A Royal Wedding in the Heart of Vienna: Palais Coburg as a Luxury Destination Wedding Venue
Venues
Hidden behind the ancient city walls of Vienna, Palais Coburg feels less like a hotel and more like a private royal residence. Neoclassical architecture, terraced gardens and glittering staterooms create a setting that is both intimate and unapologetically grand – ideal for couples who want a truly luxurious destination wedding in Vienna.
table of contents
A Brief History: From Royal Residence to Hidden Five-Star Palace
How to Plan a Luxury Destination Weddings at Palais Coburg
Event Spaces, Sizes & Capacities
Guest Numbers & Typical Wedding Formats
Suites & Accommodation
Culinary Excellence & Wine
Estimated Costs for Hosting a Wedding at Palais Coburg
Why Palais Coburg Works So Well for Luxury Destination Weddings
Ideas for Your Palais Coburg Wedding Itinerary
Final Thoughts
A Brief History:
From Royal Residence to Hidden Five-Star Palace
Palais Coburg – also known as Palais Saxe-Coburg – was built between 1840 and 1845 for Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, on top of the Renaissance fortification “Braunbastei”. The striking columned façade earned it the nickname Spargelburg (“asparagus castle”).
The palace stayed in the Coburg family until the 1970s, then underwent a meticulous six-year restoration before reopening in 2003 as a five-star superior hotel residence with 34–35 individually designed suites, extensive wine cellars and one of Vienna’s most beautiful private gardens.
Today, it is world-famous not only for its suites and Michelin-starred restaurant, but also as the venue where the Iran nuclear agreement was signed in 2015 – a testament to its discretion and prestige.
For wedding couples, this means: a house that feels historic, important and utterly private, yet functions flawlessly as a modern luxury hotel.
How to Plan a Luxury Destination Weddings at Palais Coburg
Think of Palais Coburg in three primary wedding zones:
1. Bel Etage – The Staterooms
2. Casemates – The Medieval Vaults Below
3. Garden & Terraces – Your Private City Oasis
- Historic salons on the first floor, overlooking the garden and city.
- Ideal for civil or symbolic ceremonies, cocktails and seated dinners.
- Atmospheric stone vaults incorporated into the former city walls.
- Perfect for gala dinners, dancing and late-night parties.
- The Palais Garden and terraces sit above the old bastion, enclosed and quiet despite the central location.
- Wonderful for open-air ceremonies, cocktail hours or summer dinners.
Additionally, there are modern meeting rooms and the Veranda at garden level, as well as the glass-walled Clementine im Glashaus restaurant, which can be used for more intimate celebrations and brunches.
Event Spaces, Sizes & Capacities
Palais Coburg offers a surprising variety of rooms. As a whole, the venue provides up to 1,700 m² of event space, 16 event rooms and a maximum overall capacity of about 800 guests, with the largest single room hosting around 230 guests.
Below is an overview of key spaces frequently used for weddings (sizes and capacities are approximate and can vary by setup):
Staterooms on the Bel Etage
These baroque-style salons feature high ceilings, parquet floors, gilding and crystal chandeliers.
Hall of Mirrors
Blue Salon & Green Salon
Marie Antoinette Salon
- Approx. 105 m²
- Up to ~85 for seated dinner, ~60 theatre-style ceremony, ~100 for cocktails (in combined use).
- Iconic gilded detailing; ideal for ceremonies or formal dinners.
- Each ~50 m²
- Up to ~40 guests for seated dinner or ceremony.
- Elegant, more intimate rooms – wonderful for smaller receptions or a family-only dinner.
- Approx. 60 m²
- Up to ~50 guests for dinner or ceremony.
Together, the staterooms can be combined in a suite for receptions and dinners, allowing you, for example, to host your ceremony in one salon, aperitif in another and dinner in the Hall of Mirrors.
official Source: Official Website of Palais Daun-Kinsky
Casemates (Historic Vaults)
Casemates (Historic Vaults)
Located below the palace, the casemates are integrated into Vienna’s former fortification walls and offer a completely different, dramatic atmosphere.
High Casematte
Long Casematte
- Approx. 175 m²
- Up to ~150 for banquet, ~120 for cocktail, ~60 theatre-style.
- Approx. 270 m²
- Up to ~200 for seated dinner, ~230 for cocktail reception, ~120 theatre-style.
These spaces are excellent for:
- Gala dinners after a more formal ceremony upstairs.
- After-dinner dancing and late-night parties, where you can control sound and lighting.
official Source: Official Website of Palais Daun-Kinsky
Guest Numbers & Typical Wedding Formats
Depending on how many rooms and floors you privatise, Palais Coburg suits a wide range of guest counts:
Elopements & Micro-Weddings (2–30 guests)
Classic Destination Weddings (40–120 guests)
Grand Gala Weddings (150–230+ guests)
- Ceremony in a suite, the Blue or Green Salon, or in the garden.
- Intimate gourmet dinner in a salon or at the glasshouse restaurant.
- Garden or stateroom ceremony.
- Cocktail reception on the Bel Etage or terrace.
- Seated dinner either in a combination of staterooms or in the casemates.
- Dancing and party in the Long Casematte or Concert Hall.
- Use of multiple salons and casemates, plus garden.
- Ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors or Johann Strauss Concert Hall, dinner in the Long Casematte, and cocktail or dessert stations across different rooms.
With full buy-out of event areas, capacities can go up towards 200–230 guests in a single room and more across combined spaces.
Suites & Accommodation
Palais Coburg operates as an all-suite hotel:
- 34–35 individually designed suites, typically 54–165 m², many on two levels.
- Average suite size about 100 m²; each combines historic details with contemporary luxury.
How to use these spaces:
- Ample space for getting-ready photography, bridal party preparations and family time.
- Possibility to host a private ceremony or tea in your suite.
- Your closest guests can stay on-site, while the central location makes it easy to arrange additional rooms at nearby five-star hotels.
(Important note: the hotel has publicly communicated that suites are temporarily closed until spring 2026 while restaurants remain open, so always verify current availability for overnight stays when planning your date.)
Culinary Excellence & Wine
For food-loving couples, this palace is a dream:
- Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant – two Michelin stars, one of Austria’s most acclaimed kitchens.
- Clementine im Glashaus – a stylish, more relaxed restaurant in the glasshouse.
- Six historic wine cellars holding around 60,000 bottles, celebrated internationally for depth and rare vintages.
Your wedding menu can be truly bespoke, from refined tasting menus to lavish multi-course banquets.
Estimated Costs for Hosting a Wedding at Palais Coburg
Exact figures depend on season, weekday vs. weekend, timings, guest count and how much of the palace you privatise. However, here s short indication of typical rental ranges.
Event space rental (guideline figures)
- Staterooms (Bel Etage): from approx. €8,300–8,600 per full day (10 hours).
- Casemates (when added to staterooms): from approx. €2,300–2,500.
- Veranda of the gourmet restaurant: around €1,000+.
In addition, you should budget for:
- Food & beverage (minimum spend per person, often starting around high three-digit per guest for fine-dining multi-course menus with wine pairing).
- Costs for furniture/linen + upgrades if desired.
- Service staff surcharges for late-night or extended hours.
For full-scale luxury weddings at Palais Coburg, overall event budgets (including venue, catering and all vendors) often start in the low to mid six-figure range for 80–120 guests and scale upward with guest count, décor and entertainment.
Why Palais Coburg Works So Well for Luxury Destination Weddings
1. Total Privacy in the Middle of the City
Despite its ultra-central address just off the Ringstrasse, the palace sits behind historic walls with its own garden and terraces – your celebration feels like a private estate rather than a city hotel.
2. Architectural Variety for a Multi-Chapter Celebration
- Light-filled, baroque staterooms for ceremony and dinner.
- Rough-stone casemates for party and club-style atmosphere.
- Garden and glasshouse for outdoor moments and daylight photos.
This allows you to move guests through completely different moods during the day.
3. World-Class Gastronomy & Wine
The combination of a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant and extraordinary wine cellars is rare even among European palaces, and highly appealing for foodie couples.
4. Heritage & Significance
Celebrating in a palace with royal history, Renaissance fortifications and modern diplomatic relevance adds gravitas and storytelling to your wedding weekend.
5. Flexible for Multi-Day Experiences
From a welcome cocktail in the garden to a rehearsal dinner in one of the salons and a farewell brunch in the glasshouse, the same property can host your entire wedding weekend without ever feeling repetitive.
Ideas for Your Palais Coburg Wedding Itinerary
To help you imagine it:
Day 1 – Welcome to Vienna
Day 2 – Wedding Day
Day 3 – Farewell & Recovery
- Guests arrive at nearby five-star hotels and stroll to Palais Coburg for a welcome cocktail on the terrace.
- Intimate family dinner in the Green and Blue Salons.
- Morning: Getting ready in suites with views over Vienna’s rooftops.
- Early afternoon: Civil or symbolic ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors or in the garden.
- Cocktail hour on the Bel Etage with live string quartet.
- Sunset: Multi-course dinner in the staterooms, lit by chandeliers and candlelight.
- Late evening: Guests move downstairs to the Long Casematte for dancing, DJ or live band, dessert stations and late-night bar.
- Relaxed brunch at the glasshouse “Clementine im Glashaus” or on the garden terrace.
- Optional wine tasting in one of the historic cellars.
Final Thoughts
Palais Coburg is ideal for couples who want their Vienna destination wedding to feel:
- Intimate yet opulent.
- Deeply historic yet tailored and contemporary.
- More like hosting friends in a private palace than booking a standard hotel ballroom.
If you love the idea of layering garden romance, imperial salons and atmospheric stone vaults into one celebration – and you’re ready to invest in a truly elevated experience for your guests – this hidden palace above Vienna’s ancient walls is one of the most exceptional addresses you can choose.
