Wedding Reception Venues in Melbourne's CBD, Southbank & Docklands

Choosing the Right Wedding Reception Venue

Marrying in central Melbourne often means the vows and the party can share one address. Alto Event Space uses its open-air terrace at the top of the GPO building for ceremonies, Quarterhouse offers its rooftop Sky Park lawn where the CBD meets Docklands, and Berth on Newquay Promenade marries couples downstairs before guests head up to the function room. Seated numbers to work from when shortlisting:

Up to 80 seated: Berth's upstairs room faces Victoria Harbour, and its group set menus are priced from $79 per person
Up to 100 seated: the main restaurant at Left Bank Melbourne, beside Queensbridge Square in Southbank, or Young & Jackson's whole first floor, which seats 90 opposite Flinders Street Station
Up to 150 seated: Alto Event Space, with a polished brass bar and a dance floor in the same room, from $121 per person
Up to 160 seated: exclusive dining at Ludlow Bar & Dining on Riverside Quay
150 to 450 guests: Plaza Ballroom at 191 Collins Street, where everything is bundled into packages from $240 per person

For a cocktail-style reception rather than a sit-down meal, the rooftops and riverside bars further down this page take far more guests standing.

CBD, Southbank & Docklands Wedding Reception Venues

Good Heavens spreads across two buildings above Bourke Street, with a central fireplace and retractable blinds, for up to 400 standing.
The Rooftop @ Imperial Hotel takes 270 for cocktails in an open-air garden bar under a retractable roof, facing Parliament House.
Riverland Bar at Federation Wharf hosts riverside cocktail receptions of 250 in Little Riverland, and half or full venue hire for 300 to 900. Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane can also be taken as a whole for up to 840.
The Decks @ The Boatbuilders Yard fits 80 to 250 in a private South Wharf room on the river, and its live music licence covers your band.

Speeches, the first dance and finishing touches

Plaza Ballroom keeps a large dance floor under its original chandeliers, and the arrival is via a grand staircase into a paved, fountain-centred foyer.
Quarterhouse lays out The Hall on Level One for a long-table dinner and dancing, with a private bar and a wraparound terrace, taking 300 for cocktails. On Bourke Street, Royal Melbourne Hotel's Heritage Room combines a dance floor, a microphone for the toasts and a sunken lounge for 50 to 250.
Alto's ceiling is rigged for draping, florals and chandeliers, and its licence allows a 1am finish any night.
Left Bank switches to alternate-drop menus once numbers reach 50, while Ludlow feeds groups of more than 50 with a shared banquet.

Common Questions About Wedding Reception Venues

Which venues can host both the vows and the party?

Alto Event Space's 150 square metre terrace works as a ceremony spot, Quarterhouse can marry couples on its rooftop Sky Park lawn or in The Hall, and Berth runs ceremonies downstairs with the reception upstairs.

Which reception venues include catering in the package?

Plaza Ballroom's wedding packages are all-inclusive, cooked by the Marriner Group kitchen and served by the venue's own staff. Alto Event Space is fully catered by Damm Fine Food Co., with shared or plated dining menus.

Where is there room for a proper dance floor?

Plaza Ballroom has space for a large one, Alto Event Space turns its dining room into a dance floor without moving guests, and Quarterhouse sets up The Hall for long tables and dancing. Garden State Hotel's Observatory comes with its own dance floor, bar and balcony for 120 standing or 50 seated.

What are the waterfront options for a wedding reception?

Berth has a balcony over the marina at Victoria Harbour, The Decks sits right on the river at South Wharf, and Riverland Bar, Left Bank Melbourne and Ludlow Bar & Dining all face the Yarra.

Wedding Reception Venues in CBD, Southbank & Docklands

Wedding Reception Venues in CBD, Southbank & Docklands: Compare Suppliers