Top 5 Outdoor Wedding Venues in Sydney

Every bridal couple’s dream is to have a wedding that is both special and meaningful, an event that would share lasting memories with family and friends for a lifetime. Having lived in Sydney for many years, I have discovered that bridal couples are spoilt for choice in making their wedding day a little different to the traditional church or indoor wedding.

Sydney’s natural coastal landscapes provide a perfect backdrop for dramatic photography. Its scenic parks along beaches, waterfronts and cliff tops are a dream setting to both the bridal couple and photographer to create the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding.

In addition, the temperate climate of Sydney means that it enjoys more than 240 days of sunny weather each year. Winter temperatures are mild, between 9 – 17 Celsius (or 49 – 63 Fahrenheit). It’s no wonder that many couples here in Sydney choose to have an outdoor wedding to capitalise on the natural beauty of this city, myself included.

Therefore, my top 5 outdoor wedding venues to exchange those special wedding vows in Sydney are:

Robertson Park is located approximately 9km from Sydney CBD and is tucked away in the far eastern corner at Watsons Bay. This is a very picturesque location whereby the deep foreshores of Watsons Bay offer simmering views of Sydney harbour with gentle sailboats rocking amidst the cries of seagulls and lapping waves. It is secluded during weekdays and gets quite crowded during weekends with families having picnics and a day out on the beach.

The bridal entourage will have to meander along New South Head road to get to this location but the views along the way and from the peninsula atop The Gap Park is truly breath-taking ~ the Tasman sea and Pacific ocean to the east and the Sydney city skyline and harbour to the west.

Doyles restaurant overlook Watsons Bay and offers some of the freshest seafood that Sydney has to offer. 

Lyne Park is merely 4km from the city and enjoys commanding views of Rose Bay, which is the largest bay within the Sydney CBD. One of the key features of Rose Bay is its seaplanes where one can observe these planes taking off and landing at Catalina restaurant, one of Sydney’s premier establishments. Pelicans are also local residents at this location and can often be seen perched on the outdoor dining area at Catalina.

Catalina is a fantastic location for the dinner reception due to its uninterrupted views over Rose Bay. One word of caution though ~ this restaurant is expensive. You may not even get a reservation for a Friday or Saturday night and the minimum charge is A$20,000. However, you pay for what you get ~ absolutely the freshest seafood cooked to a modern Australian style, extensive wine list and great service.

Third: Blues Point Reserve at McMahons Point

Blues Point Reserve at McMahons Point has one of the best, if not the best vantage point of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Located only 3km north of Sydney CBD, it enjoys panoramic views of the harbour and is also next to Sydney’s Luna Park. It is an absolutely fantastic location to hold an outdoor wedding due to the simmering harbour views and the harbour bridge as the backdrop. Bridal couples who have their wedding reception elsewhere are often seen coming to this location just to take those few shots for the wedding album.

Aqua Dining has views over the outdoor Olympic pool, which in itself, overlooks the harbour and city skyline. Needless to say, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the star of the show.

Sydney Botanic Gardens is located right in the heart of Sydney city and is easily accessible through Mrs Macquarie’s road. It enjoys a close-up view of the Sydney Opera House and the beauty of the gardens is an attraction in itself. This location is often a favourite outdoor wedding venue during spring time as the garden goes into full bloom. As the gardens are located on the tip of a peninsula around Port Jackson bay, it enjoys panoramic views of Sydney harbour, Fort Dennison as well as Woolloomooloo bay where naval ships are docked.

A natural choice for the wedding dinner would be Guillaume at Bennelong is located inside the Opera House. Guillaume Brahimi, one of Sydney’s top chefs is a multi-Michelin star recipient who has worked with Joel Robuchon in Paris.

Wedding guests will have the opportunity to wander around and enjoy the splendour of the Sydney Opera House, an iconic building designed by the famous Danish architect Joern Utzon. 

Sydneysiders are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on that top outdoor wedding venue. The best solution would be to pick an outdoor location that has it all – harbour views, Opera House, bridge, city skyline and the like.

You will get these views, and much more, when you choose to have your wedding on board the Majistic, a high speed luxury catamaran offering 3 outdoor decks, capable of hosting dinner for up to 350 guests.

Sailing in and around Sydney harbour for my own wedding in January 2005, my wife and I exchanged our wedding vows on the upper deck of the Majistic.The backdrop for our wedding album included an ever-changing perspective of Sydney harbour, the Opera House, city skyline and harbour bridge. Our relatives and friends from overseas were treated to a cruise before the wedding ceremony, pre-dinner drinks whilst being mesmerized by the beauty of the harbour, finally dinner and dancing on board.

We partied till late in the evening whilst sailing around Sydney harbour, soaking up the splendour and magic of Sydney by night and needless to say, my wedding day was truly the happiest day of my life.

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• Each year in spring time, Bondi beach is host to the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition which is free of charge and open to the general public. In this exhibition, hundreds of artistic sculptures are placed along the beach and the rocks from where the Bondi to Bronte walk path begins.

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