My list of 30 popular wedding venues in and near Sofia

Many engaged couples will laugh nervously when I say that choosing a wedding venue is one of the easy steps in organizing a wedding, as sometimes the issue takes hundreds of hours of walking around, comparing, and essentially searching for a buried treasure. The positive in this situation is that at least you are learning to make very beautiful Excel spreadsheets.

Choosing a venue is easy because the options are limited. The popular restaurants for weddings in Sofia are about 30. Considering their capacity according to the number of your guests, price levels according to your requirements, as well as two other conditions (for example whether it is convenient for smokers or having a garden), then the choice is reduced to about three places. Going down the „unconventional“ path, as far as venues are concerned, is more of a risky idea – stick to popular places as things are verified by many couples before you.

CATEGORIES OF WEDDING VENUES

Low category does not equal low quality and vice versa. Restaurants have different categories of cuisine and service, which are quite approximate to their grading, but often do not fit this, and sometimes the approach is mixed. A restaurant can have very high quality cuisine as well as fast and excellent service, but considered low category.

For example, in the lower category, the tables are usually rectangular and elongated (provide more capacity, more flexibility and accommodation options), salads are pre-served, drinks are arranged on the tables, utensils and glasses are (or are not) of a certain type , dishes (tasty or not) are more ordinary. The waiters do not keep track of whether a guest has finished their salad and if it is not finished, they leave it on the table, serving the appetizer and then the main course. We’ve attended weddings like this, where 120 people were quickly served by 2 waiters.

In the high category, the tables are usually round (less capacity, but more contact between guests, more convenience and more room for each guest), bottled beverages are pre-served on the tables, but are poured by waiters, which keep track of what each guest is drinking and are topping up, the salads are served after the guests are seated, the subsequent dishes are served not simultaneously, but when each individual guest has finished the previous dish, the utensils and glasses are of a certain type and number. Dishes usually come with more unconventional recipes. In these cases the waiters also happens to be in the double digits for a wedding of 80 guests, for example.

The high category is not necessarily better than the low. I have seen weddings where guests find it difficult to relax in the heavier and more obliging atmosphere of a luxury venue and vice versa – there are several more accessible venues in which the atmosphere seems to somehow put people at ease, because there is always a full dance floor at every wedding and all guests have fun. It turns out that the “no fanfare” service, dishes and interiors sometimes create a more casual atmosphere and predispose one to relax more.

PRICE RANGES THAT ARE QUOTED BELOW

They are a very approximate and a rather inaccurate reference point for the listed venues, especially in regards to those of an average price. The price levels reflect neither the advantages, the quality, nor the class of service you will receive.

WEDDING VENUES FOR LARGE WEDDINGS (150+ GUESTS)

The following venues are suitable for larg wedding. Listed below by descending price range.

– Marinela Hotel (formerly Kempinski) – There are seven halls which are suitable for weddings, the largest – EFE with a capacity of up to 600 guests;
– Sofia Balkan Hotel (formerly Sheraton) – A total of three halls, suitable for 100 to 350 guests in different configurations;
– Grand Hotel Sofia – up to 160 guests;
– RIU Pravets – up to 400 guests;
– Terra Residence – up to 200 guests;
– Villa „Ekaterina“ – up to 250 guests;
– Hilton Hotel – up to 150 guests;
– Vitosha Park Hotel – up to 160 guests;
– Ramada Hotel (formerly Dedeman) – Three halls are available, the largest with a capacity of 400 guests;
– Laura Restaurant in the National Palace of Culture – up to 300 guests;
– Montecito Complex – The hall, mostly preferred by newlyweds, can seat up to 200 guests. The restaurant with the opening roof can accommodate up to 300 guests;
– Restaurant „Moscow“ on the ground floor of Park Hotel Moscow – up to 300 guests;

OUTDOOR WEDDINGS

Outdoor weddings in Sofia come with one of two major compromises. Either they are allowed to take place only until 10PM or they are not quite in Sofia. But even outside of Sofia there are still problems with the volume of music.

AND HERE IS THE LIST OF WEDDING VENUES UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 2020

Terra Residence – Two halls for 140 and 160 guests – high price rangeTerra

Terra Residence – Two halls for 140 and 160 guests – high price range Terra Residence is one of the most enjoyable places in Sofia where you can have your wedding. They have two halls, each with its own courtyard, designed so that the only contact between the guests of two concurrent weddings is solely in the parking lot of the residence. Sofia Hall on the ground floor gathers about 140 guests comfortably (170 on their site), Terra Hall – about 160 guests comfortably (200 on their site).

Sofia Hall was renovated at the end of 2019 and this is its new look:

It is always a pleasure for me to work at Terra Residence and I think most wedding photographers, cameramen and DJs can say the same.

Pros:
– Spacious and bright halls without columns;
– Perfect service and delicious food;
– Staff and manager are always cooperative;
– Pleasant outdoor areas;
– Menu offers are high-priced but include a lot of things;
– Low costs for extra hours of hiring the hall;

Neutral:
– At the request of the newlyweds, smoking in the hall may be permitted. Which, of course, I do not recommend because you get poisoned. 🙂

Negatives:
– There are no hotel accommodation options in the immediate area.
– The yards of both halls are not in perfect condition – there is a broken tile here and there, for example.

 

---

 

Villa „Ekaterina“ – Kostadinkino village near Vakarel – up to 250 guests, high price range

One of my favorite wedding venues, very popular with newlyweds as well, which is a powerful combination of factors that make a wedding great. It is a hotel with a large marquee, as well as a spacious meadow with panoramic views. The marquee allows for weddings with up to 250 guests comfortably, and the hotel area can accommodate about 40 guests, there is also a large indoor pool There are enough parking spaces, and the location is easily accessible via Trakia highway.

Pros:
– Having a marquee which is the best solution when you want an outdoor wedding while ensuring the security of an indoor one. I have shot weddings at  Villa „Ekaterina“ in heavy rain as well as at temperatures that had fallen well into the evening and it was completely comfortable inside;
– Extensive green areas suitable for cocktails, as well as a civil marriage ceremony with an official clark from Vakarel;
– The possibility of a „one location“ wedding, that is, the newlyweds can get ready in the hotel part of the villa;
– Truly perfect service and impressive food;
– Staff and manager are always very cooperative;

Negatives: 
– Located 37 km away from Sofia city center.

 

---

 

Saint Sofia Golf Club – Ravno Pole – up to 180 guests (best 90-120), high price range

One of the most beautiful wedding venues around Sofia  – spacious and well-maintained outdoor areas suitable for an outdoor civil ceremony (legally valid) and for a cocktail party, a beautiful white building with a wide panoramic terrace, which also suitable for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail party, as well as a very nice and bright hall of the restaurant. We annually shoot between 4 and 6 weddings at the Saint Sofia Golf Club.

One clarification about the capacity of the golf club: The hall has a slightly wider column with a fireplace (visible at the bottom of the frame). Up to 120 guests can be accommodated in larger part of the hall and about 60 more on the other side of the column.

Pros:
– Perfect service and delicious food;
– Staff and managers are always cooperative;
– One of the most beautiful wedding venues in the Sofia area;
– Opportunities for having garden rituals and cocktails, both on the terrace and in the open lawns or in case of bad weather, in  the restaurant hall;
– Unlike Sofia, the Municipality of Elin Pelin allows civil marriages outside the municipal hall – the ceremonies at the golf club are legally valid.

Cons:
– The golf club is located outside Sofia (25 km from the center), which can create some logistical difficulties. For that reason, there is an agreement with one of the Sofia taxi companies, the price for a course from the golf club to Sofia is 30 leva. Some couples provide organized transportation to and from the golf club. (For example, a bus that leaves for Sofia at 0:30 and at 1:30.)
– The hotel has 4 rooms and one apartment.

 

---

 

Best Western Експо хотел – up to 200 guests, average price range

One of my favorite weddings in Sofia, along with the above three, as well as the restaurant of Hotel Accord and „Principi Di Piemonte“ in Interpred. It is located on Tsarigradsko shose Blvd., opposite Metro. Very convenient for both car and subway access.

The Best Western Expo Hotel offers several wedding options:
– Cocktail + garden ceremony in the beautiful tent garden and then a celebration in the Panorama Hall with a capacity of up to 120 guests. The option I recommend to my clients.
– A celebration in the garden, which can accommodate 80-90 guests, with the stipulation that the music speakers should be moved within the adjacent „ForEgo“ restaurant no later than 10:00 pm. This is not a very good option in my opinion.
– For larger weddings up to 200 guests there is also „City Hall“, which is extremely irregular in shape, with many columns and levels. I don’t like it or recommend it.

Pros:
-„Panorama“ hall on the second level has a proper shape, pleasant interior and capacity suitable for most weddings – 80-120 guests;
– Pleasant tent garden, nice lobby and hotel interior;
– Quick and easy access to the hotel via Tsarigradsko Road.
– Acceptable service and food;
– Located at a convenient distance to the park „Vrana“ – suitable for a photo shoot with the newlyweds;
– Spacious free parking;
– Cozy rooms suitable for preparations;

 

---

 

Accord Hotel *** – up to 120 guests, affordable price range

In the last few years the restaurant of the  Accord Hotel has always been one of the best deals on the market in the affordable price range. Accordingly, one of the earliest booked venues – if it on your list to it and want to book a Saturday or a Sunday, it is best to contact them at least a year in advance. Comfortably suitable for about 100-110 guests. In the last 4 years we have shot 10 weddings there.

In 2017, the restaurant hall was impressively renovated, making the place even more attractive to the newlyweds. At the end of 2019, a professional sound system was installed in the hall, which is in line with the acoustics of the hall and fits perfectly into the interior. Accord Hotel also has a garden that is suitable for an outdoor ceremony.

Pros:
– Great hall with professional lighting, round tables and beautiful chairs;
– „Accord“ want to win you as clients and their offer reflects this – it is quite good, customer-oriented and has included over the years various original offers such as 7 hours of occupancy for the hall without overtime (vs. 5 hours at almost all other venues) or unlimited non-alcoholic ones included, coffee, beer and wine at a price below 45 BGN;
– Service and food are good;
– In the courtyard of the hotel there is a nice garden, which is suitable for outdoor ceremony and cocktail;
– The restaurant manager is extremely responsive;
– Convenient accommodation for your guests in the hotel rooms and reasonable prices;

Neutral:
– The hotel is within easy reach of a main road – Vladimir Vazov Blvd. in Hadji Dimitar quarter and 6-7 minutes by car from St. Sofia Church, but still falls outside the central part, which is not convenient to all couples.

 

---

 

Hotel Marinella ***** – several halls. The largest with a capacity of up to 600 guests, high price range

A preferred venue for „high profile“ weddings in Sofia. Marinela Hotel has 7 halls, 3 of them are most often used for weddings – Sofia Hall, which can be configured in 4 different options with a capacity of 160 to 500 guests. The EFE Hall with a capacity of up to 600 guests and the panoramic Silhouette Hall, which is on the top floor of the hotel and can seat about 90 guests.

Pros:
– Many different options for small or very large weddings;
– The garden of the hotel is suitable for an outdoor ceremony;
– Good service and delicious food;

Cons:
– The “provocative” interior of the hotel is not liked by all couples;

 

---

 

Stara Sofia Restaurant of Vega Hotel **** – up to 80 guests, average price range

One of the restaurants I often recommend for small weddings. I also recommend the suites of the hotel for the newlyweds’ preparations, even when the wedding will be at another restaurant as they are quite spacious and bright.

Pros:
– Good service and delicious food;
– A nice hall with a big enough dance floor. The columns do not particularly interfere with the visibility of your guests. The interiors and chairs are stylish enough and some couples choose a very simple decoration – without chair dressings, drapes and ribbons, but only flower arrangements on the tables. Overall the interior of the hotel (apartment, lobby bar, stairs, reception) is a very suitable option for a wedding photo shoot and can save us in bad weather.
– A very nice lobby bar, suitable for cocktails and welcoming guests.
– The honeymoon apartment included in the price is practically the most spacious, compared to the ones provided in almost all other hotels in Sofia and many brides are preparing themselves there (makeup and hairstyle).
– Accessible location close to the Student Town Park, which is suitable for photo shoots, as well as the Student Hall Ritual.
– There is an option for an civil ceremony in the hall adjacent to the restaurant.

Cons:
– The hall is located on the second floor, which means that guest smokers should go down the stairs one floor or use the lift in the immediate vicinity.

---

 

„Principi Di Piemonte Restaurant“ in Interpred – up to 100 guests, affordable / medium price range

One of the most popular restaurants among our newlyweds and a place with great reviews, including one for the manager, for whom I even read poems from happy brides. 12 of our client couples have chosen this venue in the last 4 years.

Pros:
– A venue that has an almost magical combination of prerequisites to predispose guests to party. Talking to DJ Stoyan Petrov, we came to this conclusion, since we couldn’t think of a wedding there that didn’t go with almost every guest on the dance floor.
– Good service and delicious food;
– Nice and bright hall with big enough dance floor. The columns do not particularly interfere with the visibility of your guests.
– A ceremony can be performed in the hall adjacent to the restaurant or in the open air in front of Interpred, where there is some greenery.

Neutral:
– The interior is accentuated in green, which somewhat limits the choice of colors for decoration.

Cons:
– Does not have a hotel part. In the immediate vicinity is Park Hotel Moscow.

---

 

Hilton Hotel – up to 150 guests, high price range

Located on the second level of the hotel is the more popular wedding hall Mussala, which is comfortably suitable for 100 – 150 guests. On the ground floor there is a restaurant „Seasons“, which is comfortably suitable for up to 80 guests.

Pros:
– The Musala Hall, according to my preferences, is wide, illuminated, without columns and in a regular shape. In addition, the hotel has the most spacious and bright lobby in Sofia, which can be used for a cocktail or a ceremony when the weather outside is not suitable. In the back of the hotel there is a fenced yard, divided into two parts, with one of them directly accessible from the restaurant „Seasons“. The yard is another great opportunity for a cocktail party and an outdoor ceremony. As for the cereminy, it can also happen in the park behind Hilton.

-The service and food in Hilton are very good. In addition to the traditional set menu, Hiltons have also successfully and practically organized block table weddings – so far I have shot four such weddings there and everything has always gone great (with a little assistance from the waiters for some older guests). If I was about to get married, I would not hesitate to make it with a block table, as my practice shows that this is a much more appropriate and even exciting option than the traditional set menu;
– Location – Located next to South Park and minutes away from most central ritual halls and churches;
– An option for weddings with a high price range, but with many things included, such as all inclusive soft drinks, etc .;

Cons:
– From the Musala Hall, smokers must go down one floor until they reach the exit. The Seasons restaurant has a direct and easy access to the fenced yard to the restaurant.
– Some couples find it necessary to dress the Musala Hall to give it a more festive look;
– Seasons restaurant, in my opinion, does not have an interior design suitable for weddings – perhaps mostly because of the large, non-removable block tables, unless used as intended.

---

 

Grand Hotel Sofia – up to 160 guests, high price range

Grand Hotel Sofia has three options for weddings. The most popular hall – „Triaditsa“, is located on the first floor and sits comfortably about 120-130 guests + convenient dance floor (150 according to the floor plan), while the ground floor restaurant „Shades of red“ is comfortably suitable for up to 70-80 guests. The Sofia hall on the second floor can accommodate up to 160 guests (180 according to the floor plan).

Pros:
– Good service and food;
– A huge plus for the Triaditsa Hall is the adjacent covered terrace, which is suitable for an outdoor ceremony, for a cocktail, for smokers or for cooling down from dancing. It is the terrace that makes this hall more preferable than the larger one upstairs. Otherwise, Triaditsa Hall is nice but not perfect for weddings – in the form of a letter „D“ and with several massive columns. However, almost all guests with minimal exceptions have direct visibility to the dance floor;
– Along with Balkan Hotel, Grand Hotel Sofia has perhaps the best location hotel in Sofia. Within walking distance of several ritual halls and churches, as well as the most popular locations for wedding photo shoots;
– Grand Hotel Sofia is the 5 star hotel in Sofia with the highest rating in Booking – 9.1 from 1305 reviews;

Cons:
– It is an expensive option.
– Be sure to check the music volume conditions in the later hours!

 

---

 

Sofia Hotel Balkan (Sheraton) – up to 350 guests, high price range

One of the two popular venues for „high profile“ weddings, the other being Marinela Hotel. It has 2 identical mirror halls – Serdika and Sredets with a capacity of about 140 guests + dance floor, as well as „The Royal Ballroom“ on the second floor, with a comfortable capacity of about 300-320 guests + dance floor.

Pros:
– Perfect halls with interior suitable for weddings;
– Good service and food;
– Location within walking distance of several ritual halls and churches, as well as the most popular photo shoot locations;
– The lobby of the halls is suitable for a ceremony;

 

---

 

RIU Pravets – up to 320 guests, high price range

A very nice hotel with opportunities for wedding parties 70 km away. from the center of Sofia along the Hemus Highway. There are essentially two wedding halls – one smaller on the ground floor – „Terra“ Hall for up to 200 guests and one on the first floor – „Pravets“ Hall, which has a capacity of up to 320 guests, but can be partitioned and so it is also suitable for smaller weddings and otherwise spacious, regular in shape and without columns.

Pros:
– Here you can have an all-in-one wedding – it is quite comfortable for all participants in the wedding, there is no hurry, no traffic, no transportation and so you can focus on the important moments of the day.
– At the venue you can have a legally legitimate ritual, a religious ritual, or one in Pravets 5 minutes away or 8 minutes away in Pravets Monastery.
– The place is beautiful, spacious, peaceful and pleasant.

Neutral:
– The logistics for such weddings are a bit more specific, as all guests usually travel from other places. However, these types of  weddings are fun because in one case we are talking about a one-night celebration and in the other a weekend of fun.

Cons:

– The wedding offer of the venue is not the type I like. I don’t know if they still charge 1 BGN per guest for cutting and carrying around the wedding cake. This is a practice in their industry, but as a client, I would prefer if that 1 BGN be pre-included without specification in the offer.

 

---

 

„Intercontinental“ Hotel – Sofia (formerly Raddisson) – up to 130 guests, high price range

Hotel Intercontinental has two halls – a smaller restaurant on the ground floor and a very nice hall on the first floor, with almost regular shape and large columns, which, however, do not interfere with the visibility of your guests to the dance floor. There is a lobby, which is suitable for cocktails. An additional hall is used for the ceremonies.

 

---

 

Montecito Hotel – A hall with capacity for up to 200 guests; a restaurant with opening ceiling – up to 300 guests, affordable / medium price range

Montecito Hotel is located on Tsarigradsko shose Blvd. near Vrana Park. It has a hotel section, a hall, a restaurant and a small garden.

Pros:
– The Montecito Hall is impressively spacious, large and bright, with no columns, a huge dance floor and round tables. The restaurant hall has an extremely spectacular opening ceiling.
– The complex has a large hotel part at very good prices.
– Montecito’s location is easy to explain and to reach with quick access on Tsarigradsko shose Blvd. to the ritual halls and churches in the central part of Sofia.
– In the immediate vicinity of the hotel is the park „Vrana“, which is an excellent option for a photo shoot with the newlyweds.
– Delicious food, large portions, quick service;

Neutral:
– Montecito’s interior generates mixed opinions. Some like it, others don’t.
– The restaurant has a garden suitable for cocktails and outdoor ceremonies, but it is quite small.

Cons:
– The restaurant is spacious and with a large dance floor. Some of the guests are accommodated in booths that are not as comfortable as the round tables – to get up one of the guests must have several more people get up. The room is irregular in shape and with a difference in height – this splits the tables visually into more central and more peripheral ones (visible in the photo as well).
– Montecito has the capacity and, if interested, take up to 4 weddings a day – two during the day and two in the evening in each of the halls. This means mixing guests at a particular stage of the day in the garden of the complex, a restriction on the completion of the daily weddings (not a minute later than 6:00 PM) and a restriction on the start of the evening weddings (no earlier than 7:00 PM).
– The Montecito hotel part has a compromising interior, which is reflected by the good accommodation rates.
– A minimum number of purchased guests placements is required for the new hall – 130, even if the actual number of guests is lower.

 

---

 

„Novotel“ Sofia Hotel **** – up to 130 guests, average price range

Located on Tsarigradsko Road, next to The Mall. The hotel is very enjoyable, but perhaps its corporate athmosphere does not appeal to some couples.

Pros:
– High standard of welcoming, food and service;
– A hall with regular shape, round tables, beautiful chairs and minimal closure from both columns;

Cons:
– A certain cenference hall feeling.

 

---

 

Holiday Inn Hotel ***** – up to 160 guests, high price range

It is located next to Mladost Business Park.

I like hotel chains because of their standards – starting from the parking lot and up to the forks in the restaurant. I find the „Holiday Inn“ a great example of quality service.

Pros:
– A large, column-free large hall – all your guests have direct visibility to the dance floor. However, as in almost all other halls of this type, there is a certain corporate-conference feel;
– Excellent food and service;

Neutral:
– Welcome cocktail for guests is held in the lobby, which is spacious but gloomy. There is no appropriate place to perform a ceremony;

 

---

 

Vitosha Park Hotel **** – up to 160 guests (best up to 120 guests), average price range

Vitosha Park Hotel’s Tuscany Restaurant is a spacious and slightly dark restaurant, which is still easy for photographers but not videographers to work with. The main part of the hall is without columns and irregularly shaped, with 120 guests, there should be no tables without direct visibility to the dance floor and the bride’s table.

Pros:
– A nice restaurant with good service and food;
– It is located next to the Student City Park, which is a great place for wedding photo shoots, photos with guests, and if you decide to perform a ceremony (pictured above);
– The hotel has a piano bar, which is a good opportunity for an after party after the wedding cake is cut;

 

---

 

Best Western City Hotel – up to 120 guests in the hall, up to 60 guests in the La Vita e Bella Restaurant

Thebig hall of the Best Western City Hotel, similar to the Novotel Hall, as well as several other hotel halls, has a strong office feel that could be reduced with appropriate decoration.

La Vita e Bella is the Italian restaurant in the hotel, which I find to be a very inappropriate wedding hall, since it has many angles, columns, partitions, railings, etc. The dance floor is at the entrance, it is small and not visible to about 1/2 of the guests. In fact, this is a big draw for some couples who are looking for exactly such a place.

 

---

 

Zest Restaurant in Suite Hotel Sofia **** – up to 110 guests, average price range

„Suite“ Hotel Sofia opened in 2013 and is part of a chain of hotels including Grand Hotel Sofia and Central Park Hotel. Zest Restaurant has an unconventional, youthful, contemporary interior and a nice panorama of windows. I think the restaurant is an excellent choice.

Pros:
– Very nice and fresh, unconventional interior;
– Good level of service and food;
– Panoramic view and terrace with direct access from the restaurant hall;
– In addition, another downstairs terrace, which is offered for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail;
– Convenient underground parking;

Cons:
– The hall has a desperately irregular shape, columns and a huge bar;
– The interior stands out with its dominant variety and is therefore difficult to decorate;

 

---

 

„Maison“ Hotel **** – up to 130 guests, high price range

The former Park Inn Hotel, and before that Greenville,which is how you can find it in many places on online. The restaurant, however, continues to be called „Greenville“.

Pros:
– One of the most beautiful venue gardens in Sofia, suitable for cocktails and outdoor ceremonies;
– The atypical appearance of the restaurant hall, which attracts certain couples of newlyweds looking for something other than the „boring rectangular hall“;

Cons:
– Atypical shape of the restaurant hall. There is a non-removable block table in the middle of the dance floor (visible in the pictures). One part of the hall (with the glass ceiling) is more spacious, visually combined with the dance floor and, accordingly, the newlyweds table. The other part of the hall has a low ceiling and feels separated from what is happening – a small part of the guests have no direct visibility to the dance floor and are hidden behind two wooden screens visible in the picture;

 

---

 

„Crystal Palace“ Hotel **** – up to 80 guests, high price range

A nice restaurant near the Doctor’s Garden. It has a nice, spacious hall as well as a fenced yard, suitable for cocktails and outdoor ceremonies.

Pros:
– Perfect location within walking distance of Oborishte Ritual Hall and St. Sofia Church;
– Good service and delicious food;
– Cozy rooms suitable for before wedding preparations;

Cons:
– Check the music volume requirements!

 

---

 

„Galeni Gradini“ – up to 120 guests in awning, rental site

„Galeni Gradini“ is a project of our colleague wedding agent with many years of experience, which was opened in May 2019 and I have not yet had the pleasure to shoot there.

It is located 17 kilometers northeast of downtown Sofia between the villages of Voinegovtsi and Lokorsko. The location is accessible by taxis at standard (city) rates.

 

---

 

„Central Forum“ Restaurant – up to 150 guests, affordable price range

Central Forum Hotel has an L-shaped hall, suitable for 150 guests, which can be partitioned and become comfortable even for smaller weddings. The hotel also has a garden. One of the popular affordable restaurants in Sofia.

Pros:
– All weddings that we have shot at Central Forum were very fun. The place clearly predisposes;
– The portions are large, the drinks are always plentiful, and the seating areas are close together – one has all the prerequisites for feeling great and in good company;

Neutral:
– The garden is nice, but without special features;

Cons:
– The hall is in the form of a letter „L“ and has many columns. The tables and seats are very close together and this creates the inconvenience of getting up for part of the guests. The dance floor is narrow and elongated;
–  They could provide more than 2 parking spaces in front of the hotel could be provided, rather than charging the guests with 2-3 BGN per hour, since there are plenty of free spaces in the parking lot anyway;

 

---

 

„My Choice“ Restaurant – Simeonovo Quarter – up to 140 guests, average price range

A wedding venue with a very nice garden, suitable for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail. The restaurant has 3 halls with a capacity of up to 140 guests, up to 80 guests and up to 30 guests. I like „My Choice“ a lot, but for some reason my clients haven’t chosen it in the last few years;

Pros:
– Good service and delicious food;
– A very nice garden, suitable for an outdoor ceremony and a cocktail;

Neutral:
– The restaurant does not have a hotel part, but there are many family hotels nearby that are suitable for accommodating guests.
– Some couples count as a minus the lack of windows in the large hall of the restaurant. My experience is that this lack is not felt at all when the hall is decorated, with tables arranged and people dancing on the dance floor. In general, when you are viewing the halls for your wedding, try to see them when they are decorated for weddings – the difference in feeling is significant;

Cons:
– The large hall is spacious and has a large dance floor, but with many columns that disturb the visibility of a small part of your guests;
– The middle-sized hall is too long in shape and the dance floor is at one end;

 

---

 

Festa Hotel **** – up to 130 guests, average price range

Festa Hotel is located on Bulgaria Blvd. in Manastirski Livadi. It has a pleasant lobby, in which with a little more desire you can have a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, the hall of the restaurant is  irregular in shape, with many columns, as well as dominant colors in the interior. I shoot one wedding every 2 years there.

 

---

 

Central Park Hotel **** – up to 80 guests, average price range

“Roslin Central Park“ Hotel overlooks the National Palace of Culture through Vitosha Blvd. Restaurant „106“ has a capacity of up to 80 guests.

Pros:
– A cozy and bright restaurant, which has built-in lighting that contributes to the atmosphere of the wedding;
– A balanced and profitable offer for wedding celebrations (at the time of writing this article).

Cons:
– Multiple large columns that limit the visibility for some guests;

 

---

 

„Lebed“ Restaurant  – Pancharevo, up to 150 guests (upstairs – up to 100 guests), average price range

The restaurant is located 4 minutes by car from the Ring Road on Pancharevo lake. There is a garden where large weddings can be organized, and the capacity of the interior is for up to 150 guests, with the ground floor gathering 100 guests and the second half floor accommodating 50 guests.

Pros:
 – Wonderful, spacious and sun-protected garden, which can be used for a cocktail party and an outdoor ceremony;
– There is a quay / rotunda which also allows for outdoor ceremonies;
– Very tasty food and good service;
– Large and free parking;

Neutral:
– The restaurant welcomes and serves outside guests in its garden, even when a wedding is held in the hall;

Cons:
– The venue is suitable for up to 100 guests because most of the people on the second floor would not have visibility to the dance floor and would feel separated;
-The hall is elongated, but not wide. There is a certain sense of tightness, which is also enhanced by the booths that accommodate part of the guests;

---

 

Prikaznata Gradina (Fairytale Garden) – near Elin Pelin – up to 120 guests, price for renting the site – 2000 BGN (as of 2019)

„Prikaznata Gradina“ is a landscaped green space of 4 acres 25 km from the center of Sofia, for rent for outdoor weddings. They have a canopy. After booking the garden, you can choose a catering to your liking.

Pros:
– The place that most closely matches the idea of ​​many couples for a fabulous / forest / garden wedding;
– A wide choice of catering options according to personal preferences and budget;

Cons:
– There are several cases where there are complaints about the music volume and police has intervened;
– The canopy does not fully protect against heavy rainfall. There is also no way to heat the space if the weather gets cold in the evening;
– The area in front of the garden where the guests’ cars are parked looks kind of bad;

 

---

 

Park Hotel „Moscow“ – 100 to 450 guests, affordable range

Park Hotel Moscow has three wedding halls, and here I will look at two of the more popular: „Moscow“ Restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel, which has a capacity of up to 450 guests and I think with less than 150 guests would look empty, as well as the „Panorama“ Restaurant, which can seat up to 120 guests, and to fulfill the maximum capacity, part of the guests should be accommodated on distant tables without direct visibility to the dance floor, that is to say the restaurant is more comfortable for weddings up to 80-90 guests;

Pros:
– Restaurant „Panorama“ has a wonderful manager and service, as well as a unique 270 degree panorama;
– The „Moscow“ restaurant on the ground floor has a very spacious and bright hall and a huge dance floor;
– If necessary, you have an easy and convenient solution for accommodating traveling guests;

Cons:
– The interior of „Panorama“ is aged;
– „Panorama“ is located on the 19th floor and has no terraces available, making it a small hell for smokers. Also, the ceiling feels a little low;
– There are mixed reviews on the Internet about food and service for „Moscow“ Restaurant;

 

---

 

Gloria Palace Complex – Diplomatic Club – up to 120 guests (best up to 80), average price range

Gloria Palace Restaurant is another place that has unfortunately received mixed reviews in recent years. I haven’t shot there for several years. The complex is located at the beginning of Gorna Banya quarter and has a great garden, awnings and a huge dance floor.
This is one of the places that couples choose because outdoor weddings are possible, but again with the stipulation that at 10PM all guests, along with the DJ should move into the restaurant hall.

Pros:
– Impressive and very large garden – an option for outdoor weddings;

Cons:
– The restaurant hall has a somewhat oldinterior. The room is irregular and divided – some of your guests do not have good visibility to the dance floor. The „good“ tables are suitable for up to 80 guests;
– No air conditioning system;
– Negative venue reviews can also be found on the Internet;

---

 

Hotel „6ato“ – up to 100 (best up to 60, and even better up to 30) guests, medium price range

Pros:
– Hotel „6ato“ is in the uppermost part of Dragalevtsi and allows for outdoor weddings, but after 10 PM the music volume should be reduced;
– The garden is very pleasant;

Cons:
– 6ato is located in the highest part of Dragalevci and night temperatures are sometimes lower than usual;
– The garden is gorgeous, but on two levels with considerable leveling,and with more than 30 guests, it is necessary to use the second level, which is visually and factually distant from the dance floor and the first level;
– The interior of 6ato is not quite a backup option in bad weather – the room is irregularly shaped with many curves and does not have a clearly set up a dance floor;
– You will find mixed reviews for this venue online;

---

SHARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS WITH FUTURE NEWLYWEDS WHO READ THIS ARTICLE:

– What are your impressions of the venues included here?
– Is there anything you’ve seen in a different light?
– Are there any venues that I missed that deserve attention? Do not hesitate to comment in the comments to the article 🙂

---

Author: Nikolai Mitev
This article was last updated on April 07, 2020

---

Последвайте ме в Instagram и във Facebook - където също публикувам интересно съдържание.

---