The City of Sydney Council allows free small wedding ceremonies provided:

  • There is no infrastructure at the ceremony (chairs, tables, arches, etc)
  • No amplification (microphones or amplified music)
  • Less than 20 guests.
  • No vehicles are permitted. So you can’t get driven, off-road, to the exact location where the ceremony is.

If you do want any of these things, or you have larger numbers, then you will have to apply for a permit. Permits vary in price depending on what park you choose. But they start from $385 for a 3-hour block at a local park to $700+ for a major park.

The Rocks, The Goods Line, Ballast Point Park, King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain, The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah and Centennial Park are not available for free, even for less than 20 guests. No ceremonies at all are allowed in Paddington Reservoir Gardens.

Alexandria, Annandale (part), Barangaroo, Beaconsfield, Camperdown (part), Centennial Park (part), Chippendale, Darlinghurst, Darlington, Dawes Point, Elizabeth Bay, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Haymarket, Millers Point, Moore Park, Newtown (part), Paddington (part), Potts Point, Pyrmont, Redfern, Rosebery (part), Rushcutters Bay, St Peters (part), Surry Hills, Sydney, The Rocks, Ultimo, Waterloo, Woolloomooloo and Zetland.

Cool Council Rating: ♥ ♥