The New South Wales region of the Southern Highlands is a truly unique place.
It is a region of rare natural beauty, with majestic mountains and lush forest and bushland, and it is only a hop, skip, and jump away from Sydney.
It is home to some incredible old mansions and homesteads, as well as boutique wineries and gourmet food havens, and it offers a great celebration of local produce and wine.
This makes the Southern Highlands a fantastic weekend getaway destination, as well as the ideal location for a wedding.
From the perspective of a wedding photographer, Southern Highlands wedding venues have everything you need to capture stunning images. Vineyard rows, rolling hills, long grass, beautiful trees, historic homes, and a rustic setting. Most properties also allow you to base your entire wedding day there. That means you won’t have to waste time getting from one place to another. Everything can be done at a single wedding venue. It also implies that you will spend more time with your family and friends.
So those are our top wedding venues in the Southern Highlands. I’ve photographed weddings at a few of them. And some of them are on our “bucket list” of places I’d like to photograph one day.
Centennial Vineyards
Centennial Vineyards is one of my absolute favourite places in historic Bowral. And one of the best wedding venues in the Southern Highlands.
It is a lovely large property with plenty of land and stunning views. The ceremony is conveniently held outside, next to the reception room, in the garden area.
Centennial Vineyards has one of the most beautiful vineyards to photograph. If you walk up the hill a little, you’ll get a beautiful view of all the vines and the surrounding landscape.
They have a large, high-ceilinged reception room that can seat up to 180 people.
Somerley House
Somerley House is a large Victorian mansion on a lovely country garden estate in the Southern Highlands suburb of Sutton Forest.
Somerley House was once known as ‘Summerless,’ and it is still one of the most elegant and enchanting garden wedding venues in the area. It has a long history in the area and has hosted hundreds of private and exclusive garden parties, banquets, wedding ceremonies, and dances since around 1875.
There is plenty of nearby accommodation, but Somerley House also has “The Guest House,” a charming three-bedroom cottage on-site that is ideal for wedding preparations.
Briars Country Lodge and Historic Inn
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Briars Country Lodge and Historic Inn has a long history in the Southern Highlands, dating back to c.1827 as a Coaching Inn.
Briars Country Lodge is now a 4-star facility on 15 acres, with 32 accommodation rooms all overlooking beautiful gardens, a lake, and a gazebo.
Wedding ceremonies are held in the garden, and the reception room can seat up to 130 people. The beauty of this venue is that it is beautiful, and depending on the number of guests, they could all potentially stay on-site and then stumble back to their rooms at the end of the night.
Montrose Berry Farm
Since 1988, Montrose Berry Farm has hosted country weddings.
This spectacular estate, complete with beautiful gardens and rolling pastures, is the ideal setting for your wedding day. What could be more appropriate than celebrating your wedding with friends and family in such a lovely garden setting? They can accommodate up to 140 guests in their rustic barn setting, which is a blank canvas.
Even if you aren’t planning a wedding, you should come here just to try their Berry Pies!!
Peppers Manor House
Peppers Manor House is a classic country retreat in the Southern Highlands, set in a romantic estate with rolling green hills, and is the ideal setting for any wedding.
There is plenty of on-site lodging for you and your guests. You can hold your wedding ceremony in a variety of locations on the property. And Peppers Manor House can accommodate weddings ranging from a small, intimate affair for two to a larger, grander affair for up to 180 guests.
Growwild Wildflower Farm
Growwild Wildflower Farm is a marquee wedding venue located on 25 acres of land on a beautiful Australian wildflower farm. It’s an ideal setting for any wedding. The farm has a permanent timber floored marquee set up, and when you book a wedding there, you get three full days… to set up, have your wedding, and then pack down. Which is more than many other places will offer you.
Craigieburn Peppers
Peppers Craigieburn is a truly stunning luxury country resort set on a stunning property with its own 9-hole golf course, just minutes from the historic Southern Highlands village of Bowral.
There are 72 guest rooms, so you and your wedding guests will have plenty of on-site lodging options. Ceremonies are held outside in their lovely garden lawn areas, and you have the option of selecting your exact location. There are also numerous photo opportunities available following the ceremony. There are some old rustic buildings, forest areas, and lovely areas around the golf course.
There are two wedding reception rooms available. You can also have a wedding for just the two of you or for up to 180 guests. I love that you can have your wedding here and then walk back to your rooms at the end of the night. There is no need to organise buses or other modes of transportation for your guests.
Milton Park is number eight.
Milton Park Country House Hotel & Spa is a grand mansion and five-star hotel that offers luxurious accommodation, incredible cuisine, and is an incredible Southern Highlands wedding venue.
For you and your wedding guests, there are 42 different luxurious accommodation rooms available. Wedding ceremonies are held outside in the gardens, and reception rooms are chosen primarily based on the number of guests. And Milton Park can host weddings for as few as 20 people or as many as 200.
Milton Park is the ideal wedding venue if you want a luxurious, elegant, and classy affair with beautifully manicured gardens with a country flair.
Bendooley Estate
Bendooley Estate is one of the best Southern Highlands wedding venues, and they host a large number of weddings. They are situated on a beautiful 200-acre property near the historic township of Berrima, which also houses the iconic Berkelouw Book Barn.
There is some on-site lodging available, including three cottages. Which would be ideal for you, your bridal party, and possibly some family members? The Lakeside Pavilion, The Gardens, or The Stables can all be used for the ceremony. You can have your reception at either the Book Barn or The Stables, their country-style barn.
The wonderful thing about Bendooley Estate is that you can spend the entire day, or even the entire weekend, there. There is no need to go anywhere. So you can spend more time together and with your loved ones.
Mali Brae Farm
Mali Brae Farm is a historical and boutique vintage style Southern Highlands wedding venue set on 90 acres of former dairy farm land. And it’s a lovely setting for your wedding. The farm features lush rolling green hills, a dam, five acres of gardens, and a boat shed. So there are many, many beautiful and unique photo opportunities on the property.
Your wedding ceremony can be held in one of six different locations on the property. You can even exchange vows in the ruins of an old classic chapel. The wedding reception will be held in a fully renovated former hay barn that can seat up to 100 guests for a sit-down meal.
Hopewood House
Hopewood House is a private grand estate in Bowral, about a 90-minute drive from Sydney. Weddings at Hopewood House are expertly woven into the residence’s illustrious history, with the new provincial addition to the Pavilion building surrounding outdoor sanctuaries and eleven hectares of truly enchanting gardens. Hopewood House provides on-site lodging in the form of four cottages. This is ideal for both of you and your bridal parties. There are several locations to choose from for your wedding ceremony. Your wedding reception would be held at The Hopewood Pavillion, which can accommodate up to 150 guests.
Wombat Hollow
Wombat Hollow is a 20-acre property with rustic charm and country goodness in a tranquil bush setting. Wedding ceremonies are held in the gardens, surrounded by lush greenery. There are also excellent wet weather backup options. Depending on the number of guests at your wedding, you have a few options for the wedding reception. There are two marquee locations and two smaller rustic shed locations.
There is no on-site accommodation, but there are numerous hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, and private rentals nearby.
Sylvan Glen Country Estate
Sylvan Glen Country Estate is situated on 60 acres of private land in the Southern Highlands, providing you and your wedding guests with complete privacy for the duration of the weekend.
The Guesthouse offers fantastic on-site lodging. A heritage guesthouse built around 1870 with 15 ensuite rooms that can sleep up to 42 people.
Wedding ceremonies are held in the garden, and a marquee is available as a rainy-day backup. There are numerous locations for beautiful wedding photos on the 60-acre property. In addition, the reception can seat up to 140 people. This wedding venue has everything you’ll need for an unforgettable wedding weekend.
Bowral’s Gibraltar Hotel
The Gibraltar Hotel Bowral in the Southern Highlands is an elegant blend of contemporary and country charm, with resort-style comfort and facilities, The hotel offers on-site accommodation, including a number of luxury guest suites for your wedding guests. You can exchange your vows in the Gallery, which has huge floor-to-ceiling windows, or have a lovely lakeside wedding ceremony.
The Gibraltar Hotel Bowral has one hundred acres of land, so there are plenty of opportunities for beautiful photos. There are also three reception rooms available, each of which can accommodate up to 260 guests.
Weddings in the Wilde
Weddings in the Wilde is a large, rustic, green blank canvas Southern Highlands wedding venue in Australia’s bush. They have a variety of spaces for you to design your dream wedding. There’s a bush chapel, a faerie cabin, rustic wedding invitations, and a green field with a marquee. There are even a slew of bohemian wedding tents. There are numerous beautiful photo opportunities, and there is enough glamping accommodation for all of your wedding guests. That sounds fantastic to me.