Month: June 2018

 If you’ve just started wedding planning and you’re looking for the perfect venue for your wedding in Auckland, Waiheke Island, Bay of Islands or Coromandel you’re in the right place.
I hope you find this article useful – Please have a look at little white book wedding planner before you go.
I hope that you have a draft guest list in mind and you’ve started your wedding budget before you begin searching for your wedding ceremony and reception venues. They will probably be the biggest cost for your wedding, and will largely be determined by your number of guests, and how much you want to spend.
Whether you’re planning a small and intimate wedding or a big event for your ‘big day’, Auckland and its surrounding regions are home to many of .

How to Find a Wedding Venue: Overview

• Where to begin searching for a wedding venue in Auckland (and greater Auckland/Northland/surrounds);
• Browsing wedding venues via wedding vendors and photographers;
• How to choose between wedding venues;
• What to consider before you sign a wedding venue contract; and
• Suggestions for Auckland wedding venues by type (e.g. BYO, budget, unique, large venue, auckland vineyards)

Where to begin searching for a wedding venue in Auckland & surrounds

We are just so spoiled for choices of wedding venues in New Zealand, and Aucklanders are some of the luckiest kiwis when it comes to picking a spot to get hitched.  Whether you’re looking for a venue in Auckland city itself, want to head across the water for a beautiful Waiheke Island wedding, or you’re planning a wedding a little further afield in Coromandel or Bay of Islands, you’re inundated with options. Sea views, lush greenery, award-winning food and wine, or a centrally located city roof-top – it’s all on offer here.

Browse, Pin, Save… Stalk?

To find a beautiful wedding venue that’s right for you, there’s a few ways to start, with wedding vendor directories such as Our Wedding. One of my favourite methods to find wedding venues is to browse some of our best wedding vendors’ websites and go from there. This gives you the ability to not only find a beautiful location, but also helps you to work out what style of photography, and perhaps even style of wedding you like.
Browse google, facebook, instagram, magazines and other blogs for wedding vendors: local wedding planners, photographers, florists, etc, and have a look at their portfolio.
Wedding photographers especially will feature their most beautiful weddings on their site, and you’re likely to come across wedding venues you’ve never seen before too. You’ll also potentially discover the best local photography spots and hideaways nearby those wedding venues – which can be huge drawcards too, and help you choose a venue.
P.S. Get a little stalker-ish: See if there are any pictures showing a wedding hashtag that you can creep on via Instagram (couples often put it onto a sign that ends up in the wedding photos) and get a more personal look at the wedding venue through the eyes of a guest.

Google & Wedding Venue Directories

Another way of finding Auckland wedding venues of course is to ‘google’, and you will also be able to find some ‘Auckland wedding venue directories’ – like those on Christchurch Weddings or Our Wedding directories. Wedding directories can be a great source of information, BUT, like magazines, they often only feature those venues and vendors which pay for their inclusion – so it’s not going to provide you with a complete picture.

Auckland, Hamilton, Bay of Islands or Coromandel Wedding Venues

If you’re looking to browse for venues in Auckland and surrounds, I suggest starting with The Official Photographers  or Nardia Buist – two photographers I’ve personally worked with and can vouch for. Their photography is sure to inspire your choice of venue! Each of the photos in this article are The Official Photographers’ work, as was our wedding.

How do you choose between two great locations or venues?

If you find it hard to actually choose between various locations, e.g. a great Auckland city venue and a great Bay of Islands venue, start by writing a list of the attributes of each.  The same applies if you’re choosing between two great venues in the same location.
Create a table with the potential Auckland wedding venues or locations across the top, and all of their various favourable attributes in a list, then mark an X on whichever of the two is the best in each category.  Not only will you have a table full of X marks (and hopefully more in one column than the other) but you’ll have given each venue a serious thought, and thought about all the elements that are important to you.

I also recommend you create a spreadsheet of the key attributes of each wedding venue you’re interested in, so that you can compare venues in terms of cost, available dates, restrictions, catering options, type, layout, and any other pros and cons which are relevant to you.

Take a road trip to discover wedding venues

Still struggling? Plan a weekend getaway and explore!  Take a road trip over to Bethells Beach Cottages, or a longer drive to Kauri Bay Boomrock.  You could do a vineyard tour through one of the many wine regions near Auckland, stopping at each venue for a look around, (and a wine for the passenger), head out for a weekend away, and take your time to see where you fall in love with.
Waiheke Island is only 30 minutes’ ferry from Auckland and is one of the most beautiful spots in the country to get married. Mudbrick and Cable Bay are two of the most popular vineyard wedding venues on Waiheke, Lavender Hill is a stunning house available for hire, and Delamore Lodge is worth a look too.  My Waiheke is another great place to start to begin planning your Waiheke Island wedding day once you’ve found a wedding venue too
Also a short distance from Auckland are the vineyards and wedding venues of Kumeu, where you’ll find Gracehill Vineyard Estate, a beautiful spot for both summer and winter weddings.  There’s lovely accommodation nearby at Rosebud Cottage too, where Blair and I stayed last year, and the best cake-bakers in the business – PaulaJane Cakes – are nearby. Further north is Matakana (see Ascension Wine Estate), and beyond that, Bay of Islands, so hit the road and explore. A quick note though… Don’t arrive unannounced at wedding venues – especially on a Friday or Saturday – you might crash a wedding!.
Email their coordinator to enquire about package and pricing options. Set out an email with any preferred dates or at least the month and days of the week, and the approximate number of guests you intend to have, and then only make an appointment to view if you can afford it. This also avoids potential disappointment in visiting the venue only to find that your date is already booked. It also gives you an insight into how helpful they may be to communicate with over email – a valuable part of wedding planning.
Around 12 months prior to the wedding is the ideal time to do so, so that you can see how the venue will look on your wedding day, and it is also a key booking to have in place early, so that you can organise everything else.

Once you’ve found a wedding venue, or a wedding location 

When you’re looking at various venues on the internet, it can be hard to get a general feel for the wedding, without seeing actual wedding photos at the venue. Or, if you know the general location but you haven’t come across the right wedding venue yet, this technique is also effective, in which case just use the name of the location, or the name of a nearby venue.
For example, I was looking for a Bay of Islands wedding venue, and knew of the BOI wedding venue Eagles Nest, so I searched “Eagles Nest Wedding Photography” and found a wedding shot by Jess Burges.  From there, I was able to explore Jess’s other weddings, and find other venues in her location, such as Kerikeri, Whangarei and Mangawhai.
For wedding photography of the specific venue, I’d head to both the venue’s Facebook page, and also type into Google “Wedding Photography [Venue Name]” to browse.
In Matakana, a popular wedding venue is Ascension Wine Estate, so I would search “Ascension Wine Estate Wedding Photography” and find a photographer’s website to browse, and see if there were any other nearby wedding venues that appealed.
After using these tools, I’m certain you’ll have identified plenty of wedding venues in Auckland and nearby! You can use the venue selection questions from the planning pack and make sure to take lots of notes in your wedding planner book.

Found your Dream Wedding Venue

Just before you breathe a sigh of relief that you’ve found your dream wedding venue, I suggest you take a step back and take a second look through the below list of considerations.  Once you know everything you need to about the venue, revisit the budget and double-check that the wedding venue fits all your requirements. Though you might be willing to go slightly above the budget for your dream location, you need to know exactly how much above the budget that will be.
For more information, read How to Choose Wedding Venues: All-Inclusive, BYO or DIY
What else to consider:
This list is an excerpt from the wedding planning pack, which includes all the questions you need to know and ask of each of your wedding vendors.

• Don’t book the first venue you see (your fiance isn’t the first man you ever met, is he?!), make sure to weigh up a couple and ensure you’re not just ‘getting it over with’!
• Consider all the venue’s options for photography, and always look at real weddings at the venue;
• Dates can book up quickly at popular venues, so call around to check on date availability before falling in love with a particular wedding venue only to find that the season is full;
• Ask for minimum spend or per-head cost during the initial phone call or visit, to ensure it’s within your price bracket;
• A more expensive venue but incredibly beautiful wedding venue might save you money on decor, flowers and lighting;
• Your venue will play a huge roll in determining the theme and ambiance of your wedding;
• An all-inclusive price will save you a lot of worry, but if that’s not possible, make sure you understand what is or is not included;
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount if you’re booking a weekday, last minute, etc.
• Consider a spot where your guests can ‘getaway’ for the weekend and turn it into a real holiday;
• Always have a contingency plan for weather, and if the only reason you like a venue is because it will be stunning on a perfect day, rethink this plan;
• Find out if the venue offers a wedding planning or organisation service;
• Ask if you’ll have exclusive use of the venue, and what time you can occupy it until;
• Take care before you sign on the dotted line – a wedding venue contract should be entered into with the consideration you’d give any other contract (can you tell I’m a lawyer).  Read every line and clause, discuss anything you don’t understand with the vendor (or a lawyer), and don’t feel pressured to sign straight away.  Some questions to ask before signing include:
  • What are the noise restrictions?
  • Does the venue have an events manager?
  • Where can your guests stay nearby?
  • Can you bring in whatever outside vendors you want?
  • Are the kitchen facilities available for those vendors?
  • Is there tableware included?
  • How many tables fit into the room?
  • What is the sound system provided?
  • Is it a licensed venue? What time does the licence go until?
  • Is there enough lighting provided?
  • Are you allowed to light candles? Throw confetti? Have fireworks?
  • Where can guests park?
  • What is the weather contingency plan?
  • If it’s BYO, what’s the corkage fee?
  • For the full list, see the wedding planning pack or bundle.

Unique Auckland Wedding Venues for inspiration!

• Kelly Tarlton’s – 100 seated guests (200 for a cocktail event)
• Auckland Zoo
• Bethells Beach Cottages
• Art Gallery (Gus Fisher is great!)
• Auckland Museum (overlooking the beautiful domain)
• Law Society Rooftop Terrace
• Chateau Tongariro (a little further out of Auckland)
• Stardome Observatory
• The Redwoods Treehouse
• Orams Marine Boat Park

BYO Auckland Wedding Venues

• Okahu Waterfront Venue ($20 per bottle corkage)
• Maritime Room
• Mantells, Mt Eden
• Flaxmere House
• Honeysuckle Boutique
• Ponsonby Central Sapphire Room
• French Bay Yacht Club
• Belsaas

Large Auckland Wedding Venues

• Ascension
• The Cordis (prev Langham)
• Auckland Museum
• Kauri Bay Boomrock
• Mantells, Mt Eden
• Alexandra Park Events Centre
• Manukau Events Centre
• Stamford Plaza Auckland Hotel

Budget Auckland Wedding Venues

• Gracehill Vineyard Estate
• Skinny Love Weddings
• French Bay Yacht Club
• The Bluestone Room
• Five Knots
• Other Community Halls

Auckland Vineyard Wedding Venues

• Villa Maria Estate (South Auckland)
• Gracehill Vineyard Estate (Kumeu)
• Markovina Vineyard Estate (Kumeu)
• Soljans Vineyard (Kumeu)
• Ascension Wine Estate (Matakana)
• Plume Vineyard (Matakana)
• Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant (Waiheke)
• Cable Bay (Waiheke)
• Casita Miro (Waiheke)

All photos © The Official Photographers

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When trying to find New Zealand wedding venues suitable for your wedding budget, guest list and the style of celebration you have in mind, where do you begin? Below, you will find a few resources that you can use to locate unique wedding venues that work for your theme and budget. 

Before you begin looking for your wedding venue, ensure you’ve made a good start to your wedding budget. Knowing your budget limits and capacities will greatly narrow your search for a wedding venue, saving you tons of time. Deciding if you want a larger-capacity wedding venue, or would rather have a smaller, more intimate one is the first step in narrowing down your choice of wedding venue. Finding a venue is going to be one of the biggest milestones of your wedding planning, determining your dates and location, and impacting many other decisions about planning your wedding.

While we also have articles on how to choose a wedding venue, or all the questions to ask of a wedding venue before you book, this will help you to come up with a list of options first.

Consider your Preferred Wedding Venue Style

By identifying your wedding style before you begin looking at venues, you will really narrow your search down and make it easier. You will want to start by thinking about the place where you would like to be married in the first place–your home state, a remote beach, a large city with a convenient airport for all of your guests–and then begin to hone in on the options for a wedding reception venue in that place.

Wedding venues in New Zealand can range from rustic farm locations (which may require a lot of work to decorate) to luxurious vineyard estates which need little to no adornment – prices will vary accordingly, but so will the time and effort required of you – are you willing to spend the time making the space your own.

New Zealand is known for its stunning natural scenery, so think about whether you want to have an indoor or outdoor wedding. The country’s diverse landscapes offer a range of options, from beachfront venues to vineyards and mountain lodges. Keep in mind that the location you choose will also affect the accessibility for your guests.

In addition to finding out whether a indoor wedding venue is available on the dates you are looking for, you will want to consider whether it is in an easy-access spot for your guests. If you are planning on short notice, or if your date range is more flexible, your venues availability will be a crucial factor when setting a wedding date.

How to find potential wedding venues in New Zealand

Utilise your Best local Wedding Vendors’ Websites and Social Media

To find a beautiful wedding venue in New Zealand that’s right for you, there’s a few ways to start, and my favourite is to browse the best local wedding vendors’ websites and go from there. This gives you the ability to not only find a beautiful location, but also helps you to work out what style of photography, and perhaps even style of wedding you like. Browse google, facebook, instagram, magazines and other wedding blogs for wedding vendors such as photographers, wedding planners, florists, etc, and have a look at their portfolio. Look at photos and videos of the venue, and check if it has the style and ambiance that you’re looking for.

Wedding photographers especially will feature their most beautiful weddings on their site, and you’re likely to come across wedding venues you’ve never seen before too. Not only that, but you’ll discover the best local photography spots and hideaways nearby those wedding venues – which can be huge drawcards too, and help you choose a wedding venue. The best vendors that can help you find more venues include photographers, event rentals companies, wedding planners, and catering companies.

Social Media Stalking…

P.S. Get stalker-ish: Scroll through photos to see if there are any pictures showing a wedding hashtag that you can creep on via instagram (couples often put it onto a sign that ends up in the wedding photos). This way, you’ll get a more personal look at the venue through the eyes of a guest, as well as seeing the professional photos.
This is also a great way to see an honest view of the wedding venue, or another vendor’s work. When researching your wedding venue or any other vendor, have a look at photos tagged on instagram both at the venue (location tagging) and also tagging the profile. I even included this as a tip to avoiding wedding scams.

For a DIY/BYO Wedding Venue

If you’re willing to do a bit more organising yourself, creating your wedding venue from scratch can be hugely rewarding, and it also gives you a huge availability of venues you potentially hadn’t thought of.

Depending on the size of your wedding, you may be able to hire a family home or farm, from where to DIY your wedding. For DIY New Zealand wedding venues there are a couple of Wedding Vendor Directory websites specifically for this including Backyard Weddings, but otherwise look on Air BnB, Book a Bach, and/or whatever your local Rental Home website is. Even if you can’t rent an entire house for the wedding, you may be able to find a piece of land to put a marquee on, or access all kinds of creative spaces without spending a fortune (and while giving back to the local community).

Read more at How to choose between an all inclusive or Dry Hire/BYO Wedding Venue.

For a Cheap Wedding Venue

If you’re on a small budget, the DIY/BYO wedding venue option above may suit, but you also might want to consider local Council websites to find public and council-owned spaces. If you’re getting married in New Zealand, you have the luxury of being able to get married literally anywhere (other countries don’t have this privilege). Many beaches do not require a special permit for small informal weddings, though of course you should organise a back-up venue too. Just be aware that you do have to specify the location on your marriage licence.

Consider a Destination Wedding

Lots of couples are opting to have destination weddings, which can (surprisingly) be easier. Most couples having destination weddings have a smaller guest list, and thus can save lots of money on the budget, and often have a wedding planner in the destination to take care of the majority of planning too.
It may surprise you that an all-inclusive destination wedding can actually be a cheaper option too, depending on where you go of course – Rarotonga has some great options.
Just remember, the more remote the wedding venue you choose, in Samoa for example, the smaller the pool of local wedding vendors (celebrants, bands, florists, etc.) to choose from. Check on tourism websites for any major events that might mean there’s a shortage of beds for visitors, and check the WHO and CDC for warnings against risks like Zika virus if you expect pregnant family and friends to attend.

Ask Married Friends for their Favourite Wedding Vendors (and ask them for help)

While you may not want to marry at the same wedding venue as a close friend, especially if your weddings are only a season apart, you may be able to ask their favourite wedding vendors for recommendations, or find out which other venues they considered.
Wedding planners, stylists and florists for example will work closely with many wedding venues, and may even work on styled shoots at brand new wedding venues, and can help you discover something special. It was really important to us to have a unique wedding venue at which we hadn’t attended a wedding, or seen many weddings at, and we were able to find one through our wedding photographers.

Be Flexible and Open-Minded when Finding a New Zealand Wedding Venue

While you shouldn’t settle for something you don’t absolutely love, if you can be flexible and open minded when finding, and visiting your potential wedding venues, you may just surprise yourself with something really unique. There are so many things which can be done to transform most spaces from bare to breathtaking, if you’re willing to look with an open mind.

Once you have found a few potentials, choose your wedding venue carefully, do your homework and ask all the right questions, and don’t rush into making a booking before you’re certain of all the little details.

Ultimately, finding a wedding venue is a personal decision that should reflect your unique style and preferences. We are so lucky to have thousands of New Zealand Wedding Venues to suit all kinds of different celebrations, so take the time to explore your options and find a venue that feels like the perfect fit for you and your partner.