Psst.. Want an updated version of this post? Check out our 2019 version Industrial Melbourne Wedding Venues.
We’ve done so much rustic venue searching, that I thought it was definitely time to switch it up! I’ve recently been loving industrial style venues for weddings (we even have a board dedicated to venues on Pinterest!) and I want to show off some of Melbourne’s best spaces for an industrial backdrop.
Industrial spaces to me are like a blank canvas. I love that they can hold so much history in their features. Neutral tones come through the cement floors, the paint peeling walls or the high ceilings and they lend themselves to very modern aesthetics. From keeping it blank and bare and just filling the space with candlelight, to getting creative with florals, furniture and decor to transform the space into something completely different.
Located in the western suburb of Newport, The Substation has to be one of my favourite industrial wedding venues- huge arch windows, long wooden floors, incredible height in the ceilings and plenty of exposed brick. There are 14 different spaces available, including the main performance hall allowing guests to start in one for cocktails, move to another for dinner and another for dancing. The performance hall can seat between 80- 200 guests for a sit down dinner or up to 300 for a cocktail function.
Thousand Pound Bend is located right in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. With two main spaces (the upstairs theatre and downstairs gallery) you can choose to marry in one and celebrate in the other. The gallery can hold 450 guests for cocktail functions of 250 guests seated while the upstairs theatre has a capacity of 80 guests for cocktail style or 120 seated. There is onsite catering, though outside caterers can be brought in. 1000 Pound Bend is really a warehouse shell- the ultimate industrial wedding space.
Melbourne’s Living Museum Of The West
Melbourne’s Living Museum Of The West located in park, right next to the river in Maribyrnong provides historic blue stone buildings for functions. Part of the wider Pipemakers Park (plenty of photography opportunities!) the venue has enough seating and tables for 100 guests and runs over two levels.
Heading into the warehouse, art gallery style of venue, South Melbourne’s Smart Artz Gallery has blank walls, exposed beams and cement floors – all the characteristics of an industrial style blank slate. The venue can seat 180 guests or accommodate 180 guests cocktail style. Smart Artz has their own in house catering, plus a host of flexible space options – including a grand piano, to make the space your own.
One of the newest venues on our list, Showtime Event Centre located on South Wharf is every bit the warehouse, industrial style function venue. The historic cargo shed has recently been covered and can now accommodate functions of up to 250 guests for a sit down celebration or cocktail functions for up to 500 gusts.
Westside Events
Polished cement floors, exposed beams, pitched ceilings and industrial lighting make Westside Events one of my favourite industrial wedding venues in Melbourne. Located in West Melbourne, Westside Events can hold 180 guests for a sit down function or 300 for a cocktail celebration. Everything can be brought into the venue – so you can choose your own caterer, stylist, musicians and even lighting.
Studio Raw Materials
Studio Raw Materials, located in Footscray has a lofty warehouse feel (plenty of cement floors and exposed brick!) with a commercial background (the space is also used for cooking schools and photography). There’s a capacity for 120 guests and they even produce their own delicacies that you might incorporate into your wedding.
Two Ton Max is one of those venues that is so warehouse chic that it truly is nothing but a blank canvas for your wedding day. Located in Collingwood, the venue can seat 200 guests or hold 350 for cocktail functions. It features polished concrete floors, exposed beams, pitched ceilings and the blank canvas of white walls. The venue itself is restored from an industrial workshop believed to have been built in the 1920s.
One Seven One Dorcas Street in South Melbourne caters for up to 100 people, but with it’s high ceilings and cement floors can create a cosy, intimate space with the industrial edge. There’s onsite catering and modern facilities like an ipod sound system and plasma screens complimenting the bare bones space.
I’m not sure I can even lie about the fact Fortyfive Downstairs is one of my favourite wedding venues of all time. There is limited availability as it’s a functioning arts & performance space (so they only open it up to weddings a few dates a year) but I love every part of it – from the huge New York loft style windows, the rugged wooden floor boards and the high, exposed beams. Catering is managed by Ed Dixon Food Design and the gallery can used for your wedding ceremony before moving to the theatre space which can accommodate 150 guests.
Photo by Jeremy Beasley from Em and Max’s Modern City Wedding
Located right in the city centre on top of the QVB building, Alto Event Space is definitely leaning towards the modern edge of industrial. There’s chandeliers, a mirrored bar and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Melbourne city scape. Alto can seat 150 guests and also has an outside deck which boosts the capacity to 400 for cocktail functions.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! What are your favourites?
This is a great post! These types of venues are great ‘blank canvases’ and are often hard to find on Google! Thank you.
Is there any chance you can do some investigating on Adelaide Industrial venues? These Melbourne spaces look amazing and are exactly what I’m after – but in Adelaide!
Thanks!
We certainly can! Coming right up!
BIG spaces for BIG weddings.
Two ton max looks great, all ready for the big occasion.
Interesting concept!
CURSES! why don’t i live in melbourne?
Where are you based Ange?
Is anyone aware of industrial type venues in Melbourne that cater for up to 300 guests for a sit down dinner?
Try Many Square Metres (you would need to bring everything in)
Cargo Hall
Showtime Events Centre
Melbourne Pavilion at Flemington
Maia (Atlantic Group)
Melbourne Museum
Scienceworks Pumping Station
Love these!
There is a new one that has popped up that is even better.
Check out Ed Dixon Food Design’s new venue Blueprint Furniture which is the amazing light filled warehouse style showroom out the front of a hug salvaged wood workshop.
I’m having my reception there in March and its just a dream come true!
x
Ah Emma looks incredible! Best of luck with your wedding plans, do get in touch with us on the other side!
Hello! I loved your choice in venues! I was just wondering if you knew if Westside events was still up and running? and if so how to get in contact with them! would love to hear from you!
Thank you very much for showing us all these lovely venues!
Hi Lili,
I found this phone contact for them- have you tried it? 0450 613 050
Unfortunately the post is two years old so they may have closed.
Westside are going through a change of ownership (or so I was told last month when I enquired) and so far I havent heard that they are back up and running.
hey ladies!
check our hobba in prahran too! super chic, industrial warehouse located just off melbourne’s iconic chapel street precinct. can cater for up to 200 guests 🙂
email [email protected] for more info.
xx
Hi There,
Loved the industrial style wedding venue. Perfect for more people who can at one venue with hassle free wedding. Was looking for such unique space and found it. Thanks for sharing this. Cheers!