Hot Wedding Venues

Your wedding reception is the best excuse to throw the biggest, wildest, most extravagant beautiful party of your lives. There’s a lot to organise including the venue, wedding catering, drinks and entertainment. And then there are those special touches you can include to make the day truly your own.

Don’t worry if you’re on a tight budget. You can make up for it by being big on creative ideas.

So for an extravagant celebration or an informal gathering, check out our inspiring advice and start planning the best party ever.

Wild

Have elephants and flamingos in your wedding pics and the sound of lions roaring in the background as you say your vows. At Auckland Zoo, weddings take place in one of the picturesque gardens or at the band rotunda and you can hold your reception in a marquee or the Old Elephant House.

The cost is around $2500-$3000 and the profits get put back into the care of the animals.

Call Zoo Functions on (09 360 3813)

Spectacular

Glendhu Station, a high country farm near Wanaka provides not only a beautiful scenic backdrop for your wedding photography but also a historic homestead complete with verandas, a large, open fireplace, a billiard room and extensive gardens with ponds and English oak trees. Costs start at around $2000 plus gst. Marquee, additional hire, catering etc are extra. You can also be ultra-flash and helicopter to some of the most stunning photo locations. For more information, call Anna on 027563 4343.

Seaside

High on the cliffs above the dramatic West Coast, Castaways in Waiuku (50 minutes from Auckland) offer panoramic views, spectacular sunsets and a deck area for a wet and windy weather option. The menus focus on locally-sourced food and wine and there are 15 ocean-view chalets for guests who don’t want to go home. Venue and set up costs start at $1300 plus gst, with catering at around $55 a head. Call (09 253 5071).

Luxury

No wonder Rotorua’s luxury lodge Treetops is a favourite with Hollywood stars. It’s a secluded sanctuary, nestled in 2500 acres of native forests and valleys. There are numerous outdoor or indoor options, including the spectacular Great Room, for a dream wedding and reception. And, while it costs $17,000 to rent out the whole lodge, there is a more affordable way to experience the ultimate in luxury. Treetops caters for day weddings for between two and 120 people and prices start at $155 per head. Check out www.treetops.co.nz.

Sumptuous

Hung with precious rugs and antique carpets from around the globe, Fables Rug Gallery in Parnell, Auckland is like entering another world. With a warm ambience inside, the weather will never be an issue. You can use the whole gallery and seat up to 140 at banquet tables or have a smaller cocktail-style function. Venue hire costs vary depending on your requirements. For more information, call Jane on (09 309 4957).

Or what about a marquee?

Marquee weddings never go out of fashion, although these days the clip-frame style of marquee is more popular than the old-fashioned style with centre poles. That’s partly because they can be erected in smaller spaces and don’t need guide ropes.

You should consider a marquee wedding if you are planning to celebrate your nuptials on a large flat section, farm or lifestyle block. Swimming pools can be covered and marquees can also be used as an add-on to your house.

These days, because of all the red tape, fewer venues will incorporate marquees. But two Auckland venues that still use the freestanding, makeshift buildings are Highwic House and Ellerslie Event Centre.

At Castles, hire starts at around $3900 plus gst and this price includes extras like tables, chairs, linen, silk roof-liners and fairylights. Call (09 444 1787). Or check out one of the packages available at Carlton Party Hire (0800 662 000).

Heaters are often needed for marquee weddings as temperatures may dip at night, even if the day has been hot. Think of your marquee as a blank canvas and use wedding decorations such as gauze curtains and fairylights or set aside a chill-out area with mismatched, deep, leather sofas or velvet chaise longues where your guests can take a break from the dance floor.

Or if you’re looking for a destination wedding venue that is completely and utterly luxurious, try one of the many Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts around the globe. You and your wedding guests can be sunning yourselves in the lap of luxury in Mauritius or enjoying a wedding ski holiday in Germany. The choice is all yours!

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