The Adelaide Hills offer many fabulous wedding venues for a country-styled, relaxed wedding day, with open spaces, fresh air, and just minutes up the freeway.
Choosing your wedding venue can be daunting, as there is a vast array of options nowadays, with new function centres opening up regularly.
Your vibe
Decide what suits you as a couple. This bride and groom grew up on farms, so a country-style wedding matched their desired vibe. They chose a wedding venue with fields, arching trees, horses grazing, and full lakes, which were great for reflection photos! Wedding venues in the Adelaide Hills with these options include Cobbs Hill, Glen Ewin Estate and Lot 100. Decide what kind of vibe you want first.
Travel and accommodation
Next, decide how far you want to travel. This depends on where you want to hold your marriage ceremony and the travel time after your reception. Some places offer on-site accommodation, which is perfect for a relaxed wedding day, as travel is not an issue. By spending money on an overnight stay, you save on car hire. Venues that have accommodation include Barristers Block, Villa Vineyards, and Longview Vineyards. Another factor to consider when planning travel and accommodation is the distance your guests will need to travel. Do you have guests who struggle with mobility? You don't want to choose a venue two hours from home and then discover it's too far for your grandparents to travel.
If you choose a venue further away, ensure that all your vendors, including florists, photographers, and hair and makeup stylists, can travel or choose a local alternative.
Catered or self-catering
Do you want a DIY-styled wedding, cater it yourselves, or have a fully catered one? Venues like Magpie Springs and Barn 1890 let you bring in caterers, including beverages. Other places have strict rules about using their caterers and wine. Wineries are particularly keen for you to use their drop!
Do you envision a cocktail-style wedding, a finger food reception, or a more formal sit-down affair? Some venues, such as Al Ru Farm and Golding Wines, offer both options.
How many guests
Depending on their size and facilities, wedding venues have licenses for a maximum number of guests. Some wedding venues cater for small, intimate weddings of around 50 guests. For example, the charming Hans Heysen house, The Cedars, is an intimate venue for weddings. On the other hand, the stunning Mount Lofty House accommodates a significantly larger number of guests, who can all stay overnight if they choose to.
Your photography
You may have dreamed about your wedding day for a long time and saved many photos from Pinterest or Instagram to envision the look you want. Are those photos by the beach, in a forest, a cottage, or on a mountaintop? As photographers, we can do many things, but we can't change your scene, so choose a venue that matches your dream!
Contact Verity for information about wedding photography in the Adelaide Hills.
Location: Hahndorf, South Australia.