Melbourne’s Premier Wedding Venue
Leonda By The Yarra
Where your dream day will come true
Create the most memorable day of your life within the surrounds of the willows on the banks of the Yarra River, where the culmination of riverside surrounding, restaurant-style cuisine and exceptional service will ensure all aspects of your special day are perfectly realised in one of Melbourne’s leading elegant wedding reception venues – Leonda By The Yarra.
A truly great wedding venue caters to every guests needs, including the special needs of the bride and groom. When you choose Leonda By The Yarra as your wedding venue you can rest and refresh in our bridal suite before your wedding reception commences, capture your special memories in a stunning garden setting and to farewell your guests descend an elegant staircase to the waterfront to depart by boat from our private jetty. You can also greet your guests as they enjoy canapés and pre-dinner drinks on the balcony overlooking the Yarra River.
Ballroom
Garden Room
Our reputation as one of the leading elegant wedding venues in Melbourne has been earned by our commitment to your total satisfaction – this means that we will not only provide you with one of Melbourne’s best wedding venues, but will also work to create your perfect night and meet your personal needs.
Contact us now and we would be happy to help you organise your special occasion.
- Wedding Ceremonies
- Wedding Receptions
- Commitment Ceremonies
- Engagement Parties
- Private Events
- Wedding Anniversaries
- Birthday Parties
- Corporate Events
The Leonda Wedding Photography Video
Weddings and Ceremonies
When you meet your partner at the end of the aisle to get married you want to be in a beautiful setting. A space that will signify the beginning of your joining and a new journey unfolding. Leonda By The Yarra offers 3 picturesque spaces to suit anyone’s needs. Two indoor ceremony options and one outdoor option with the gorgeous Yarra River as a backdrop.
If you wish to conduct your wedding ceremony at a church or park, Leonda recommends a list of various churches and famous parks such as the Burnley Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Alexandra Gardens or Fitzroy Gardens to hold your ceremony.
Let’s discuss your wedding day
Ballroom
- 150-400 seated capacity
- All inclusive lunch + dinner package options available
- Situated only 4 km away from Melbourne’s CBD
- Arrive or depart via boat from our private jetty
- Pillar-less event space
- Floor to ceiling windows offering picturesque Yarra River views
- Dedicated wedding coordinator to guide your planning journey
- BYO spirits available
- Alternating menu for all courses
- Customised menu availability to suit your needs
- Waterfront location
Imagine your guests arriving into our stylish Marble Bar for pre-dinner drinks and canapes, before a curtain is drawn back to expose its vast, pillar-less and elegant interior. A large dance floor sits centrally in the space, with floor to ceiling windows framing picturesque views of Melbourne’s iconic Yarra River.
Enjoy a lunch or evening wedding reception with Leonda’s experienced team of chefs serving up dishes of outstanding quality which can be tailored according to your preferences.
Allow us to create an exceptional atmosphere by managing everything from intricate details such as room decorations to a customised menu with flare. Our committed and experienced staff will work towards creating your perfect day and will ensure the smooth flow of your event while meeting your personal needs and budget.
With Leonda, you can relax knowing that your wedding experience will be nothing less than exceptional.
Garden Room
- 70-130 seated capacity
- All inclusive lunch + dinner package options available
- Situated only 4 km away from Melbourne’s CBD
- Arrive or depart via boat from our private jetty
- Pillar-less event space
- Floor to ceiling windows offering picturesque lush views
- Dedicated wedding coordinator to guide your planning journey
- BYO spirits available
- Alternating menu for all courses
- Customised menu availability to suit your needs
- Waterfront location
Take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere and picturesque surrounds by beginning your event in our courtyard. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks on the banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River surrounded by Willow trees and native Australian fauna.
Allow us to create ‘exceptional’ by ensuring every detail is beyond your expectations. Your Event Coordinator will work with you to ensure the smooth flow of your event, and our team of highly qualified international chefs will be sure to delight and impress the taste-buds.
With tables dressed in crisp white linen and the pillar-less room offering 180 degree exquisite views of lush surrounds, Leonda By The Yarra’s Garden Room is an elegant and unique wedding venue that you deserve on the biggest day in your life.
What’s included in our Wedding Packages
At Leonda we have thought of EVERYTHING (and we mean EVERYTHING) to ensure that your special day is everything you dreamed of and more. From the moment you first visit us, all the way through to the Big Day, nothing is too big or small for our team to handle to ensure that your wedding journey is seamless.
All The Love
- Personal event executive to assist with booking date and timings
- Bridal folder upon booking containing everything you need to know about holding your special day at Leonda
- Dedicated wedding coordinator to guide your planning journey
- Inspiration and tips from our blog and social media sites
- Customised menu availability to suit your needs
- Access to our exclusive preferred supplier list
- VIP parking for parents and bridal car
- Umbrellas for parking attendants to escort your guests to cover
- Guest liaison to welcome guests and direct them to your wedding
- Door man to greet your guests and add a touch of elegance
- Cloak room
- Sugar fix in bridal suite
- Canapés and drinks served in bridal suite
- Safety deposit box available in bridal suite for monetary gifts and valuables
- Plentiful bridal suite with drawers of amenities including bobby pins, hairspray, Hollywood tape and anything you may need throughout your event
- BYO spirits available
- Unlimited canapé service on arrival
- Choice of menu for parents & bridal party
- Alternating menu for all courses
- Personalised bridal attendant
- Lectern and microphone
- Raised stage for bridal table (Ballroom only)
- Raised stage for band (Ballroom only)
- Bouquet vases add that extra floral touch on the bridal table
- Tea-light candles to decorate the venue
- Outdoor lanterns with candles on our private jetty
- Cake bags, so your guests can take a piece home
- Classic white venue flowers
Download your dream wedding package
Catering
With our team of highly qualified international chefs at Leonda By The Yarra, your wedding is sure to delight and impress the taste-buds.
Leonda’s kitchen caters for a diverse range of weddings and offers an array of cuisines to suit your needs. Our menus provide a selection of cocktail and banquet dining options. At Leonda you can expect:
- Quality dishes prepared in Leonda’s in-house kitchen
- Head chef who has extensive experience working in renowned Australian and Melbourne dining institutions (including the award-winning Atlantic Group and Stokehouse)
- Focus on quality seasonal and regional produce
- Versatile dining options including themed food stations
- Experienced kitchen team of Australian and international chefs, each skilled in the cuisine of their heritage
- Flexibility in accommodating your tastes, budgets and dietary requests
- Fully organic menus available
- Extensive wine list and fully serviced bars
Transport & Parking
As the name would suggest, Leonda By The Yarra is located right on the banks of the Yarra River! However, if you’re not quite up to a dramatic water ski arrival, then we’ve collected the best ways to arrive in style.
Request a Booking
Get in touch today to discuss your wedding
MEET OUR EVENT EXECUTIVES
Melanie is a weddings veteran, and we’re proud to have had her with us for almost a decade. Melanie loves working with couples to make sure that their Big Day is everything they dreamed of, and of course, she’s excellent at making that happen!
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Teearn is a self-confessed hopeless romantic, and simply put, she loves ‘love’. She adores the stories and history behind weddings, and has never worked in another industry, so is completely across the ins and outs of helping to create the best ‘big day’.
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Taylor loves creating a WOW experience for her couples on the journey to their big day.
Apart from her vivacious personality she’s a wonderful listener who really understands just what her couples are after in their event.
Read MoreAbout Leonda By The Yarra
About Leonda By The Yarra
History
Leonda’s successful history began in 1970 during the year that John Gorton was Prime Minister and seatbelts became compulsory in cars throughout Victoria. Previously known as the Hawthorn Tea Gardens, the property that Leonda now occupies was a popular destination for boats to dock and ladies to socialise whilst sipping on teas and nibbling on scones, gazing over the beautiful surroundings. When the Hawthorn Tea Gardens fatefully burnt down, partners Leon Jolson & David Walker bought the land and built Melbourne’s leading reception centre. The name bestowed upon the stunning reception centre was Leonda, a fusion of the names Leon and David.
Leonda was originally built as a large 500 guest function room with an adjoining room called the ‘River Club Restaurant’ which catered to 132 guests.
- Qintex (Christopher & Pixie Skase)
- Vi & Bernard Greenhalf (Vi was a flamboyant socialite who was both a radio and TV personality)
- Horst & Anne Niece
- Spotless Services
Whilst there have been countless memorable occasions held at Leonda, there are a few that stand out above the rest, some of which include:
- A public riot took place as the Governor General arrived at Leonda after sacking Gough Whitlam in 1975
- The Dalai Lama was a keynote speaker at a conference held at Leonda in the 1980’s
- Brownlows and Logies have both been held at Leonda
- In the mid 1980’s a Romanian heavy weight lifter was competing in the World Heavy Weight Lifting Championships in Melbourne and came to a function at Leonda. During the night he disappeared. There was a huge police search as it was believed he was seeking refuge here in Australia. This was publicised heavily in the media.
- A grand lunch was held for one of the Popes Cardinals in the mid 1990’s in Leonda’s grand ballroom. He was being groomed to be the next pope but did not get the top job.
- On separate occasions both Prince Phillip and Prince Charles have dined at Leonda.
As we celebrate our incredible history as a true landmark of Melbourne city, we urge you to celebrate with us by browsing through our archive of images to see how Leonda has transformed, while at the same time remained loyal to its roots.To truly formulate our timeline, Leonda is searching for couples that were married at the venue around 1970, during its early years of operations.
We are also curious to hear of any interesting or amusing stories that have taken place at Leonda over the years. We love our history and ask you to celebrate with us with your personal stories and memories.