Weddings are one of those very personal affairs, where desires differ so greatly from one couple to the next. So many decisions to make, with often very little choice. And catering is one of those oh-so-important decisions. Sometimes it can be the difference between choosing one venue over another.
There are great benefits to choosing a venue that offers flexible catering arrangements – hello food trucks! You really can have your cake and eat it. What about that burrito van you’re always banging on about to your friends? Or your fiancé’s favourite gourmet hot dog van? We say YES!
Sometimes, you can even supplement a venue’s main catering services – we’re thinking fresh fried donuts, or strawberries and ice-cream (or both)!
Below is a list of our favourite venues that offer the flexibility for you to add that edgy element to your catering.
1. Fleurieu Cherries, Pages Flat
Whilst wine is available in house with a very reasonable minimum spend, Fleurieu Cherries are flexible and allow you to supply your own beers, soft drinks and accompaniments as well as selecting your choice of caterers or even food trucks.
www.venyu.com.au/fleurieucherries
Photo credit – Bridget Quain Photography
This beautiful property on the skirts of the Clare Valley is an absolute stunner and offers couples in-house catering through a preferred supplier, as well as the option of food trucks.
www.venyu.com.au/koonowlawines
Photo credit – Evan Bailey Photography
Offered as a dry-hire facility, Kuitpo Hall allows you the freedom to confirm your own beverages and caterer, or alternatively they are also happy to make a recommendation from their fabulous network of suppliers. With a full kitchen and bathrooms on site, there really aren’t any hidden extras to worry about.
Photo credit – Tim Day Photography
4. Lake Breeze, Langhorne Creek
One of Australia’s most awarded boutique wineries this 90-hectare property is a couple’s dream, Lake Breeze allows you to customise your day, including your catering options.
Photo credit – Johnst Photography
5. White Hill Estate, McLaren Vale
A dry hire facility, White Hill Estate leaves you complete control over your experience. We love that Oliver’s partner with a variety of preferred caterers offering everything from gourmet plated menus to wood fired pizza. Of course, you can also source own alcohol, stylists and event planners. There is no cookie cutter here, only unique celebrations fitting of your personality and budget.
www.venyu.com.au/whitehillestate
Photo credit – Tammy Cooper Photography
6. Aldinga Secret Garden, Aldinga
The layered garden provides many different intimate spaces for guests including a wide gravelled laneway which is wrapped by large hedges and seasonal foliage. Venue hire of Aldinga Secret Garden is extremely affordable and allows you complete flexibility over catering and beverage selections and with great rear property access lends itself well to fun alternative food truck selections.
www.venyu.com.au/aldingasecretgarden
Photo credit – Time with Alex
As a VENYU exclusive this private property allows you full flexibility to make your own alcohol and catering arrangements. All spaces offer good vehicle access allowing food trucks, mobile bars and large equipment hire to all be strong possibilities.
Photo credit – Emma Faith Photography
This cool New York loft style hire venue in Willunga is a dry-hire dream, with plenty of space for you to bring in a food truck or two (did someone say spit roast?).
Photo credit – Harry Vick.
9. The River Block, Bookpurnong
If you’re on the search for a self-contained Riverland gem, with all the space and flexibility you could hope for, look no further – The River Block ticks every box. You can just about BYO everything to this venue, including your caterer or food trucks.
www.venyu.com.au/theriverblock
Photo credit – Dani Bartlett Photography
From food trucks to pizza ovens, Fox Gordon is a venue that will happily allow you to pair your choice of caterer with their award-winning wines at their beautifully picturesque venue just a mere 5 minutes from McLaren Vale.
11. Villa Vineyards, Currency Creek
Villa Vineyard is a country vineyard owned by a family with a long history in the area, and the venue itself is located on 60-acres of beautiful green space. The dedicated reception space, the Tractor Shed, is ideal for hosting an evening wed-fest with your own food trucks dishing out the goods.
www.venyu.com.au/villavineyards
12. Werner Vineyards, Willunga
If the gum-studded amphitheatre wasn’t enough to get you excited about this venue, how about the fact the owner is also an event manager and stylist? Werner Vineyards is another venue that allows you complete catering freedom – wheel those food trucks on in!
www.venyu.com.au/wernervineyards
Photo credit – Davish Photography
Another exclusive VENYU property, the Barns of Freeling is a wide-open Barossa beauty with both space and views. You have complete freedom when it comes to your catering supplier.
www.venyu.com.au/thebarnsoffreeling
Photo credit – Davish Photography
VENYU’s own exclusive Yorke Peninsula venue, Redwing Farm offers couples a piece of quiet farm life for their special day. Being a completely dry hire space means that you can bring in both your own choice of catering or food vans as well as beverage suppliers.
Photo credit – Davish Photography
15. Sinclair’s Gully, Norton Summit
Standing amongst the candlebark gum forest at Sinclair’s Gully you’d think you were in the heart of the Australian bush, but this epic venue is only a 20 minute drive from Adelaide’s CBD. If that’s not the best bit already, they allow you to BYO caterer, alternatively they are happy to make a recommendation from their own network of amazing suppliers.
www.venyu.com.au/sinclairsgully
Photo credit – Little Car Photography
16. Mt Beare Station, Mt Compass
Mt Beare Station is fully flexible dry hire venue with its historic wool shed and 500 acres of open space, offers all the flexibility when it comes to catering (and beverages too). Even the caterers get to join in on the fun – the kitchen facilities are located within the Blacksmith shop!
www.venyu.com.au/mtbearestation
Dreaming of an island wedding? Dudley Wines has got to be one of those locations that will leave you awe struck. Even better that they offer the option to supply your own catering!
Photo credit – Hannah Walker
Vine Shed venue is brand spanking new, has been specially built for weddings and functions, and is of course in keeping with the rest of this list – super flexible when it comes to catering and food trucks. Amen to that!
A 100% dry hire venue, The Pines gives you all the freedom (and space) you need to wheel in those tasty food trucks!
Photo credit – Time with Alex
With complete freedom to choose your caterer and plenty of space to park a van or two, Clare Valley’s Hughes Park is without a doubt one of our more popular flexible venues.
Photo credit – Kelly Champion Photography
Paxton is one of VENYU’s newest exclusive venues, and with good reason! With their selection of wines already available to select, all that’s left to do is organise your caterer or food truck – pizza anyone?
Photo credit – Tess Newton Photography
We love our gorgeous garden properties, and Velvet and Willow is certainly no exception. Pair their delicious wines with your food truck of choice and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.
www.venyu.com.au/velvetandwillow
Photo credit – Nadinne Grace Photography
23. Penny’s Hill, McLaren Vale
Penny’s Hill is an iconic (but flexible) venue, offering a multitude of choices for your wedding, and also providing you with the option to use their Kitchen Door restaurant or bring in your own caterer or food truck.
Photo credit – Little Car Photography
The McLaren Vale Event Centre is another venue where catering is available to you, however you also have the choice to bring in your own caterer or food truck
www.venyu.com.au/mclarenvaleeventcentre
25. Lloyd Brothers, McLaren Vale
These guys don’t just do great wine and olives! Offering a luxury bar service alongside multiple stunning event spaces, Lloyd Brothers gives you the option to bring your own caterer or food truck.
www.venyu.com.au/lloydbrothers
Photo credit – Time with Alex
On the outskirts of Strathalbyn lies Quince Brook – a stunning working farm and totally dry hire property now available for weddings, and of course there is plenty of room for bringing in food trucks galore.
Photo credit – Mitcha Photography
27. Hardys Tintara, McLaren Vale
Exclusive to VENYU, Hardy’s Tintara is a beautiful combo of old meets new, featuring stone, slate, timber beams and their iconic Moreton Bay fig tree. The best part is that if you bring in a caterer, they full access to their commercial kitchen. But of course their is plenty of room for a food van or truck as well!
www.venyu.com.au/hardystintara
Photo credit – Hannah Benwell Photography
28. Glen Lea Homestead, Adelaide Hills
Being a VENYU exclusive, Glen Lea Homestead is only available to a select few couples each year, and being completely flexible with all suppliers (including food trucks), it’s no wonder that this venue is so highly sought after.
www.venyu.com.au/glenleahomestead
Photo credit – Johnst Photography
Header image provided by Mitcha Photography
*Article updated September 2021*