Spotlight on: Plaza Ballroom

Melbourne's Plaza Ballroom effortlessly hosts modern, elegant events while also staying true to its rich history and old-world charm. Not bad an old dame of almost 90 years! Today we sit down with the team behind this iconic function venue to chat events past, present and future. 

When researching a function venue, one generally doesn’t expect to spend part of the afternoon in a deep-dive into Australia’s brush with prohibition – but that’s what happens when the venue is as historic as the Plaza Ballroom.

Here’s a fun fact: the Australian Capital Territory was under prohibition from 1911 until 1928. Bizarre, no? And while Victoria never quite got there, the worldwide temperance movement did make it to our shores and subsequently made it difficult for the Plaza Ballroom to obtain a liquor licence when it was built in 1929.

And so, the space initially designed to be a function venue spent its days as a grand picture palace where some of the early ‘talkies’ were screened. It lay dormant for years after that and was under threat of demolition until Marriner Group took over the space – along with the Regent Theatre – in 1993. According to Marriner Group’s Emily Wright, it took a solid three years of meticulous building and restoration before the venue was ready, but here we are – about to celebrate the impressive venue’s 20th anniversary of being back in the world.

“Although the venue is historic, everything we do there is very contemporary,” says Wright. “The historic backdrop lends itself beautifully to modern themes. We also keep our wine lists and beverage offerings very contemporary, dealing with Melbourne and Victorian wine, beer and spirit companies to complement the menus.”

2016 saw the Marriner Group appoint a new executive chef, David Ricardo, arriving off the back of an impressive stint with the Lucas Group (Pearl, Chin Chin) in Melbourne and Hong Kong. After having been awarded two Chef’s Hats during his time at Pearl, he set about developing a stunning new menu based on modern Australian cuisine, inspired by Melbourne’s not-very-secret obsession with good food.

The venue’s high ceilings, Spanish Rococo architecture and all-round lavish aesthetic lends the space to large-scale impressive events. Think gala dinners for up to 550 guests, and cocktail events for up to 1200 at the Grand Ballroom. More ‘launches, fashion parades, presentations, and elegant weddings’ than ‘your mate’s birthday beers’.

Whether you're organising a grand Gala Dinner, awards night, cocktail function, lunch or presentation, we can provide you with a breathtaking venue, contemporary catering and the skills and expertise to ensure you of an outstanding event.

Hosting these sorts of special events means the team at the Plaza Ballroom has to be a one-stop shop for catering, large open floorplan, staffing, AV and security.

“We pride ourselves on offering a personalised service to our clients – they’ll get to work with the full team in planning and executing their event."

Emily Wright, Marriner Group

For a venue that hosts huge stylish celebrations and corporate events, one of the most memorable events in recent memory has come with a hefty dose of pressure. The Plaza Ballroom has hosted The Age’s Good Food Awards for the past couple of years, which means impressing and dishing up Melbourne’s best chefs and restaurateurs.

And what are Emily and the team at Plaza Ballroom excited about in events this year? “Technology in events! We can’t give away too much but if you’re attending our Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event at the Plaza Ballroom in April, you’re in for a real treat!”

Venue Spotlight: The Plaza Ballroom is available for functions via VenueNow >>