roof and skyline outlook, From $35 per person
Sandy by the Bay in Sandringham: a glass-walled room with a balcony over the bay, From $39 per person
Skinny Dog Hotel in Kew: ten spaces over two levels, From $40 per person
Veneto Club in Bulleen: several rooms, each with a bar and dance floor, From $300 room hire
Cross Keys Hotel in Essendon: two upstairs rooms with DJ booths and balconies, From $2,000 minimum spend
Polly Bar in Fitzroy: a function room upstairs for 30 to 65, with cocktail classes From $85 per person

Per-person package or minimum spend

A per-person price suits a fixed guest list; multiply it out early so the total is not a surprise
A minimum spend, as at Rubix Warehouse or The Elephant & Wheelbarrow, is a floor on food and drink rather than a room fee
Ask whether a bar tab can count towards the spend, and when final numbers are due
Golden Gate Hotel in South Melbourne offers whole-pub hire as well as a 120-guest upstairs room

Before the speeches

Tell the MC the order of speakers and how long each has
Check the room has a microphone; many listings here include one
Plan the cake and toast before the dance floor fills, not after

21st Birthday Parties: Questions Answered

Which Melbourne CBD pubs can hold a 21st of 200 or more?

Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane takes up to 840 across its levels, and the Royal Melbourne Hotel has five function areas for 12 up to 1,200 guests.

Is there a club-style 21st venue in Melbourne's inner north?

Rubix Warehouse in Brunswick is a warehouse club for up to 300, with its own sound system, DJ gear and lighting included, From $3,600 minimum spend.

What does a 21st in Melbourne's south east cost per head?

The Sandown Park Hotel in Noble Park lists packages From $18 per person, Dandenong Pavilion From $25 per person and the Fountain Gate Hotel in Narre Warren From $48 per person.

Can a Melbourne DJ also MC the 21st speeches?

Yes. Vibe Entertainment Company supplies DJs who can MC the formalities, and can add sax or percussion over a DJ set.

Which 21st venues sit near Port Phillip Bay?

Sandy by the Bay in Sandringham looks over the bay, and The Epsom in Mordialloc and The Bridge Hotel Mordialloc in Aspendale are also in Bayside.

Can 21st guests get home together in a Hummer from the west?

Superior Limousines runs stretch Hummers for 14 to 20 guests across the Inner West and Western Suburbs, while Mr Hummer Limos and Triple Hummer Limos cover every region.

Is there a daytime 21st option in Melbourne for family and friends?

The Third Tier Tea Room in Brunswick East serves high tea From $49 per person and can be hired whole, and Polly Bar in Fitzroy runs cocktail high teas. Holey Moley Crown Melbourne and MANIAX Knox suit a more active afternoon.

21st Birthday Party Melbourne

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