My Top 15 Auckland Surrounds Wedding Venues
Whether it’s a quiet intimate and casual wedding, or a big wedding with all your favourites. There are amazing destination wedding venues not too far from Auckland.
Following on from My Top 10 Urban Auckland Wedding Venues blog I wanted to make sure I let you in on more of my favourites around Auckland. There are some beautiful, unique wedding venues that will create your day to remember.
Whether you want stylish simplicity near the city, or a sophisticated retreat away from it all. From Waiheke Island through to Riverhead and Clevedon I’ve picked my favourite places and spaces for weddings ceremonies, receptions, elopements and tiny weddings. All of these Auckland wedding venues are under an hour from Auckland CBD, and in some amazing areas with so much for your guests to enjoy and stay the weekend! And these venues themselves are gorgeous, little private worlds to just enjoy your big day.
There is a venue for you on this list. And I hope there are some surprises!
Photography by Zanda Photography
1/ KAURI BAY BOOMROCK, CLEVEDON
Kauri Bay Boomrock is one of those sophisticated wedding venues that has it all covered. A stunning modern space to gather all of your favourite people. And lots of options for the ceremony itself onsite. I especially love the framed view out across the water and rolling hills. This can be as simple as the white frame or I have seen it decorated in gorgeous floral arrangements.
They also have so many activities for keeping guests and the wedding party busy. I’ve taken great shots of the grooms party at The Bunkers and doing clay bird shooting. So cool to get the boys pre-wedding photos onsite and in action!
If you have a larger wedding this is the spot. And yet there are so many great spaces to take intimate wedding photos and have a quiet moment.
Photography by Zanda Photography
2/ THE HUNTING LODGE, WAIMAUKU
Not too far from Auckland CBD, The Hunting Lodge in Waimauku is a winery with all the best spaces.
The black barn is the wedding reception space, and dressed with long tables, festoon lights and lots of flowers it creates an intimate and vintage feel wedding.
Great at any time of year I’ve shot a winter wedding here which was all glamour, charm and elegance. The black barn and surrounds lent itself wonderfully to the burnt orange, late winter touches. And taking the couple out into the nearby forest meant we caught beautiful intimate photos they can cherish forever.
Photo by The Stables
3/ THE STABLES, MATAKANA
The Stables is in Matakana, a great place to have a weekend wedding. Matakana and surrounds have lots of accommodation options and reasons for your guests to stick around!
Th Stables themselves are a wedding venue in a rustic building with a massive fireplace, lots of beams and tonnes of character. The space opens up on to a lawn where you can have the ceremony, right there. And lots of room for family and friends to spread out.
Summer or winter could be great for this venue. With the fireplace to warm everyone up, and dressed in a mid-winter style it would be snug and cosy. Yet dressed in lovely light flowers with the doors open and lights on the patio it becomes a great venue in summer.
There are so many options for wedding photography nearby! The beaches, the forest and vineyards are all options. And then The Stables themselves can be great for capturing intimate memories.
Photography by Zanda Photography
4/ MUDBRICK, WAIHEKE ISLAND
When planning a wedding in Auckland you really can’t go by without considering Waiheke Island. This lovely green island just a short ferry ride from Auckland CBD is just stunning. And Mudbrick has to be one of my favourites! It is on a picturesque spot, with views across the water, capturing the sunset and all the glorious light. The building itself reminds me of Europe, and has the old world charm, making it a very romantic place to get married and celebrate surrounded by your most favourite humans.
Mudbrick is a winery and vineyard and has been doing weddings for a long time. They know how to look after you and make sure that your wedding is truly yours. They take away the stress of thinking about all the tiniest details. They will organise what you need, and have all the contacts on the island to sort out everything else. Leaving you to look your best and enjoy your wedding celebration.
Let’s talk wedding photography spots… there are so many options. The beaches are nearby and lovely, some quiet bays with boat houses, trees and rocky shores to add interest and texture. And, of course the view, the vineyards and the gorgeous building itself provides the romantic backdrop.
Photo by Wildfolk
5/ WAIKOPOU ESTATE, WAIHEKE ISLAND
Looking for the WOW factor? I don’t think you can really look anywhere else, but Waikopou Estate on Waiheke Island. Just take a look at the crazy pool and the view? And that’s where you get get to say your vows to your most treasured person, with your selected bestest humans to help celebrate.
Not a huge wedding venue, but still plenty of room to have over 100 people with you. It is a privately owned home, and they can provide a wedding planner to help with all the organising. It is effortlessly cool and doesn’t need too much decoration. Would totally suit a pared back, simple and elegant wedding.
Wedding photography options are astounding with the surrounding area, that crazy view and the building has lovely quiet spaces to capture just you both enjoying a quiet moment.
Photo by Norton Woolshed
6/ NOCTON WOOLSHED, CLEVEDON
Rustic charm really is what Nocton Woolshed is all about. It has a casual and boho feel that lends itself to creating an intimate and relaxed wedding.
The reception space has long tables, large, open doors on to a deck and out to the lovely water and farm views with simple decoration. This wedding venue allows you to add what you want to make it really feel like yours. No white table cloths and fancy glasses! More sweet flower arrangements and long wooden tables.
To really get that boho and vintage feeling in your wedding photos the surrounding farm has so many great options. And even the corrugated iron of the woolshed is a wonderful texture against your wedding dress and suit.
Photo from The Tasting Shed
7/ THE TASTING SHED, KUMEU
The Tasting Shed in Kumeu is really a one-of-a-kind wedding venue. When you have your wedding at this venue, you get the whole restaurant and space. The food is always great, and the team are already set up to serve you and your guests well.
It isn’t a big space so they limit the wedding size to 90. But this isn’t a problem as it really does encourage an intimate wedding. If you want to make it your own they can help with marquee hire, decorating and generally getting the space looking fabulous.
This wedding venue has a little bit of a rustic charm that can help make sure your wedding guests feel relaxed and simply enjoy being there to celebrate your day.
Your wedding photography is easy, if you don’t want to go too far away we can take photos at the venue or in nearby vineyards. A little further and we can get to black sand beaches or even forest to create your own photos on the day.
Photo from The Boat House
8/ THE BOAT HOUSE, THE RIVERHEAD TAVERN
A unique wedding venue on the river at The Riverhead Tavern. You can even arrive at your wedding by boat! You just need to time the tides and make the best entrance possible. And once you arrive it’s a gorgeous lawn ceremony with its own private area.
On a hot summer’s day the lawn will be wonderful for lawn games, family and friends to lounge in beanbags and enjoy this fabulous outside space. As night comes, there are lovely lights through the trees adding to the unique and special feel of this venue.
Inside the reception room is spacious, but still with enough character to make you feel like it is a space you want to celebrate in. Decorated with your choice of beautiful flowers, creating a room that surrounds your guests in joy and love.
Wedding photography options are wonderfully unique at The Boat Shed. There are lots of areas at The Riverhead Tavern property that can create beautiful wedding photos, the river, the stairs, the lawn and surrounds. And it’s a short drive to other locations if you want a little time, just you.
Photo by Goldie Estate
9/ GOLDIE ESTATE, WAIHEKE ISLAND
Getting married below a magic Pohutukawa tree on a hot summers day, overlooking the water. Is there any more a kiwi wedding photo you can imagine?
Goldie Estate is a wonderful winery on Waiheke Island. That is also a fully fledged wedding venue, and it does it all. They are well practiced at making your wedding details work. And yet, it has a beautifully down to earth and friendly feel. Ready to make your wedding something special. With lots of space, privately settled in the estate and fully fledged in catering for weddings they can make sure your wedding is simple and taken care of.
Leaving you and your guests to simply enjoy their gloriously kiwi space and their wonderful wine and food.
The estate has rolling hills, that gorgeous Pohutukawa tree, a swing and even access to a private beach. So, your wedding photos are easy to take and can be intimate and quiet or include the wedding party (or even the whole crowd!). So many options, right there.
Photo from Little Wilderness
10/ LITTLE WILDERNESS, KUMEU
Looking for a boho, vintage and unique venue that allows you to be yourselves? To dress the space with all the personal little touches that make it feel just yours? To express your personality, to express your love in a way that celebrates your uniqueness as a couple?
Little Wilderness is that wedding venue. It is what it says, a space that is a little wilderness. A space amongst the trees, with a small indoor room to hold your reception. And your wedding ceremony held amongst the trees, feeling like you really have retreated from the world to celebrate your love and connection. When this venue is decorated with vintage pieces, boho cushions and lots of dried or fresh flowers it can truly be as individual as you are.
It is an intimate wedding venue, and really lends itself to smaller weddings. Meaning you feel you and your guests fit the space. Little Wilderness specialise in ‘Tiny Weddings’ and Elopements. It really does feel like it is a venue you can have and enjoy, just you and your chosen favourites.
There are so many options for wedding photography with the gorgeous natural backdrop. There is 15 hectares for us to explore and find just the right spot for your personal and bespoke photography. It can be super relaxed, and casual and see where the venue and the day takes us (but I’ll always have a few spots I can take you to for just the right shot).
Photo by Hu’s Art Farm
11/ HU’S ART FARM, COATESVILLE
Hu’s Art Farm is a gorgeous wedding venue nestled in the rolling hills of Coatesville. The venue is a home on a 21 acre farm, with its own purpose built wedding ceremony dock which floats on the small lake near the house and reception space.
It is an all in one wedding venue, meaning you don’t have to go anywhere else for your ceremony, reception or your wedding photos. The space is simple and white, ready for you to add your own sparkle and bring it to life. Keeping the decor simple can be a great option, it looks lovely and modern.
For your wedding photography we will head out into the farm and keep close to the house, which will mean you are never too far from your guests, and the party.
Photography by Zanda Photography
12/ MARKOVINA, KUMEU
Markovina Vineyard Estate know how to put on a wedding, and how to do it in style. Their venue is nestled in a 10 acre vineyard, surrounded by trees, making it feel like your own private world for the day.
With lots of options to make this venue your own, but also with so much thought put into how the space is used you don’t need to add too much to make it feel unique. From intimate, bespoke weddings, through to bigger weddings they can cater to what you need. With a space that will feel just right, regardless of the size of your wedding.
In terms of wedding photography, it really is a location in itself. With cherry and pear trees in bloom in spring and plenty of garden space to feel like you really are nestled away. I love to take my couples to the wild west coast beaches for the contrast (and a quiet moment to revel in your newly wed status). The glamour of the wedding dress against the wild black sand beaches makes the most glorious of photography sessions.
Photo from Hedges Estate
13/ HEDGES ESTATE, WAIUKU
All clipped lawns and formal gardens, Hedges Estate is a sophisticated option for your wedding venue. Rolling hills in the background, gazebos to retreat to and dressed in an English tea style, Hedges Estate lends itself too long summer afternoon weddings.
Your wedding ceremony can be held under the gazebo, looking across the view or there is a fantastic private space tucked away and surrounded by the glory of tall trees, feeling like your own fairytale space. Both options are lovely and have a completely different feel.
Your wedding photography can be on the farm, with hills, grasses and views. With access to the estate there are many simple and natural options.
Photo by Mantells Tamaki Drive
14/ MANTELLS, TAMAKI DRIVE
White simplicity. That’s what Mantells Tamaki Drive is. You don’t need much to make this wedding venue feel really special, that giant view across the harbour through the tall windows, needs little dressing up, the Auckland harbour lights sparkling in the evening as your reception backdrop.
You can have your wedding ceremony offsite and bring your guests back for cocktails before the reception. Or Mantells have you sorted with a lovely inside ceremony space, which they will convert to the reception room while you enjoy being with your guests in the bar and courtyard.
Wedding photos can be close by, along Tamaki Drive with big harbour and city views, up the road is a long jetty to really get into the harbour. Bastion Point is a short drive away, to give you another space, and maybe a few quiet moments, just you. The blue of the water on a bight summers day, or the wild steely grey of the sky on a winters afternoon look wonderful against flowing dresses and suits.
Photo from The Officers Mess
15/ THE OFFICERS MESS, FORT TAKAPUNA
If ever there was a spot with ‘the harbour view’ this is it. Situated on top of a cliff at Fort Takapuna, overlooking the harbour and Rangitoto Island The Officer’s Mess is really one of the best Auckland wedding venues to have your ceremony.
As an old army mess, this place surrounds you in history (started in the 1880’s). With space for your guests to roam, take in the view and feel part of that history. After you’ve got married in front of your guests the building itself has space for up to 160 people seated, it really is a great wedding venue option. The deck space covered in festoon lights, is a lovely space on a warm summer’s evening for drinks and those guests that need a little break.
While they have all the wedding organisation down, there is still room to add your touches, from the arch you get married under to the flowers and cake, you can really make this space your own.
Wedding photography opportunities are right here. We don’t need to go anywhere to get photos with you and the view, and the beautiful large pohutakawa trees offer a lovely backdrop.