9 Amazing South Coast Wedding Venues
[Updated 2024]
9 Amazing South Coast Wedding Venues
Are you looking for a South Coast wedding venue? Hey, I’m Adam, an Australian wedding photographer who loves to shoot weddings all over the South Coast of NSW. I have been shooting wedding around the South Coast for over fifteen years so I have seen my fair share of wedding venues. And there are some amazing wedding venues on the South Coast. So on this page, I’d love to share with you some of my all-time favourite wedding venues with you.
The South Coast of New South Wales is basically the coastal strip of area, starting south of Sydney down to the Victorian border. So it is a huge, huge area to cover. It is broken up into four main regions. The Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Sapphire areas. I’ve listed it all together but tried to keeps towns together.
It is really easy to see why the South Coast is such a popular wedding destination for couples. It is only a few hours from Sydney, so it is a great location for family and friends to get together. Most wedding venues can do all or the majority of the day on the one property. So there is no need to travel to different locations for different parts of the wedding. And most venues allow you to make a weekend of it. Often two to three days.
For lovers of the beach, the South Coast has 109 beaches with the whitest sand and the clearest waters. These are definitely some of the best beaches in the world. The South Coast also has some of the greenest hills and farmlands and Australian bush. And from a wedding photographer’s point of view, the South Coast really has everything you need to capture beautiful photos.
So, in no particular order, here are my favourite South Coast wedding venues. Some of them I have photographed many times, And others I would absolutely love to shoot. But all of them would be great for a wedding and I can happily recommend them.
1. Greyleigh Kiama
If you’re dreaming of a wedding that combines natural beauty, historical charm, and modern elegance, Greyleigh Kiama is the ideal venue. Nestled in the lush landscapes of Kiama, New South Wales, Greyleigh offers a stunning backdrop with rolling hills, vibrant gardens, and panoramic ocean views. From a wedding photographer’s point of view, it is just stunning and so good for photography.
Dating back to the late 1800s, Greyleigh features beautifully restored buildings that blend vintage charm with modern amenities. The versatile event spaces include The Lawn for picturesque outdoor ceremonies and The Gables for elegant indoor receptions. You can even dine out under the stars. Greyleigh Kiama offers a unique and unforgettable setting for your dream wedding. And if you choose this South Coast wedding venue, you can pretty much guarantee yourself some beautiful photos.
Address: 165-177 Long Brush Rd, Jerrara NSW 2533
2. Merribee
Merribee is a seven-acre garden property located on the South Coast of NSW and it is one of the most beautiful wedding venues around. And the owners really look after and care for this property. Every year they are adding new things and improving facilities.
There are over 2kms of garden paths and over 20 different outdoor garden rooms and entertainment areas.
There is on-site accommodation available with The Main Historic House (8 guests) and the Grain Silo. The Grain Silo is a four-storey beautifully converted grain silo and perfect for couple accommodation.
Wedding ceremonies can be held at various locations around the property and there are plenty of places for photos at Merribee.
The Barn at Merribee is a timber and corrugated iron barn that can cater to 140 guests seated in the room and another 40 guests on the verandah. Merribee has pretty much everything you need for an awesome, beautiful and stress-free wedding.
Address: 660 Comerong Island Rd, Numbaa
3. Kangaroo Valley Bush Retreat
Kangaroo Valley Bush Retreat is one of my favourite wedding venues on the South Coast of NSW. This stunning venue is surrounded by lush bushland, towering escarpments, and serene river views, creating a picturesque backdrop for any celebration. The retreat’s rustic charm is perfectly complemented by modern amenities, ensuring that guests enjoy both comfort and natural beauty. With a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a charming open-air chapel and a spacious reception hall, the Kangaroo Valley Bush Retreat can accommodate weddings of all sizes and styles.
There are two main drawcards for me at this venue that sets it apart from other wedding venues. The Rock Cathedral is one of the most unique and beautiful locations for a wedding ceremony. A natural bush cathedral for your wedding! And the views at sunset over the escarpment are nothing short of breathtaking.
There is plenty of onsite accommodation available and so you can spend the entire weekend on the property. And after the bushfire disaster, this wedding venue has been rebuilt better than ever!
Address: 55 Radiata Rd, Kangaroo Valley
4. Jaspers Berry
Jaspers Berry is a beautiful garden wedding venue, located just 90 minutes from Sydney on the beautiful South Coast. And it would have to be one of the classiest and most elegant South Coast wedding venues around.
Jaspers has everything you need for the whole wedding day from start to finish. There are eleven accommodation rooms on-site, all surrounding a beautiful courtyard and pool area.
There is also a large and glamourous Bridal Salon which is perfect for getting ready for Bridal parties of any size. It has Showers, baths, a “Boudoir” Dressing Room and your own steward service.
The wedding ceremony takes place in a beautiful courtyard garden area and there are lots of stunning areas around the property for wedding photos.
‘The Orangery” is where the wedding reception takes place. It is a large, high-ceiling room that can be easily styled to match your needs.
Address: 4 O’Keeffes Ln, Jaspers Brush
5. Seacliff House Gerringong
Seacliff House is a beautiful house and wedding venue in Gerringong, set on 5-acres of green pasture land. It has beautiful sweeping views of rolling green dairy country hills and views of the ocean.
The main house is modern and luxurious and has five bedrooms. The wedding ceremony happens outdoors overlooking the amazing green hills and ocean views.
The Barn at Seacliff is a converted working farm equipment shed and can accommodate up to 132 guests. They make it really easy for you to have a beautiful wedding here and it is easy to see why they are so busy and why I love shooting here.
Address: 139 Princes Hwy, Gerringong
6. Terrara House
Terrara House is a beautiful historic, two-storey Edwardian mansion, located down a kilometre-long driveway, lined with trees. And next to a 150-year-old pine tree. It is set on 16.5 acres of private land.
It is an elegant garden wedding venue with a country feel to it. The gardens are expansive and immaculately maintained.
This is a marquee wedding venue and has a Bridal salon on site where you can do your wedding preparations.
Address: 77 Millbank Rd, Terara
7. Silos Estate Berry
Silos Estate is another stunning South Coast wedding venue, where you can do absolutely everything on-site. It is located just on the outskirts of the little town of Berry and it has some of the best countryside views around.
Silos Estate offers accommodation on the property and every room has views of rolling green hills. The ceremony takes place with the countryside in the background and the reception takes place in the rustic restaurant.
Address: B640 Princes Hwy, Berry
8. Crooked River Wines Gerringong
Crooked River Wines is a family-run, working winery, situated on the beautiful South Coast at Gerringong and is an amazing South Coast wedding venue.
There is accommodation available with Willowvale Estate House located within the grounds of Crooked River Wines.
The wedding ceremony takes full advantage of the stunning panoramic views over the green rolling hills of Gerringong.
Address: 11 Willowvale Rd, Gerringong NSW 2534
9. Melross and Willow Estate
Wedding venues don’t get much better than Melross and Willow Estate. Located in Kangaroo Valley, Melross is a 270-acre working horse and cattle farm. And it is all 5-star country luxury at its best at this amazing wedding venue.
There is onsite accommodation available with three country homes, The Rye House (sleeps 10 people) and The Millet House (sleeps 10 people) and Willows Cottage (sleeps 2 people). So you and your family can all stay on property the whole weekend.
For the wedding ceremony, you have your choice of four areas within the property and there is even a wet weather backup if it rains on the day.
The Barn at Melross is the location for the wedding reception. A beautiful country venue that can accommodate up to 170 guests seated. If you are interested in this venue, get in quick because they book out a long way in advance.
Address: 2286 Moss Vale Rd, Kangaroo Valley
Tips for choosing your South Coast wedding venue
The South Coast is famous for its beaches, rolling green hills, farmlands, the Australian bush and its amazing wedding venues. The South Coast is an extremely popular wedding destination. Not only for locals but Sydneysiders just love it down there.
People often ask me what my favourite wedding venue is, and I really can’t answer that question. My favourite wedding property is really any place I have never photographed before. I love variety and shooting in different locations and sceneries. It really gets the creative juices flowing. But having said that, there are some things that make some wedding venues slightly superior to others. So where is what I look for…
Accommodation at the wedding venue
It is always a plus if there is accommodation available at your actual wedding venue. And I definitely prefer venues that offer onsite accommodation. And I prefer venues where you can do absolutely everything onsite. From preparation, ceremony, photos and the reception.
Onsite accommodation means that you won’t spend your wedding day travelling from one place to another. By staying and getting ready on property you also greatly reduce the stress of the day. Trust me. Most of the wedding day stress happens in the morning because you are running late. But getting ready on site and knowing that you don’t need to travel in a car to your ceremony and you just have to walk to it, you will feel so much calmer.
Venues with good ceremony locations
Most, if not all South Coast wedding venues can also do the ceremony as well as the reception. So choose a wedding venue that can do both. You don’t need to have a venue for your ceremony and a different venue for your reception. Particularly not on the South Coast.
There should also be a good or great option for the ceremony location. A couple of options is even better. For outdoor ceremonies, I like locations that offer some good shade and that also have a nice background. If you are planning an outdoor ceremony, check out my outdoor wedding ceremony tips to help get you started.
Always ask what the wet weather option is for your venue. The South Coast gets a good amount of rain… that is why there are green rolling hills. So ask about the wet weather back up option and plan your wedding as if it will probably rain. That way if it does rain, you are totally prepared. Rain is not such a bad thing on a wedding day either. Some of the best weddings I have photographed have been rainy day weddings.
South Coast photo locations
An awesome wedding venue also has some nice photo locations on the property. I personally like properties with a bit of land, where you can wander off and explore the place a bit. Trees, hills, long grass, old sheds, vineyards, lakes, jetties, animals. They are all good.
The Reception
My main tip for the reception is to choose a venue and a reception room that is a bit unique. Something that has character, charm or a venue that just has something about it that is really cool. What I really dislike, are reception rooms that look plain and generic that it could be any venue from any function centre or hotel anywhere in the world. ‘Wedding factory venues’ often look like this. Venues that pump out hundreds of weddings a year from various properties that all look the same. Choose somewhere unique.
Choose a venue that suits the location and the beautiful South Coast. It can be beachy, totally elegant, historic, a blank canvas venue that you DIY. Rustic, vintage or just whatever your tastes are.
Venue Owners and Salespeople
Venues are only as good as the people that work there. And good service is really important. So go with your instincts here. If staff and salespeople are not friendly and helpful when enquiring and viewing the property… chances are they will be equally unhelpful and friendly on your wedding day.
This advice really goes for all wedding vendors. Only choose positive, friendly and helpful vendors for your wedding
South Coast Average Temperatures
The South Coast is a huge area to cover and the temperatures and climate does change slightly from region to region. Talking generally about the South Coast climate, it would be labelled as warm, mild and temperate. So being a mild climate, it is unlikely to get too hot or too cold.
Summer – The average temperature is 16°C to 27°C
Autumn – The average temperature is 12°C to 22°C
Winter – The average temperature is 7°C to 17°C
Spring – The average temperature is 11°C to 23°C
South Coast Average Rainfall
The South Coast is known for it’s rolling green hills and farmlands. And green grass only happens with rain. So if you are planning a South Coast wedding, it might be worthwhile seeing average rainfalls per month.
Looking at the average rainfall in the South Coast according to the Bureau of Meteorology, you can see that the highest and the lowest amount of rain happens in Winter. Summer and Autumn are also very wet seasons.
Summer – December 77mm, January 103.7mm, February 82.3mm
Autumn – March 99mm, April 89.2mm, May 85.3mm
Winter – June 104.1mm (Highest rainfall), July 98.4mm, August 54.9mm (lowest rainfall)
Spring – September 59.7mm, October 60.6mm, November 59.3
In regards to rainfall on your wedding day, my advice would be to plan for it. Have a plan B up your sleeve, especially for the ceremony and don’t just pray that it won’t rain. Because it definitely might. I actually don’t mind rainy-day weddings. Some of my favourite weddings have had rain. Rain means clouds, which immediately means soft light. Which means beautiful photos.
Best time to have a wedding on the South Coast
Spring Weddings – Spring is a clear win for the title of the ‘best time to get married on the South Coast.’ Temperatures are perfect and there is the least amount of rainfall.
BUT it is also the peak season for weddings so you will find that awesome wedding venues book out a long way in advance. Especially weekends and especially any time near holidays or long weekends. Don’t be surprised if your dream wedding venue is booked out up to 2 years in advance.
Autumn weddings – Autumn is a close second place to Spring. And everything I said about Spring, applies also to Autumn weddings.
Summer weddings – The beauty of the South Coast is that it doesn’t get too hot. So unlike many other places in NSW, Summer is still a good time to get married. With an average high of 27°C it’s not too hot. If you are having a Summer wedding, you should definitely have a wet-weather backup.
Winter weddings – Winter is the least popular month to get married on the South Coast and it is a clear loser. It is colder and wetter than other seasons. But because it is considered an off-peak time for weddings, you may get venues offering a ‘Winter Special’. So you may be able to get your ideal wedding venue, sooner than you thought, and cheaper. FYI wedding photographers also love Winter weddings because the light is softer and lower in the sky.
ALSO the second half of Winter should be a real option for you. August is arguably the best month to get married on the South Coast all year. It has mild temperatures and the least amount of rainfall.
Estimated travel times to the South Coast
These are estimated travel times by car from Sydney. Leaving at 9 am on a Saturday. According to Google Maps.
- Sydney to Wollongong: 1hr 15mins
- Sydney to Berry: 1hr 50mins
- Sydney to Kangaroo Valley: 1hr 50mins
- Sydney to Ulladulla: 2hrs 50mins
- Sydney to Batemans Bay: 3hrs 30mins
- Sydney to Bega: 5hrs 20mins
If you are still looking for your perfect wedding venue, then check out some of our favourites from some other regions:
Hunter Valley Wedding Venues | Newcastle Wedding Venues | Central Coast Wedding Venues | Southern Highlands Wedding Venues | Blue Mountains Wedding Venues | South Coast Wedding Venues |
Hey, I’m Adam. A South Coast wedding photographer who loves to shoot fun, relaxed couples in a natural and candid way.
I shoot weddings all over Australia, so if you are engaged and looking for a photographer, please check out my work. If you can see yourself in these photos, feel free to get in contact to check my availability. Thanks :)
