Why have your ceremony here?

Your Dream Wedding at Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is arguably the city’s most iconic and sought-after location for a wedding ceremony. An oasis of stunning flora, lush lawns, and romantic pavilions, it offers an unparalleled backdrop of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. If you are searching for a Sydney wedding venue that blends natural beauty with world-class views, you have found it. We are expert marriage celebrants ready to make your Simple Ceremony a perfect reality in this breathtaking location.

5 Reasons to Get Married at Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Botanical Bliss with City Views 🌿 You get the best of both worlds: a tranquil, vibrant garden setting and the spectacular, world-famous Sydney city skyline, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Your wedding photos will be truly iconic!
Multiple Ceremony Locations 🌳 The Garden offers a diverse range of exquisite spots, from grand lawns like the Fig Tree Lawn and Bennelong Lawn with its exceptional harbour views, to more intimate settings like the Herb Garden & Pavilion. You can choose the perfect ambience to match your wedding style.
Inclusive Photography Permit 📸 When you book one of the dedicated ceremony locations, your wedding photography permit within the Garden is often included, saving you an additional fee and allowing you to wander the spectacular grounds for timeless portraits.
Ideal City Central Location 🚉 Located right in the heart of Sydney, the Garden is incredibly convenient for local and interstate guests. It’s easily accessible by train, ferry, bus, and taxi, making travel for your loved ones simple and stress-free.
Pavilions for Shelter and Style 🏛️ The Garden features beautiful covered structures like the Rose Garden Pavilion or the Herb Garden Pavilion. These not only add a touch of timeless elegance to your ceremony but also offer a practical shelter option, just in case the Sydney weather doesn't play along.

Booking and Fees for Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Yes, all wedding ceremonies in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, require a formal booking and an associated fee. A booking guarantees you the exclusive use of your chosen location for your scheduled time and is necessary to ensure the smooth running of your event.

Responsible Authority and Contact Details

Bookings are managed by the Botanic Gardens of Sydney Venue Hire team. It is essential to book your chosen space well in advance, especially for peak wedding seasons.

Authority: Botanic Gardens of Sydney (Royal Botanic Garden Sydney)
Website: botanicgardens.org.au/venue-hire/weddings-gardens
Phone Number: +61 2 9231 8111
Email: events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au (for enquiries)

Booking Requirements and Associated Fees

Fees for ceremony sites vary significantly depending on the location, the duration of your booking (typically a minimum of three hours), and the number of guests. Your booking time must include all set-up and pack-down.

Standard Fees: Booking fees for a 3-hour hire start from approximately $570 (e.g., Herb Garden and Pavilion) up to $1,890 (e.g., Palace Rose Garden and Pavilion). Additional hours are available for a fee.
Capacity: Most popular lawns and pavilions have a guest capacity ranging from 80 to over 200 people. You must specify your expected guest numbers when booking.
Inclusions: A venue hire fee usually includes exclusive use of the location for the booked time, and for premium sites, may include two complimentary supplier escorts for vehicle access and a wedding photography permit.
Prohibited Items: Items such as pop-up tents/marquees, balloons, party streamers, fireworks, and excessive amplification (e.g., bagpipes or drums) are prohibited. Low-volume, battery-powered portable speakers for music and small acoustic ensembles (up to four people) are generally permitted.

Always consult the official Botanic Gardens of Sydney website or contact the Venue Hire team directly for the most current fees, terms, conditions, and capacity limits for your preferred location.

Guest Numbers:

Standard: 20 People. Add Guests: Add up to 100+ in total +$75.

You can have up to 20 people (the 2 of you and 18 guests) at your ceremony. This excludes children under 6 years old. For an additional fee of $75, this number can be increased to 100+ people in total. To add guests after your initial booking, go to the Add-ons tab in your portal.

I understand that, it is my responsibility to make the required booking with the park authority and pay any associated site fees directly to them.

Getting there:

Getting There: Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Please aim to arrive 15 minutes prior to your ceremony (along with your guests) to ensure you are in the right location and ready to go at your scheduled time. Depending on your specific ceremony location within the large Garden, it can take 10 to 20 minutes to walk from the nearest gate or station.

Ways to Get to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Private Car & Parking Situation:
- How to Plan: The Garden itself has no dedicated visitor parking. Metered street parking is available on Mrs Macquaries Road and Hospital Road, but it is limited and can be expensive (up to $9/hour, cashless payment via meters or the PARK'nPAY app).
- Parking Stations: The closest secure parking is at the Domain Car Park (accessible from St Marys Road or Sir John Young Crescent) and the Wharf Woolloomooloo Car Park. It is highly recommended to pre-book a space online for better rates.
Train:
- How to Plan: The nearest train stations are St James, Martin Place, and Circular Quay. All are approximately a 10-minute walk from the Garden gates. Check the Transport NSW website for train schedules and trackwork.
Ferry:
- How to Plan: Take a ferry to Circular Quay. The Garden is then a pleasant 10-minute walk, entering near the Opera House. This is a great, scenic option for guests arriving from various parts of Sydney.
Bus:
- How to Plan: Several bus routes service the area. The 441 bus from the Queen Victoria Building stops near the Art Gallery (on Art Gallery Road), which is adjacent to the Garden. Other routes stop on nearby Macquarie Street. Use a journey planner like Transport NSW to find the best route to your specific Garden gate.

Wet weather:

Wet Weather Options: Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Now it doesn't happen often, but when it does you will need to shelter under trees or bring umbrellas - how romantic.

Convenient Wet Weather Options

The Royal Botanic Garden offers a range of dedicated indoor or covered venues that can serve as a wet weather backup. However, these spaces must be pre-booked and typically incur separate venue hire fees. You cannot simply move an outdoor ceremony into an indoor venue without a prior booking.

The Palm House: A magnificent glasshouse offering a unique, naturally lit space (capacity up to 120 guests).
Lion Gate Lodge: An intimate, private indoor venue located within the Garden (capacity up to 160 guests).
Rose Garden Pavilion: A large, beautiful sandstone pavilion that offers substantial outdoor shelter and elegance.
Herb Garden & Pavilion: A smaller, more intimate pavilion offering covered space for a small ceremony.

If you have not booked one of these dedicated wet weather venues, you will need to rely on the use of umbrellas, or seek shelter under one of the Garden's large, mature fig trees or covered arbours. Please note that pop-up marquees or shade structures are generally prohibited for on-the-day erection.

Conditions of booking:

a) Reservation of Location and Payment of Associated Fees

I understand that it is our responsibility to ensure this location is available for our ceremony. I will make all necessary arrangements and pay any associated fees directly to the venue or relevant authority.

b) Guest Numbers

I understand that the Standard number of people is 20. This can be increased to 100+ people for an additional fee of $75 (click on Add Ons after making your booking).

c) Standard Duration of Booking is 30 Minutes

I understand that the total time for the standard booking is 30 minutes, which is plenty of time for a beautiful ceremony. This time cannot be extended on the day of the ceremony. However, if you would like to extend the duration of your booking, this can be done prior to the date of the ceremony for an additional fee of $150. (Click on Add Ons after making your booking.)

d) Confetti and Natural Materials

I understand that to maintain the cleanliness and integrity of the area, confetti of any sort, including natural materials such as flower petals, rice, glitter, or artificial equivalents, are strictly prohibited—unless prior written consent is received from the venue.

e) Public Liability Insurance

I understand that if Public Liability confirmation is required, there will be an additional fee of $50 to provide this.