Head to head · waterfront venues
Sails on Lavender Bay vs The Boathouse Shelly Beach
Two of Sydney's most-shortlisted waterfront wedding venues, compared on the facts: capacity, setting, style and price band. Facts last reviewed 2026-07-11.
| Sails on Lavender Bay | The Boathouse Shelly Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | McMahons Point | Manly |
| Region | North Shore | Northern Beaches |
| Seated capacity | 80 | 80 |
| Cocktail capacity | 100 | 200 |
| Price band | $$$ | — |
| Style | harbour-views, intimate, waterfront | beachfront, intimate, modern, waterfront |
The verdict
Choose Sails on Lavender Bay for guest lists up to 80 seated and a more harbour-views feel in McMahons Point.
Choose The Boathouse Shelly Beach for guest lists up to 80 seated and a more beachfront and modern feel in Manly.
Both are vetted listings, with details verified before publishing. See the full profiles: Sails on Lavender Bay · The Boathouse Shelly Beach.
Quick answers
Which is bigger, Sails on Lavender Bay or The Boathouse Shelly Beach?
Sails on Lavender Bay seats up to 80 guests, compared with 80 at The Boathouse Shelly Beach.
Are Sails on Lavender Bay and The Boathouse Shelly Beach in the same area?
No, Sails on Lavender Bay is in North Shore while The Boathouse Shelly Beach is in Northern Beaches.
Torn between them?
Take the 2-minute quiz and we'll shortlist by your date, guests and budget.
Find your match