Sydney Harbour is the most beautiful harbour in the world and there are plenty of fabulous wedding venues dotted around it’s shores capitalising on its stunning views and central location.
As a local marriage celebrant, I’ve had the privilege of marrying hundreds of couples all around Sydney Harbour and have worked with all the venues.
These are my top venue picks for your Sydney Harbour wedding.
How did I arrive at these top 4 Sydney Harbour wedding venues?
Given the sheer number of venues on offer, I have limited the selection to just the main harbour.
I’ve also only gone with venues that work really well not just as your reception venue, but also as your wedding ceremony location, because it’s extra nice when you don’t have to move your guests between seperate ceremony and reception locations.
Author: Meggan Brummer
If we haven’t met before - I am an award-winning Marriage Celebrant in Sydney, Australia.
I’ve married hundreds of couples over the last 14 years and have over 25 years experience as a professional writer.
1. Park Hyatt Sydney & Hickson Road Reserve
Location: If you love the thought of standing on the lawn, with the Sydney Opera house behind you, Hickson Road Reserve is the perfect spot for you to get married. It’s also just a few steps from Park Hyatt Sydney, which can be your bad weather backup option if bad weather sets in.
Size: Hickson Road Reserve can hold up to 150 guests for a wedding ceremony and is equally beautiful if there’s just the two of you and your two witnesses. Park Hyatt Sydney has some gorgeous intimate wedding venue options for weddings up to 50 guests.
Getting there: Super easy to get to, these locations are just a few minutes from walk from Circular Quay and Sydney CBD.
Food: Park Hyatt Sydney offersfine dining.
Booking: Book Hickson Road reserve through the Sydney Harbour Foreshore authority.
Wedding photographs: this location is perfect if you want romantic wedding photographs with the Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. It is also also just a few minutes walk from Sydney Opera house and the Royal Botanic Gardens – perfect locations for your wedding photo shoot.
2. Ovolo Woolloomooloo
Location: This stylish boutique hotel in Woolloomooloo overlooks Sydney Harbour, and is right on the water.
Size: Kitchen Table “Chapel” is suitabel for up to 60 guests. The Ovolo’s Piper Rooms combine the Burbs and the Piper Room which to accommodate up to 350 standing guests and 190 for dinner and dancing.
Getting there: YOu can get here by bus, ferry, train or uber. Just 9 minutes from Museum Station, 19 minutes walk from Circular Quay Wharf. Also, there are 40 parking spots available at Ovolo Woolloomooloo.
Note: Not only does Ovolo have various rooms for you to choose from your wedding ceremony and reception, there are also 100 guest rooms and loft suites in this five-star boutique hotel. Couples often opt to have an outdoor wedding ceremony on the gorgeous 100-year-old Woolloomooloo Wharf, near the boats, looking out at the Sydney city skyline, and then have their wedding reception indoors. There are plenty of fantastic venue options to suit ceremonies of all sizes if you want or need to have your ceremony indoors, including The Burbs and The Piper Room.
Food: Fine dining. Modern Australian dishes.
Wedding Photographs: Ovolo Woolloomooloo is on a a heritage-listed wharf, which is gorgeous for your photoshoot, and is also just a few minutes walk from Sydney Opera house, The Rocks, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Royal Botanic Gardens – all perfect locations for your wedding photo shoot.
3. O Bar & Dining
Location: Located on level 47 of Sydney Iconic Tower in the heart of Sydney CBD, this venue is perfect for couples who want spectacular 360 degree views of the Harbour.
Size: You could hire a small room here for 28 seated guests or 40 standing guests, where you can hold your wedding ceremony and your seated reception. Or you could have a large wedding with up to 110 seated guests or 150 standing.
Note: If you’re scared of heights O Bar & Dining is not the place for you – it will definitely get your stomach turning if you stand too close to the glass windows that reach from the ceiling to the floor.
Getting there: Super easy to get to, O Bar & Dining is just a few minutes from walk from Circular Quay.
Food: 5 star dining.
Wedding Photographs: O Bar is just a few minutes walk from Sydney Opera house, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Royal Botanic Gardens – perfect locations for your wedding photo shoot.
4. Prometheus The Yacht
Location: To be out on the water rather than merely looking at it, I highly recommend this stylish and comfortable yacht. Extensively refurbished in 2022, the interior layout is gorgeous. You can have your wedding ceremony either inside or outside, followed by your reception.
Size: Prometheus can hold up to 36 guests. It has two large areas on the upper level where you and your guest and enjoy stunning views. You can have 36 guests standing and sitting on both the outdoor deck or indoor deck, which are separated by a large glass sliding door. On the lower level they are 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen and seating area. The bedrooms can be used for storing your guests bags. If it’s a beautiful sunny day and you’d like to go swimming these rooms can be used as changing rooms.
Getting there: You can board the yacht at one of the wharfs in Pyrmont or Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Food: you can either bring your own food or Prometheus can organise abuffet, grazing stations or platters or canapés.
Wedding photographs: You’ll be able to get really gorgeous wedding photographs from the yacht with iconic backgrounds of the Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge or you could go to the botanical Gardens and Sydney Opera house for a photo shoot there.
