Weddings at Simmer on the Bay never disappoint. Located along Hickson Road in Sydney, the character and charm of the finger wharf makes the perfect canvas for creating a beautiful event. Simmer on the Bay is one of those places that can be either dressed up with flowers and chandeliers, or it’s just as ambient letting the space speak for itself and adding subtle pieces of decor here and there.
Simmer on the Bay, a beautiful waterfront wedding venue in Sydney. Florals and Styling, Ashdown & Bee, Petal and Fern. Image Fiona + Bobby
A waterfront wedding for Georgina and Steve at Simmer on the Bay. Image Fiona + Bobby.
By day, Simmer on the Bay operates as a cafe, and it’s the same catering team and kitchen who look after all of the events there. So you don’t need to worry about hiring external caterers, or fuss with finding someone familiar with the space. But blank canvas venues can always need a little bit more work than a restaurant space. So allow yourself some extra time and money if you’re planning to go all out. There are some great features of this venue which I think worth leveraging. The ceiling height and voids make it a great opportunity to bring in drop chandeliers, pendants or floral installations. And there is a lovely feature wall of the lower level which can be used to project lighting, or wall washes on to.
Beautiful florals adorn the tables for this wedding by Petal and Fern. Image Fiona + Bobby.
Prettiness by Petal and Fern. Image Fiona + Bobby.
The space at Simmer on the Bay lends itself to the guest dining area on the upper level, and leaving the lower level for the band / DJ / bar and dance floor. It makes an excellent pre-function space as guests can spill in and out of the building if you wanted to make the most of the terrace by the water. We have also used the lower level for wedding ceremonies (as a back up space in inclement weather), which can be quickly turned around in to pre-function space. And we have also installed a marquee into the outdoor terrace space of the venue, to make it completely weather proof for pre-function for larger groups as a wet weather back up. Without the marquee, you may wish to consider installing a festoon lighting swag to define the area and to make it a little more fun and atmospheric.
Simmer on the Bay has always been more flexible with bumping in and out than other Sydney venues. And the loading access is fantastic. So if you want to keep your vendors happy and your prices down on labour, it really is in a great spot. If you’re considering the location of your ceremony, there are some lovely heritage churches in the area. You may also wish to consider outdoor locations like Hickson Road reserve or even Cockatoo Island if you’re feeling really adventurous. If you want to find out more about how we can help with your wedding at Simmer on the Bay, we would love to hear from you. You can read more about our wedding coordination, wedding planning and wedding styling packages here. You may also find some of our other resources helpful below.
- A review on Circa 1876, Hunter Valley
- A review on Bendooley Estate, Southern Highlands
- A review on Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney
- The Best Sydney Ceremony Locations with Wet Weather Backups
- Planning an Outdoor Wedding
A bright colour palette against the heritage features at this venue really made the tables pop. Image Blumenthal Photography.
Bohemian break out pod, using the existing furniture with the venue with a few of the clients personal touches. Image Blumenthal Photography.
The distressed green timber table is one of the lovely old features that comes with this venue at Simmer on the Bay, Image Alli O Photography.
Dining upstairs and dancing downstairs. A great space at Simmer on the Bay. Image Alli O Photography.
