Wedding Venue Collapse Leaves 48 Couples Scrambling to Salvage Big Day
The Hidden Garden Estate in Berriedale, Tasmania, has gone into liquidation, leaving 48 couples urgently trying to reorganise their weddings. The venue was forced to shut down following a breach of its home business permit, as notified by Glenorchy City Council.
Permit Breach and Restrictions
On Friday, November 7, couples received an email titled "Sad" informing them of the council's decision the previous Thursday. The venue was given three options:
- Proceed under strict new permit conditions
- Postpone to a later date
- Cancel and receive a full refund
The new rules were strict. Only owner Diane Burrows could conduct ceremonies, guest numbers were limited to 60, and just 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 had until close of business Monday, November 10, to make a decision.
Closure and Liquidation
By Monday afternoon, the venue confirmed it was closing permanently and entering liquidation. Owners Shan Strus and Diane Burrows blamed the council’s tough conditions for forcing cancellations:
“The authority initiating stringent terms that effectively caused couples to vote for refunds, has forced us to close the business.”
They also said they had requested a reprieve from the council but were declined.
Author’s Summary
Hidden Garden Estate’s sudden closure after council restrictions has left dozens of couples urgently seeking alternatives for their disrupted wedding plans.