January 16, 2020
Here is a list of the very best Canberra wedding venues. This has been updated for 2020. Canberra is the perfect backdrop for you if you love the idea of a beautifully decorated hotel, or rustic country wedding venue. Being surrounded by bushland leads to some of the most gorgeous scenic views, especially if you go for a sunset session after your ceremony. I’ve captured almost every venue in Canberra. If you notice that one is left off of the list and you’d like to see it on the list, swing me an email at howdy@whoshoots.com. In time I’ll update this with photos of each venue and more text. If you have any questions or want to know my thoughts on a particular venue, please contact me.
Canberra is the bush capital of Australia, and is surrounded by rich forests and landscapes full of scenery and charm. Canberra’s main city centre is populated with gorgeous boutique hotels, whilst on the outskirts you’ll find authentic and rustic wedding venues which capture the working farm feel. Canberra is also roughly 2 hours from the coast, and 3 hours from Sydney, making it easily accessible.
If you’re a couple who love the blend of boutique hotels, and rustic country charm, Canberra is the perfect location for your wedding.
Canberra has pretty extreme seasons, with the summers reaching up to 43°C, and the winters reaching down to as low as -2°C. Throughout the seasons however, Canberra has some of the best sunsets in Australia.
Due to these extremes, Canberra offers a lot of different ways to have your wedding, especially with the seasons being quite polarising. Many couples prefer to have a wedding somewhere from September to November, and February to May, so that the heat isn’t too much.
If you feel particularly adventurous, you can also have a winter wedding, which may also mean that some venues are cheaper. It will also be a lot colder and if you’re lucky in August or September, you may even have snow!
There are some amazing things to do in Canberra. Lots of incredible adventures are in store for you if you are in staying in the local area in and around your wedding:
Below is a selection of my top 5 favourite and top rated Canberra wedding venues. These have been chosen because of the atmosphere and stunning scenery they bring to weddings. When you’re looking for the best canberra wedding venue that suits you, have a think about which of these resonates with the theme you’d love e.g. rustic, classical, modern e.t.c.
Gold Creek Station is located at the north of Canberra and has a rich heritage. Initially being a sheep station since 1861, the 1,594ha property has since been tenderly looked after by Craig and his family for decades.
Craig, the owner of Gold Creek Station, has an excellent enthusiasm for what Gold Creek is all about. Purveying itself as an incredible ‘all in one’ venue, Gold Creek Station can be described as rustic, easy-going, and stylish.
This incredibly rustic wedding venue is well suited to couples who love the idea of having a real ‘home manor’ vibe to their day. It is also perfect for couples who adore that authentic farm vibe.
You’ll be mesmerised and excited by the wide variety of what Gold Creek Station has to offer. From its original sheep shearing shed to the beautifully decorated chapel that Craig has repurposed from other wood items around the homestead.
For me, the most prominent feature that stands out is the beautiful ceremony field. Lined with original wooden pews, and the incredible mini-chapel, it makes for the perfect backdrop for your vows. This ticks all of the boxes to make it one of Canberra’s best rustic wedding venues.
Contact Details:
Website: https://www.goldcreekstation.com.au/
Email: CRAIGSTARR@GOLD-CREEK.COM.AU
Phone Number: 0427 767 799
Established way back in 1852, this expansive property was set up as a sheep shearing property, harvesting merino wool.
Listed on the ACT Heritage register since 2008, this venue could well be the rustic playground you’re looking for.
Yukari and her crew currently looks after and lives on the property. The area allows for couples to create an expansive wonderland for a more ‘festival’ style approach to their big wedding day.
I’d describe Elm Grove as expansive, malleable, and beautiful.
Unlike other venues, Elm Grove has very few fixed structures around the site. However, this means that the power of how you’d want your wedding day to go down is entirely in your hands! If you’re the type of couple who love the idea of having a mini-festival for their wedding, then this would be perfect for you.
Weddings here have had a whole host of fun events go down, from helicopter entrances to food vans, and huge teepees for you and your guests to crash in. The broad areas allow for a lot of space to be used; however, you’d love.
Elm grove is ideally suited for boho-loving couples who want to have full control over a festival style wedding. I’ve named it as one of my top Canberra rustic wedding venues because of it’s customisation.
The one feature that stands out for me most is the stunning garden that Yukari has created, which leads into the ceremony location under the tree out the back of the main house on the property.
Contact Details:
Website: info@elmgrovecanberra.com.au
Ginninderry Homestead & events, located just outside Belconnen in Canberra’s West, is a remarkable homestead that is unlike anything else of this list. A residence which boasts incredible well-decorated rooms, Ginninderry Homestead & Events is a real gem in Canberra’s wedding circle.
Amelia Lacey runs the events side of things, and her mother Sue looks after the homestead, taking great care in providing customisable space for you and your big day. If you’re the type of couple who are looking for an epic place to have a weekend of celebration, without the fuss of decorating, then this is perfect for you. There’s plenty of space to make it your own, but you also have the flexibility that you won’t have to buy a whole cartload of extras to make the place look amazing. When searching for Canberra rustic wedding venues, Ginninderry immediately stood out.
Ginninderry Homestead & Events can be described as stylish, classic, and grand.
I feel that grand may be one of the best words to describe Ginninderry. From its cosy bedrooms in the main manor to the stunning natural area around the back of the property, to the Georgian styled The Grand building, Ginninderry really does stretch for some distance. Saying that though, the whole area is a breeze to access and navigate.
Ginninderry Homestead is best suited to classic-loving couples who want to have a real rock and roll weekend and wedding, with plenty of spaces to kick back and celebrate. Big plus if you also have a fondness for nature, as Ginninderry Events has some of the most gorgeous areas around it.
There are so many parts of Ginninderry that stand out. I have to mention the stunning gigantic tree at the back of the property. If you’re the type of couple who have always loved the idea of getting married under a beautiful old tree, this may be perfect for you. It just oozes rustic vibes.
Contact Details:
Website: https://ginninderry.com.au/
Email: events@ginninderry.com.au
Phone Number: 0438 547 764
Tuggeranong Homestead may be most well renowned for being the place that the Official History of World War One was written, from Australia’s perspective.
Purchased in 1858, this incredible homestead has been home to military uses, and a working farm in the mid 20th century.
It’s beautiful style, and charm has stayed consistent with the uses it has had over the years. Many original pieces of machinery over the years have been preserved and used in the decoration of the venue.
Gerry and Ann are the owners of Tuggeranong Homestead. They have done a fantastic job at creating one of the most rustic venues in and around Canberra. Not only that, but they are bloody lovely people to chat to, and really have their heads screwed on when it comes to creating a rustic wedding venue in Canberra.
I’d describe Tuggeranong Homestead with the words rustic, authentic, and diverse. It really is one of Canberra’s most amazing rustic wedding venues.
Throughout the expansive space that Tuggeranong Homestead covers, a whole heap of different areas catch the eye. From the central machinery shed with its iconic second-floor door, to the large red water tower, and the vast plains out the back of the property, complete with farm animals!
Tuggeranong Homestead is best suited to couples who want to have an authentic rustic vibe. The added bonus is that being located in the inner South, you and your guests don’t have to travel hours outside of Canberra.
Tuggeranong Homestead stands out for me, mostly because of its incredible spaces. Within the space of 10 minutes, you can navigate through a whole heap of different locations, which gives an astonishing variety to wedding photographs.
Contact Details:
Website: http://tuggeranonghomestead.com.au/
Email: (use http://tuggeranonghomestead.com.au/contact/)
Phone Number: 02 6292 8888
Corin Forest Mountain Resort is perhaps best known around Canberra for the place to go when you want to have the snow, but don’t want to travel 3 hours to Kuziosko.
Besides this attraction, Corin Forest Mountain Resort really does live up its name. It is a charming and intimate venue which is ideally suited for those who adore being outside in nature.
The team at Corin Forest Mountain Resort are a fantastic crew who band together, and who have created a sensationally fun and stylish venue. Every time I’ve worked there, they’ve been incredibly helpful, and just a load of fun.
Corin Forest Mountain Resort is fun, intimate, and (very) nature-driven.
Corin Forest Mountain Resort is best suited to couples who are obsessed with nature and who want to have a day where all of the celebrations are super close by. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to walk for miles to find a great location to find stunning backdrops. Having that excellent drop back to nature is what makes it one of my top rustic wedding venues.
I want to mention the beautiful wooden lodge, the stunning lake, and gorgeous backdrop of Corin Forest. However, I feel absolutely obliged to state that they also have a European Style Toboggan run at the back of the resort, which is a heap of fun!
Contact Details:
Website: http://www.corin.com.au/
Email: hello@corin.com.au
Phone Number: 02 6235 7333
If you’re instead thinking about eloping and having a more private ceremony, Canberra is graced with a large variety of stunning hills and mountains as your elopement backdrop. Eloping in Canberra is for couples who prefer to have a more intimate ceremony, with stunning views, and best of all, for totally free.
The following locations are some of the best elopement locations in Canberra:
Special thanks to every venue on this list for having such awesome venues! If you love the look of any of these venues and would love to have your wedding here, get in contact and I’ll help design your perfect wedding day!
