Wedding venue collapse leaves 48 couples scrambling to salvage big day
A beloved Tasmanian wedding venue, Hidden Garden Estate in Berriedale, has gone into liquidation after the Glenorchy City Council found it had breached its home business permit. The sudden closure has left 48 couples urgently searching for new locations to hold their weddings.
Notice and restrictions
Couples received an email on Friday, November 7, informing them that the council had issued a breach notice the previous day. The message, titled “Sad”, outlined three choices:
- Proceed with new restrictions under the amended permit
- Postpone to a future date
- Cancel and receive a full refund
The revised conditions were described as highly restrictive. Only owner Diane Burrows was permitted to officiate ceremonies, guest numbers were limited to 60, and just two vendors were allowed on-site.
“DJ, photo booth, live music, wedding planners, event hire suppliers and similar services are all classified as vendors,” the notice stated.
Couples were required to confirm their decisions by the end of business on Monday, November 10.
Owners’ statement
By the afternoon following the notice, Hidden Garden Estate confirmed its permanent closure and entry into liquidation. Owners Shan Strus and Diane Burrows said that rigid council terms made it impossible to continue operating.
“The authority initiating stringent terms that effectively caused couples to vote for refunds, has forced us to close the business,” they said.
They added that they had sought a temporary reprieve from the council but were denied.
Community response
The local community has rallied in support of the affected couples, with many offering venues and services to help salvage their wedding plans.
Author’s summary: The closure of Hidden Garden Estate in Tasmania left dozens of couples without a wedding venue after the business collapsed due to council permit issues.