Wedding Venue Collapse Disrupts 48 Couples’ Plans
The Hidden Garden Estate in Berriedale, Tasmania, has entered liquidation, leaving 48 couples scrambling to rearrange their weddings. The venue was forced to close after Glenorchy City Council found it in breach of its home business permit.
Council Breach and New Restrictions
Couples were informed via email on November 7 that the council had notified the venue the previous Thursday of the permit violation. The email, titled “Sad,” offered three options:
- Proceed with weddings under strict new permit conditions
- Postpone to a later date
- Cancel with a full refund
The new rules were highly restrictive:
- Only owner Diane Burrows could conduct ceremonies
- Guest numbers were capped at 60
- Only two vendors allowed onsite, including DJ, photo booth, live music, wedding planners, and event suppliers
Venue Closure and Liquidation
Couples were given until November 10 to decide how to proceed. By that afternoon, the venue confirmed it would permanently close and enter liquidation.
“The authority initiating stringent terms that effectively caused couples to vote for refunds, has forced us to close the business,” said owners Shan Strus and Diane Burrows.
The owners sought a reprieve from the council but were denied, leaving the business no option but to shut down.
Community Response
The community has been rallying to support those affected by the sudden closure.
Author's Summary
The collapse of Hidden Garden Estate amid strict council restrictions has forced 48 couples to cancel or postpone weddings, resulting in the venue’s liquidation and community efforts to aid those impacted.