Outdoor Wedding Venues in the Southern Highlands
Outdoor Wedding Locations: Southern Highlands | Sydney | Blue Mountains | Byron Bay | Hunter Valley | Illawarra | North Coast | Riverina | South Coast | Off-the-grid
The most beautiful outdoor wedding venues in the Southern Highlands range from stunning flower farms and private garden estates to heritage hotels and country retreats. The region is particularly well endowed with elegant garden venues with many award winning locations for outdoor weddings situated in the quaint townships and country areas surrounding Bowral.
Amongst the best outdoor reception venues in the Southern Highlands are private courtyards set within lush country gardens, hedge-trimmed lawns with romantic festoon lights, sprawling greens hidden within peaceful woodlands and cliff top venues with expansive wilderness views.
Whether you're looking for a garden ceremony venue, an outdoor reception space or both, you're in the right spot. These are the best alfresco wedding venues in the Southern Highlands NSW.
Top 10 Outdoor Wedding Spots - Southern Highlands
Growwild Wildflower Farm
- Location: 916 Old Hume Hwy, Alpine, NSW 2575
- Capacity: 145
- Catering & Drinks: BYO
The prettiest outdoor wedding venue in the Southern Highlands is the garden marquee at Growwild which opens on all sides to create an alfresco event space with stunning views over 25 acres of native trees & wildflower gardens. The marquee sits within its own landscaped garden and has an adjoining festoon-lit courtyard offering a romantic spot for dancing under the stars.
Growwild is situated 15 minutes from Bowral and is surrounded by native Koala habitat with the iconic marsupials sometimes witnessing wedding ceremonies at the venue's hidden valley ceremony site.
The Robertson Hotel
- Location: 1 Fountaindale Road, Robertson, NSW 2577
- Capacity: 10 - 150
- Accommodation: Sleeps 100
- Wedding Packages: $199 - $295/pp
The Robertson Hotel is the best outdoor reception venue for sophisticated weddings in the Southern Highlands with a private festoon-lit garden set against the hotel's dramatic 1920's facade. The great gatsby era hotel has beautiful views over the town of Robertson and surrounding country region and comes with all inclusive wedding packages priced from $199 - $295 per person.
Wedding packages at The Robertson Hotel include a fully furnished ceremony & reception, your own wedding planner and all catering and drinks. All inclusive micro wedding packages are also available for up to 50 guests from $6,000.
Retford Park
- Location: 1325 Old South Road, Bowral, NSW 2576
- Capacity: 100
- Ceremony Venue Hire: $1,785 - $3,565
Retford Park is a 19th century Italianate mansion with four formal garden rooms to hire for outdoor wedding ceremonies in Bowral. The manicured gardens include a Green Room, Laurel Lawn, Japanese Maple Lawn and a Knot Garden and there's also a poolside lawn that offers the perfect location for a post ceremony cocktail hour.
Outdoor wedding receptions are not currently available at Retford Park but you are welcome to arrange post ceremony catering on the grounds.
Mali Brae Farm
- Location: 562 Nowra Rd, Moss Vale, NSW 2577
- Capacity: 30 - 110
- Accommodation: Sleeps 2
- Wedding Packages: All inclusive
Mali Brae Farm has the best variety of outdoor ceremony venues to choose from than any other wedding location in the Southern Highlands with wild gardens, weeping willows and rustic ruins among our top picks. The ruins are also a memorable backdrop for outdoor wedding receptions, providing a unique setting for afternoon canapés and a romantic spot for dancing under the stars.
All inclusive wedding packages at Mali Brae Farm include access to all 7 ceremony sites plus 2 reception venues which include a micro hall that seats 30 - 55 guests and a larger refurbished shed which caters for 60 - 110 people.
Growwild Barn
- Location: 916 Old Hume Hwy, Alpine, NSW 2575
- Capacity: 50
- Accommodation: Next door
- Wedding Packages: DIY/BYO
The barn at Growwild Wildflower Farm is a beautiful little venue for intimate weddings with up to 50 guests and features its own private courtyard that offers the perfect location for outdoor events. When you hire the barn for your wedding you also get exclusive use of the entire wildflower farm which has a hidden valley ceremony site nestled within trees, a suite for getting ready and a myriad of beautiful wedding photo locations.
Wedding packages at Growwild come with all furniture & tableware for your ceremony and reception, and you then have the freedom to choose your own wedding suppliers. Owners Jane & Lukas have a great list of local caterers including food trucks, Brazilian BBQ's and live cooking stations that add to the atmosphere of events in this beautiful outdoor area.
Caoura Cliffs
- Location: 1450 Caoura Road, Tallong, NSW 2579
- Capacity: 140
- Accommodation: Sleeps 12
- BYO catering & drinks
Caoura Cliffs is the most spectacular place for outdoor weddings in the Southern Highlands with an incredible cliff top location overlooking a vast, peaceful wilderness that stretches down to the Shoalhaven River. The contemporary barn has large glass doors that open to a covered outdoor area where open air dining can be arranged.
Caoura Cliffs is managed by a pair of well known wedding planners who offer custom-styled celebrations. You can also DIY your own wedding plans if you prefer. The venue offers optional accommodation in an onsite farmhouse where there's a swimming pool and outdoor entertaining pavilion.
Sylvan Glen Estate
- Location: 570 Kareela Rd, Penrose, NSW 2579
- Capacity: 20 - 140
- Accommodation: Sleeps 20 - 62
- Wedding Packages: All inclusive
Nestled within 60 acres of ecologically protected woodlands and with its own private 9 hole golf course, Sylvan Glen is the ultimate destination for outdoor weddings in the Southern Highlands. The property features two wedding sites in their own private locations which can either be hired individually or all-together for larger weddings.
The main event area at Sylvan Glen features an amazing garden ceremony space with a purpose-built vine altar, open lawns for outdoor wedding receptions, a function room if you need to move inside and accommodation for 42 guests. The other site is Scribbly Cottage which has a garden marquee seating 20 - 40 guests and additional accommodation for 20 people.
Weddings in the Wilde
- Location: 71 Ryans Ln, Wildes Meadow, NSW 2577
- Capacity: 80 - 200
- Accommodation: Sleeps 80 + camping
- Cost: $26,990
Weddings in the Wilde is an incredibly unique outdoor wedding location where all your guests stay onsite with you for a weekend of celebrations in the Bangadilly National Park. This one-of-a-kind bushland venue is located between Wildes Meadow & Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands and centres around a rustic barn with heated floors and an adjoining outdoor reception area with a fairy-lit nordic tipi and fire pits.
The cost to hire Weddings In The Wilde is $26,990 and includes exclusive use of the grounds and all ceremony & reception facilities for 3 days, all furnishings for up to 110 seated guests or 200 cocktail style and two nights onsite accommodation for 80 guests. Most couples ask their guests to contribute to their own accommodation which offers a substantial discount on venue hire.
Fitzroy Inn
- Location: 1 Ferguson Crescent, Mittagong, NSW 2575
- Capacity: 120
- Accommodation: Sleeps 42
- Wedding Packages: All inclusive
The marquee lawn at Fitzroy Inn sits within 5 acres of manicured gardens and is the perfect outdoor venue for cocktail-style weddings. Framed by elegant hedges and set against the unique colonial architecture of the guesthouse, the lawn is an ideal setting for formal black tie weddings with a luxury garden marquee providing a covered space for seated dining.
Fitzroy Inn has 3 beautiful spots for romantic garden ceremonies including a unique weir, the front of the guesthouse and under the canopy of centuries-old oak trees. The charming 1836 guesthouse comes complete with a bridal lounge, cigar room, pool room, character-filled parlours & lounges, 21 luxury suites and an ambient dungeon for after parties.
Centennial Vineyards Restaurant
- Location: 252 Centennial Road, Bowral, NSW 2575
- Capacity: 200
- Ceremony Fee: $2,300
- Outdoor Reception Hire: $2,000 - $3,000
- Wedding Packages: $240 - $295/pp
Centennial Vineyards Restaurant is Bowral's best wedding venue for outdoor receptions with a stunning Tuscan courtyard that seats up to 160 guests overlooking the vineyard & surrounding countryside. The private courtyard adjoins an indoor restaurant providing a seamless back-up plan in the event of wet weather.
This relaxed winery venue offers outdoor venue hire priced at $2,000 on weekdays and $3,000 on weekends. Wedding packages with catering by owner chef Robin Murray and 5 hours of drinks start at $150/pp midweek and range from $221 - $236 per head on weekends.
Request All Brochures
Outdoor wedding venues near Southern Highlands
Blue Mountains venues
Byron Bay venues
Central Coast Venues
Hunter Valley Venues
Illawarra Venues
Newcastle Venues
Riverina Venues
South Coast Venues
Sydney Venues
Off-the-beaten-track Venues
Southern Highlands wedding venues
Best time of year for outdoor weddings in the Southern Highlands
The ideal time for outdoor weddings in the Southern Highlands is from early November to the end of March when day and night time temperatures are at their highest. The average day time temperate ranges from 15 to 20 degrees through these months with January weddings enjoying the hottest days with the longest hours of sunshine.
Spring is one of the best times of the year for garden weddings in the Southern Highlands, with its impressive cool climate gardens being on full display. In early spring, many garden venues are resplendent in daffodils, hellebores and crab apples. Wisteria is in full bloom by late September and rhododendrons and azaleas by mid October. November is the ideal month for garden venues planted with roses and peonies.
It's a good idea to visit wedding venues 12 or 24 months in advance of your preferred wedding date to see what the gardens look like in flower at the time of year you'll be getting married there. The Southern Highlands with its close proximity to larger urban areas, is an extremely popular region for destination weddings and books out well in advance of 12 months. For this reason, if you're planning well ahead of time aim to book a venue visit 2 years ahead of your intended wedding date.
With an above average annual rainfall of 853mm, a wet weather back up plan for outdoor weddings in the Southern Highlands is necessary. Particularly if you're getting married in February which usually enjoys the heaviest rainfall of the year. All of the outdoor wedding venues listed above offer locations that can be used in the event of rain on your wedding day.
Have a Southern Highlands wedding venue to add to this list? Create a free business listing to get started.