Wedding Venue Collapse Leaves 48 Couples Scrambling to Salvage Big Day
Forty-eight couples have been left scrambling to reorganize their weddings after a popular Tasmanian venue, Hidden Garden Estate at Berriedale, went into liquidation following council permit breaches.
The estate notified couples by email on Friday, November 7, that Glenorchy City Council had advised them late the previous Thursday of a breach in their home business permit. The notice, titled “Sad,” initially offered three options: proceed under strict new permit conditions, postpone to a later date, or cancel and receive a full refund.
According to the venue, the new restrictions were severe. Only owner Diane Burrows could conduct ceremonies, guest numbers were capped at 60, and only two vendors were allowed on site. The notice clarified:
“DJ, photo booth, live music, wedding planners, event hire suppliers and similar services are all classified as vendors.”
Couples were given until close of business Monday, November 10, to decide how to proceed. By this afternoon, the venue confirmed it was closing permanently and entering liquidation.
Owners Shan Strus and Diane Burrows stated that the council’s stringent terms had effectively forced couples to cancel:
“The authority initiating stringent terms that effectively caused couples to vote for refunds, has forced us to close the business.”
They said they had sought a reprieve from the council but were refused.
Author’s Summary
After permit violations led to severe restrictions, a beloved Tasmanian wedding venue closed permanently, leaving dozens of couples to urgently rearrange their special days.