Orchards at Spring Vale Farm
About
Overview & Vibe
Orchards at Spring Vale Farm is a private estate at Weatherboard, fifteen to twenty minutes from Ballarat, built around an 1860s bluestone homestead. A thousand apple trees, original dry-stone walls, formal gardens with water features and a spring-fed dam surround it, and the fruit becomes the estate's own award-winning cider. Viewing is by appointment only.
Setting & Style
Ceremonies can be held in the secret garden between the dry-stone walls and birch trees, on the sunny north terrace with a water feature behind, in the glass atrium, or out among the orchards. Receptions are open-air under festoon lights or in a marquee overlooking the dam — the site provides the ground, the power and the manager, and the marquee itself is hired in. In the colder months the homestead's main sitting room takes the ceremony instead.
Ideal For
Couples who want the whole estate to themselves for a weekend and are happy to build the day from a preferred-supplier list rather than buy a packaged product — and for smaller parties, a midweek micro wedding for up to thirty.
The Need-to-Knows
- Two published packages. Ceremony and Photo is $3,000. Ceremony, Photo and Wedding Reception is $7,000 and adds two nights in the homestead for up to 10 guests, a choice of marquee sites with power, and a complimentary bottle of the estate's own méthode traditionnelle cider.
- The bride and groom get the option of a complimentary third night.
- The marquee is not included in the $7,000 — nor are tables and chairs. The package covers the site, power and coordination.
- Both packages include a choice of ceremony areas with market umbrellas and 24 white chairs, a signing table, toilet hire, ushers, ample parking, and a wet-weather option in the homestead atrium or verandah.
- Micro weddings for up to 30 guests run as five-hour venue-hire packages, midweek and on limited weekends, with an in-house marriage celebrant available at additional cost.
- Guests staying in the homestead get the tennis court, gym and pool room; the bridal suite is prepared for the wedding night.
- By appointment only — there is no walk-in viewing.
Standout Feature
An 1860s bluestone homestead inside a thousand-tree apple orchard, yours for the weekend, with a secret garden behind dry-stone walls for the vows.
Contact
Amenities
- 1860s Bluestone Homestead
- Private Estate Exclusive Use
- On-site Accommodation
- Secret Garden
- Dry-Stone Walls
- Glass Atrium
- North Terrace
- Apple Orchards
- Spring-Fed Dam
- Water Features
- Marquee Sites
- Festoon Lighting
- On-site Venue Manager
- Preferred Supplier List
- In-house Marriage Celebrant
- Market Umbrellas
- 24 White Chairs Provided
- Signing Table Provided
- Toilet Hire Included
- Backup Generator
- Ample On-site Parking
- Ushers Provided
- Bridal Suite
- Tennis Court
- Gym
- Billiard Room
- Estate-Made Cider
- Wet Weather Ceremony Option
- By Appointment Only
Ceremony Setting
- garden
- outdoor
- indoor
- atrium
- terrace
- orchard
- marquee
Dietary Options Supported
Nearby Landmarks
- Ballarat – Fifteen to twenty minutes east
- Learmonth – The nearest township, on Lake Burrumbeet
- Lake Burrumbeet – Large lake just north of the estate
- Pyrenees wine region – The wine district the farm sits in
- Sovereign Hill – Ballarat's goldfields museum
- Creswick – Historic goldfields town north-east
- Grampians National Park – The estate bills itself a gateway to it
On Site Accommodation
- Accommodation is on the estate and is bundled into the reception package as two nights for up to 10 guests, with the option of a complimentary third night for the couple. Two properties are published. The 1860s bluestone Homestead accommodates up to 7 guests, has two separate living areas and open fireplaces, and can be booked alone or together with the apartment. The Lemon Tree Apartment is a fully self-contained two-bedroom apartment for up to 4 guests, within the footprint of the homestead and with its own side garden. Guests have access to the tennis court, billiard room, gym and gardens. The micro-wedding page notes on-site accommodation for up to 10 guests with additional accommodation available close by.
Price Notes
- Orchards at Spring Vale Farm prices its weddings as flat package fees rather than per head, so no per-head rate is recorded. NOTE ON WHERE THE PRICES ARE: the Weddings page links to a 'Packages' section but carries no figures; the two published prices appear on the site's HOME page. Ceremony and Photo Package $3,000. Ceremony, Photo and Wedding Reception Package $7,000.
- The $3,000 Ceremony and Photo Package includes a choice of ceremony areas with market umbrellas and 24 white chairs, a signing table and two chairs, a wet weather option in the Homestead Atrium, and numerous photo locations including the orchards.
- The $7,000 Ceremony, Photo and Wedding Reception Package adds two nights' accommodation in the homestead for up to 10 guests, the option of a complimentary third night for the bride and groom, a choice of marquee sites with power access, and a complimentary bottle of the estate's award-winning 321 Methode Traditionnelle Cuvee produced from apples grown on the property. IMPORTANT: 'cost of marquee not included in the price' - and the fuller inclusions list on the ceremony page adds that tables and chairs are also excluded.
- The Ceremony and Wedding Package inclusions as listed on the ceremony page: a preferred provider list covering celebrants, caterers and marquee hire companies; access to the venue in the lead up to drop off items; an on-site venue manager to coordinate set up and pack down and assist on the day; ample on-site parking; ushers to welcome guests; a choice of ceremony areas including market umbrellas and 24 white chairs; signing table and two chairs; wet weather option (homestead atrium or verandah); toilet hire; water and power access across all sites including a backup 12kva generator at no extra cost; a choice of marquee sites; photo locations; recommendations for a Ballarat recovery venue; two nights accommodation for up to 10 guests; access to the tennis court, gym and pool room; and a bridal suite prepared for the wedding night.
- MICRO WEDDINGS are a separate offering: 'Orchards at Spring Vale Farm offers affordable, stylish midweek and limited weekend private estate weddings for up to 30 guests.' These are five-hour venue-hire packages covering ceremony and celebration, and include the estate's own in-house Marriage Celebrant at an additional cost, access to drop off items in the lead up, and an on-site venue manager. No price is published for the micro wedding packages.
- Special winter packages are referred to for intimate winter weddings in the homestead, but no winter price is published. The estate is by appointment only for viewings.
Price Per Head
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