Wedding Reception Venues in South Wharf

Choosing the Right Wedding Reception Venue

For a cocktail-style wedding reception beside the water, The Decks @ The Boatbuilders Yard sits right on the Yarra at 23 South Wharf Promenade. Couples get a private room with a separate entrance and its own bar, inside a waterfront pub built around a historic shed in the maritime precinct next to the Polly Woodside. What couples should know about The Decks:

Guest numbers: 80 to 250 for a standing reception
Styling: hanging plants and a private bar, so little extra decoration is needed
Music for the first dance: a live music licence, and your own DJ, band or playlist through the house system
Menu: canapés that roam the room from $37 per person, or a BBQ buffet and grazing boards
Weather: glass walls that open onto the river or close in around a heated room

Receptions last no more than five hours with a midnight close, and the booking works on a minimum spend rather than a room hire fee.

The private entrance means wedding guests arrive without passing through the pub.
A wireless microphone and sound system carry the speeches across the room.
Ceiling heaters and fans let the room suit a winter or summer wedding.
Drinks can be a two- to four-hour package or a prepaid bar tab set by the couple.

Locking in the wedding date

The couple signs a booking form and pays a 25% deposit to secure the date.
Final guest numbers go to the venue 14 days before the wedding.
Wifi and a pull-down screen are there for a slideshow of the couple through the years.
South Wharf lies along the river's southern bank, west of Southbank and beside the convention centre.

Common Questions About Wedding Reception Venues

Can The Decks host a seated wedding dinner?

The Decks is set up for cocktail-style events of 80 to 250, with roaming canapés, BBQ buffets and grazing boards rather than a formal seated menu.

Can we have a band at our South Wharf reception?

Yes. The room has a live music licence and its own sound system, and because it is fully private you can bring a band, DJ or playlist.

How is a wedding at The Decks priced?

It works on a minimum spend instead of a room hire fee, with canapé packages from $37 per person and a 25% deposit to confirm.

How late can the reception go?

The reception can run five hours, as long as it ends by midnight.

Wedding Reception Venues in South Wharf