If you love the idea of beautiful autumn leaves, a warm toasty fire and some nice quality reds, a winter wedding maybe just the thing for you. There are also some great financial reasons to consider a winter wedding with venues quieter, couples can often take advantage of greater availability with some generous rates. If this all sounds good then read on because venue selection for a winter wedding is tremendously important so we’ve put together a list of our favourite winter wedding venues.
Ahhhhh, the Adelaide Hills. This has to be one of the first areas couples turn to when planning a winter wedding, tell us we’re not wrong…
Nestled in the Adelaide Hills, The Manor Basket Range‘s beautiful stonework and English gardens optimise the winter wedding look. They offer beautiful in-door reception spaces and fully protected indoor reception areas with the added convenience of accommodation provided on site.
The Manor Basket Range. Image provided by Time with Alex.
The private grounds of Inglewood Inn provide a beautiful space year-round for ceremonies with the winter vista capturing the enchanting dormant elm trees and lush green hills in the background. Internally Inglewood offers a beautiful space for receptions. Whilst being fully protected from the weather and in a climate controlled environment, their floor to ceiling glass windows frame the trademark views over the garden and hills. They also offer some really reasonable winter packages.
Inglewood Inn. Image provided by Lilac in Hand Photography.
The elegant Marybank Farm with its Georgian architecture, romantic city views, enthralling gardens and heritage barn is another beautiful winter venue. Inside their barn, the large roaring fireplace makes for a romantic ambience and a toasty evening. Their fully protected terrace is available for inclement weather if needed otherwise their beautiful garden makes for a lovely space for an early afternoon ceremony before the chill sets in.
Glen Lea Homestead is a historic private property set just outside of Mt Barker, and in addition to its many outdoor and garden function spaces, its gorgeous old shearing shed is an equally practical as well as beautiful inclement weather option. For a dry-hire winter wedding set in the Adelaide Hills, Glen Lea should be top of the list.
Glen Lea Homestead. Image provided by Two Tell a Tale.
You might be surprised to hear that Hill’s neighbour the Fleurieu Peninsula has no shortage of cosy winter wedding venues.
The grand high ceilings and polished timber floors of Kuitpo Hall provides a stunning blank canvas for a winter wedding and what says winter more than a mystical forest backdrop. Offered as a dry hire facility this venue allows you the freedom to confirm your own beverages and caterer with a full kitchen and bathrooms on site. They also have a big open fireplace that can be fired up for endless warmth.
Whitehill Estate is a beautiful combination of Australian country, rustic heritage and modern conveniences. At the centre of the property is the homestead, sleeping up to 16 guests and featuring 6 double bedrooms, it’s packed full of heritage charm, a fully equipped farm kitchen, large dining table, homely living area, heritage library and a wood fire. The real feature though is The Chaff Shed, built in the 1850’s and now beautifully restored the Chaff Shed is a warm and cosy space for a winter reception.
White Hill Estate. Image provided by Tammy Cooper Photography.
Blues Restaurant at Middleton Beachhuts is a coastal escape that offers the best of both worlds, great during summer but also a fun and quirky winter location.
For a totally private dry-hire Fleurieu winter wedding, Mt Beare Station has a historic wool shed, and all the space you could dream of. The huge shed, which can seat up to 180 people, has been lovingly refurbished with meticulous detail and luxury finishes, and features full kitchen facilities for your caterer.
One Paddock Currency Creek Winery along with Lake Breeze and their beautiful new Barrel Room both have fireplaces and plenty of unique character. Some other great venues with toasty spaces to relax include the custom-built Vine Shed, The Retreat at Chapel Hill, Serafino, Hardy’s Tintara, Woodstock and Lloyd Brothers.
Lake Breeze Wines. Image provided by A Forever Moment Photography.
Head across Backstairs Passage to the wild and wonderful KI. It’s actually a well-known fact that Kangaroo Island’s winters are generally milder than the mainland, so why not consider a local destination wedding.
Perched high on the clifftops of Kangaroo Island’s North Coast is Dudley Wines, a picturesque coastal farming property providing a wedding backdrop like no other. Their internal Event Room is an adaptable, modern space, its iron and natural timber finishes lend themselves to any number of styles. The dramatic high ceilings and full-length windows echo the spectacular view throughout the room whilst you enjoy them from the comfort of a climate controlled room. VENYU in partnership with Sealink and Tourism Kangaroo Island can help with more information about this unique option.
Dudley Wines.
The city isn’t the location that you would normally think of when it comes to winter weddings, however Adelaide does in fact have a few great venue options to keep you and your guests warm (and dry!). The chic Hotel Richmond and her art deco features is a beautiful and convenient venue for a winter wedding, or for a more hipster warehouse vibe, Chateau Apollo is a great choice. Head a little further north and you will find Sfera’s, a one-stop winter wedding shop, with spacious grounds, lots of indoor function spaces, and accommodation as well.
Hotel Richmond. Image provided by Johnst Photography.
The warm and fuzzies don’t stop there. Up in the Barossa, the Barns of Freeling is a venue with multiple spaces for both your ceremony and reception, including the Main Room with fireplace. And in the Clare Valley, Pikes is a venue that is worth its weight in winter-wedding gold. Views, generous indoor dining space featuring local stonework, along with an award-winning restaurant and great wines.
Pikes Wines. Image provided by Kate Pardey.
There’s definitely more than one reason to choose a winter wedding. A winter wedding is a great way to have your dream wedding without the stress of choosing a special date in peak season, not to mention the money saved by having it in the low season. Plus, couples often get amazing photos in the cooler months as the lighting is just better (hey, we’re no meteorologists, but it’s a fact, as the sun shines at a different angle during winter).
Feature photo – Kuitpo Forest, Kuitpo Hall.
*Post updated March 2021*