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Weddings

Nestled on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Gallery of Australia is a venue like no other. There are a selection of unique wedding venues for hire and the Gallery’s caterers, The Big Group, combine the highest quality produce and wines with originality, attention to detail and excellent service.

The National Gallery events team is committed to providing superior service. We understand that your wedding is a very special occasion and that every wedding is unique. From the initial consultation through to our personal attention on the day, we ensure that everything is perfect.

Your ceremony

Are you looking for the perfect outdoor garden setting for your ceremony?

Why not have your wedding ceremony in the National Gallery’s heritage-listed Sculpture Garden. There are casuarina forests, secluded sitting nooks, shady pathways and grassy knolls hidden in the garden. Imagine holding your ceremony among the sculptures overlooking the lake and Carillon, or in an area that you particularly admire.

Venue one: Angel of the North
A gorgeous slated area located on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, it has views of the lake’s surrounds and the Carillon, and provides a perfect garden chapel for your ceremony. Power is available at this site.

Venue two: The Beach
Located near the Sculpture Garden Restaurant beside our tranquil reed pond. Here you can hold your ceremony next to the Vanuatu slit-drums or Henry Moore’s Hill arches.

Venue three: ‘The Knot’
Located on the lawns of the Sculpture Garden adjacent to a sculpture by Clement Meadmore entitled Virginia, commonly known as ‘The Knot’, this location is close to the water and looks out towards the Carillon. You can choose to hold your ceremony using the natural rise and fall of the grassy knoll for your bridal walk. Whether under the trees or out in the sunshine, this is another naturally beautiful space for your special day. Power is available at this site.

Venue four: Choose your own
Would you like to hold your ceremony in a location that we haven’t listed? Contact the National Gallery of Australia events team to disucuss alternative options.

Wet weather
The National Gallery has a suitable area in case of rain.

Wedding photographs can be taken by the lake, under the trees or in front of some of the famous sculptures – such as Clement Meadmore’s Virginia, Bert Flugelman’s Cones or Auguste Rodin’s The burghers of Calais. If time permits, guests may wander through to the National Gallery of Australia’s galleries to fill the time until the reception. Entry to the Gallery is free, but specific exhibitions may have an entry fee.

Your reception

Gandel Hall
Gandel Hall is the most popular choice for wedding receptions at the National Gallery of Australia and is sure to make an impression on your guests. The hall is spacious, exquisitely detailed with gold-leaf doors and red ironbark floors. It opens onto a garden and James Turrell’s monumental Skyspace, which offers guests an extraordinary experience of Canberra’s skies with a light cycle taking place at dusk.

Gandel Hall accommodates up to 280 seated guests with a dancefloor, and can be divided into smaller spaces to accommodate smaller, intimate wedding receptions.

Sculpture Garden Restaurant
A popular wedding reception venue during spring and summer is the permanent marquee restaurant overlooking the Sculpture Garden. The Sculpture Garden Restaurant accommodates up to 80 guests seated or 140 guests for a cocktail reception and is renowned for  the nearby Fog Sculpture by artist Fujiko Nakaya that floats magically through the restaurant. The Fog sculpture can be activated for your wedding celebrations.

Catering
Catering is exclusively provided by The Big Group, a dynamic leader in the catering and events driven by a passion for food, a commitment to excellence and a flair for creativity. The Big Group will ensure your wedding is unique and memorable for all the right reasons.

Bookings + enquiries

T 61 2 6240 6711  |   E events@nga.gov.au

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