Marybrooke Manor
It is so beautiful!!! I even love the entrance and the driveway.
I actually looked there when I was getting married and loved the gardens and exterior but it needed renovating inside. That was 14 years ago and since then they have completely renovated the inside. It looks amazing. The hotel rooms are modern and all renovated as well. It is the only venue in The Dandenongs with a reception room and 4 star hotel rooms. It is so convenient as your guests do not have to worry about driving home and can have a little holiday to celebrate your wedding. Most of my couples tell me that the hotel rooms (19 of them) are booked so quickly that sometimes some of the guests have to stay offsite. There is also a dining room for breakfast in the morning so you can all catch up after the wedding for a nice breaky together. This is great for those that have travelled for your wedding as it is a chance for them to catch up properly.
My couples have also told me that included in their wedding package is a free night at their hotel to celebrate your first anniversary. How good is that… to go back to the place you married and relive one of the best days of your life!
For the ceremony, there is a beautiful gazebo area which is built to match the house. It is within a walled garden with heaps of room and they set up chairs for all the guests if you would like seating as well. There is enough room for guests to mingle and then have a group photo. If the weather is not great then you have the option of having an indoor ceremony in the mansion upstairs. They set up the room as a chapel with plenty of chairs. The bridal suite is huge and it is so welcoming that I think it would be a good place to escape and relax after the ceremony. Some of my brides and groom even use it prior to get ready. They even have their hairdresser and makeup artist visit them there. They can even have lunch and snacks supplied.
In front of the mansion there is a really nice outdoor drinks area where you can sit down, mingle and have your pre dinner drinks. On the other side of the entrance there is a great grass area where I have seen various lawn games set up to entertain guests in between the ceremony and reception.
I like the venue so much that I decided to try the restaurant with my family for dinner one night. I was not disappointed. The food was not the standard wedding food….it was really nice and I was so impressed and I was told that the menu is similar for the weddings. I am now looking forward to going up for a high tea on an afternoon when I am not working and the restaurant is open.
There are so many photo opportunities there in the gardens and in the heritage listed building that you will run out of time before you run out of places for your photos.
Some background on it……Nestled on the edge of the majestic Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong Ranges hides an elegant National Trust listed Tudor style mansion named Marybrooke Manor. The magnificent National Trust listed reception centre and guest house is the perfect one-stop destination for your wedding ceremony & reception, function or conference.
Built in 1940, Marybrooke began as the grandest guest house in a chain of six guest houses all using the pre-fix “Mary” designed and built by Eric Dowdle between 1927 and 1940. Built on the site of an earlier guest house named Grendon which burned down in the 1930s, Marybrooke is registered as a socially, historically and architecturally significant property. Over recent years the property has undergone extensive renovations to restore and reinstate the building to reflect its original charm and elegance. With a restaurant & bar named PJ’s Restaurant, four function rooms and an indoor wedding ceremony area, Marybrooke also offers 19 boutique four star accommodation suites.
If you would like to check out Marybrooke Manor the details are below. It is only a 5 minute drive off the main tourist road in The Dandenongs.
10 Sherbrooke Rd, Sherbrooke, Victoria
Ph: 03 97552755
email: enq@marybrooke.com.au
http://www.marybrooke.com.au/
