Can you have a wedding at a local park?

City of Melbourne has some great parks and gardens to consider for your wedding ceremony. If you decide to hold your wedding in one of our parks and gardens, you will need to make a booking and apply for a permit.

.You need a wedding permit if one or more of these conditions apply:

• You plan to erect infrastructure, such as a marquee. (Note: chairs and tables, or market umbrellas – limited to four, are not considered infrastructure.) 
  
• There will be 50 attendees or more.
  
• Your event is catered by an external supplier who is bringing temporary cooking equipment or vehicles onsite in excess of two barbecues.
  
• You require vehicle access to drop off equipment or for elderly or mobility impaired guests. (Note: this does not include wedding vehicles – wedding vehicles are prohibited in parks.)
  
• Your wedding requires a reservation for a specific bookable space.
  

Please continue to follow Victorian Government restrictions at all times.

A permit entitles you to use a nominated section of the garden for 4 hours. An exception to this is the Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory, which can be hired for 1.5 hours or 3 hours (including set up and pack up).

Once your booking is confirmed and the permit is issued, the City of Melbourne will ensure that the booked area is clean and tidy.

The Crown Land (Reserves) Act does not allow for exclusive use of the gardens or for an area to be physically cordoned off from the public.

Please note: The City of Melbourne does not play any role in organising any aspect of your event such as celebrants or providing any kind of infrastructure such as chairs or signing tables.

Permit information

When submitting a wedding permit application you will need to choose a specific lawn area within the park of your choice. Locate a lawn number by using the interactive map.

To help you choose, view the wedding image gallery below. The image gallery does not include all lawns available for wedding ceremonies.

On very rare occasions, if there are high winds, water fountains or features such as the Hochgurtel Fountain in the Carlton Gardens, may not be in operation, so please keep this in mind when choosing a venue for your wedding.

Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory

Access to Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory is not available for private use or wedding photography during opening hours (9am to 5.30pm). The Conservatory can be booked for private use outside of these times.

We recommend ceremonies held inside the Conservatory are limited to 65 guests, cocktail style (standing). The outdoor area of the Conservatory allows space for larger ceremonies. We encourage you to consider a set-up time prior to your ceremony, however access for set-up cannot be granted prior to 5.30pm.

Please note: The floral arrangements inside the conservatory change throughout the year and cannot be altered in any way for the ceremony. The displays are specifically arranged to coordinate seasonal variations in availability of flowers. We recommend inspecting the site closer to your ceremony to ensure you can accommodate any recent changes inside the venue.

Kings Domain

When applying for a wedding permit in Kings Domain please keep in mind that the Sidney Myer Music Bowl is located within the gardens and musical events are often staged within the Bowl. City of Melbourne is not responsible for advising when these events take place. For an event listing, visit the Sidney Myer Music Bowl website.

Wedding permit fees apply to commitment ceremonies that are invitation only. This does not include wedding receptions, parties or wedding photography.

• All wedding permit applications will incur an application fee which is non-refundable, and a site fee.
• All fees are GST inclusive.
• Use the interactive map to determine the classification of the site you wish to book.

Application fee: $62

Fees (maximum of 4 hours) applying to site types:

• premium sites: $683
  
• unique sites: $623
  
• standard sites: $565
  

The Conservatory at Fitzroy Gardens:

• for 1.5 hours: $564
  
• for 3 hours: $1130
  

This venue can only be booked outside of public opening hours (9am to 5.30pm).

Fees effective from 1 July 2022.

Your wedding permit application will be reviewed and assessed by the City of Melbourne Event Operations team. You will be notified in writing if your booking has been approved.

Payment for wedding bookings can only be made after the wedding permit application has been approved.

You will be invoiced for your booking as follows:

• An invoice will be sent to you with your booking acknowledgement email and must be paid in full within 14 days of the invoice date, to secure your booking. Application fee is non-refundable.

Payment must be received in full prior to receiving your permit.

Payments can be made by credit card, cheque or online. To pay your invoice online, you will need to provide your reference number that is found on your invoice.

City of Melbourne expects you to be responsible for costs of reinstating the public space to its best possible condition after your event. This also includes damage incurred by third parties, suppliers and any contracted service providers.

Download the fact sheet for examples of how to prevent damage and the possible costs involved in reinstating public places:

• Reinstatement fact sheet (PDF 403 KB)
• Reinstatement fact sheet (DOC 933 KB).

The City of Melbourne hosts many events around the city and is not responsible for advising you of any other events that may be held in and around Melbourne on your wedding day.

Frequently asked questions

A booking (and the associated permit) is required for wedding ceremonies in the City of Melbourne's parks and gardens. A permit entitles the hirer to the use of a nominated section of the garden for the day.

Remember that you will need to include time for set up. We provide a scenic venue on your special day, but we do not play any role in organising any aspect of your event such as celebrants or venue set up.

The Planning and Logistics Team will make a reservation for a specified area of parkland for your wedding. The Crown Land (Reserves) Act does not, however, allow for exclusive use of gardens or for an area to be physically cordoned off from the public.

Ensure you have a copy of the wedding permit with you on the day. When setting up for the ceremony the general public have a good understanding that an event is going to commence and usually leave the space.

Marquees are not allowed in these parks as they are heritage listed:

• Carlton Gardens
• Fitzroy Garden
• Kings Domain
• Speakers Corner (in Birrarung Marr)
• Queen Victoria Gardens.

In all other locations, marquees are allowed, however:

• marquees cannot be pegged to the ground and must be flat base or water/sand base
• a protection zone with a 4.5 m radius around all trees must be maintained within the City of Melbourne. Marquees must remain clear of these zones.

Up to four market umbrellas are allowed, and cannot be pegged into the ground.

​No, you will need to arrange for tables and chairs with an external supplier. We do not have a preferred suppliers list for this equipment.

Due to risks (injury to a person and existing infrastructure and associated reinstatement costs) associated with placing infrastructure over the pond, we do not support this.

No. There is no provision for electrical power in parks. We encourage you to bring a battery-operated device or a silenced generator if you require power.

You will need to make alternative arrangements if you require a public address (PA) system. Note that no amplification over 72 decibels is allowed within parks.

No. Bridal vehicles (including cars and horse-drawn carriages) are prohibited from entering or remaining in a park or garden.

Some vehicle access is allowed, for example, dropping off and picking up equipment or transporting mobility impaired guests. For information about this see Wedding permit terms and conditions.

You may wish to consider reserving car parking spaces. However, reservations can't always be guaranteed.

A permit for wedding photos is not required. Wedding photos may be taken in the city’s parks and gardens free of charge unless a reserved space is required. Please note that a permit will be required if you wish to undertake photography within the Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory, which can only be booked outside its hours of operation.

If you wish to use a drone/remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) as part of your photography, a filming permit will be required.

The possibility of bad weather needs to be taken into account when making a booking. We do not provide wet weather alternatives, and you cannot erect a marquee without prior notice.

As stated in the Wedding permit terms and conditions, refund of fees are not issued in the case of wet weather or extreme weather conditions such as heat.

No. The use of confetti in parks and gardens is prohibited.

The use of rice is also prohibited as it attracts animals such as possums, and the population of possums are already unsustainable in many inner city parks.

Car parks near parks and gardens is limited and you may wish to advise guests to use alternative modes of transport.

See Parking locations and fees to locate nearby street or commercial parking.

​Our skilled staff endeavour to ensure that our natural assets are at their best at all times of the year. Please be aware that throughout the year, flowers and other plants need to be maintained and can be at varying stages in height and growth. You may consider visiting several locations before making your booking.

​You will need to pay after your application has been approved. See 'Wedding permit fees' above for specific fees.

​You are allowed to serve alcohol but not sell alcohol. If you are serving alcohol, food must also be served. You will also need to ensure all rubbish and containers are cleaned up before you leave.

When making your application, you will need to specify which area of the park you wish to book. An online map shows the different areas available for events such as weddings, and indicates lawn numbers.

There are no signs on the lawns themselves, so it is recommended that you print the map and take this with you so it will be easier to navigate. You may also like to bookmark a digital map and use your smartphone or mobile device to find the map when you are at the park.

​No adhesive materials are permitted to be used, tacked or taped onto City of Melbourne property or trees. We encourage you to place decorations on your own furniture, for example on chairs or flower stands.

​See our weddings image gallery below.

If you'd like to give more feedback or ask a question, please contact us.

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