Get to know a Melbourne icon: The George Ballroom

Known for its grandeur and striking stance; The George Ballroom is more than a Melbourne wedding venue, it is an icon to the city, having graced Melbourne with its presence since 1886. Recently restored in 2015, The George Ballroom is now more popular than ever with its classic and timeless aesthetic.

Event Manager, James Traill of The George Ballroom sits with us and chats all things The George Ballroom, from popular wedding options to offering his very own wedding planning advice.

Follow The George Ballroom on Instagram @thegeorgeballroom

Firstly, what style of wedding is The George Ballroom known for? Both cocktail style and sit down weddings work wonderfully in the space, but we believe we’re best known for lavish dinner weddings. When the space goes from daylight to evening and the guests are feasting, the energy of the room really ignites.

Being such a popular venue, how long before the wedding would you suggest couples book The George Ballroom? You are usually safe to prepare for a 12 month lead up, but we have done a wedding in just 4 weeks! There is always an opportunity for dates if you have 6 months or less and the great thing is you can rely on the space in the heat of summer or in a torrential Melbourne rainstorm.

What advice would you give couples tossing up between a few different venues? Make a list of pros and cons of each space, after this, it should be pretty clear. If there are still a few in the mix, think about what is truly important to you and don’t be shy to ask the venue about some of your ideas.

What’s involved with planning a George Ballroom wedding? It isn’t necessary to have a wedding planner if you decide to go with The George Ballroom or a Damm Fine Food Co. venue, but this is entirely up to the couple. When there are multiple destinations and factors throughout the day, it can be useful to engage a planner. As the Event Manager, it is our job to make it a smooth process for the couple so they can concentrate on their personal moments.

Do you personally help the couple with planning? We work very closely with our couples and create detailed paperwork throughout the process. Multiple planning meetings come included and we are always on hand to give advice and help out wherever possible. When you work closely with couples for such a long time, it is important to have a personal connection so you can make sure their day is exactly how the envisioned.

Do you work with preferred suppliers? We have my trusted suppliers that we suggest, but at The George Ballroom we are not contracted to work with anybody specifically. Recently we had a mother make the vases herself, and they were our favourite ever!

Any personal advice for couples deciding on The George Ballroom? If you are still deciding, come back into the space and chat to us about how you are feeling and what you are unsure about. In the first appointment there is so much information to take in, it can be a bit overwhelming. It is always better to talk face to face and come back with a different perspective.

What’s your number 1 wedding planning tip? It is very hard to do, but don’t get too caught up with Instagram and Pinterest. It is your wedding, and your personal style should be reflected. There is nothing better than going to a wedding and seeing little touches that you know are directly from the couple. Not to say that Instagram isn’t a fantastic tool for inspiration!

Any wedding open days at The George Ballroom or any of your other wedding venues coming up? We are in the process of getting it all organise at the moment. Watch this space!

And lastly, what was the most impressive wedding ever held at The George Ballroom? It is very, very hard to pick as every wedding has its special touches and impressive moments, but we have narrowed it down to two for you!

Bianca Santic, the GM for One Day Bridal held her ceremony and reception at The George Ballroom and Prunella created the most incredible archway(s) we have ever seen! The wedding was cocktail style with a harpist at the ceremony followed by a rocking DJ for the reception. We had gorgeous light canapés to start, then feasting tables and some late night snacks, really fun!

The other wedding was recently featured in Vogue and it was absolutely stunning, Shonel at Nomad Styling did such an incredible job. The couples dining menu choices were spot on, and we created bespoke cocktails that went with their theme. We also catered the ceremony and garden party at Como House, another Heritage listed Melbourne icon. Even though it was 42°C outside it was nice and cool in The George Ballroom and guests could dance the night away and you could see it was the best wedding they had ever been to.