How to find your Auckland wedding venue
Choosing an Auckland wedding venue can be difficult as there are so many diverse wedding venue options – from beach and outdoor ceremonies to churches, historic buildings, vineyards and more. And the choice of venue is the most important decision you’ll make (apart from deciding to get married in the first place!) – most couples find that once they’ve chosen their venue, all the other details fall right into place.
So how do you decide which wedding venue is right for you? Here are some of the important points to consider when choosing your venue.
How big is your guest list?
This is one of the key factors in choosing a wedding venue. There are Auckland wedding venues to suit every guest list, from an intimate gathering of close friends and family, to large-scale events. Your venue needs to be able to accommodate the people you want to be with you on your wedding day. Small Auckland wedding venue options include: Art galleries, restaurants and clubhouses. Large Auckland wedding venue options include: vineyards, historic houses, function rooms and halls for hire.
Hauraki Blue Cruises can accommodate up to 110 wedding guests cocktail style and 80 guests for a seated dinner – plus overnight accommodation for you and your guests.
What kind of wedding do you want?
Choose a ceremony and reception style that suit you and your partner’s personalities and let you express who you are as a couple. Do you want a formal feel? A religious ceremony or something more casual? Will your theme have a modern, classic, vintage or retro feel? Look for a wedding venue that fits your theme – or if you haven’t settled on one yet, look for one that can be decorated and styled in a variety of ways.
What season are you getting married in?
Are you having a summer or winter wedding? Consider what the weather is likely to be doing on your wedding day. If you have your heart set on an outdoor wedding, make sure you have a backup plan in place in case of rain. Beach weddings in summer are very popular for Auckland weddings – check out our helpful beach wedding guide for useful tips and information on planning a beach wedding.
All-in-one venue or separate ceremony and reception?
Would you prefer to hold both ceremony and reception in the same place, or book two separate venues? If you choose two, how will you and your guests travel from one to the other? Will you need extra budget to decorate two venues? Many Auckland wedding venues are equipped to host the whole day – this can give you more time with your guests, make the day flow more easily and often save you money.
A Hauraki Blue wedding cruise gives you complete flexibility: it’s perfectly equipped to host both ceremony and reception. You could choose to hold the ceremony on board, on a beach, or you could have your ceremony elsewhere (for example, a church or at a Waiheke wedding venue) and hold your reception on board afterwards.
Finding a venue that fits your budget
If you're looking for cheap wedding venues in Auckland there are plenty to choose from, or perhaps you're fortunate enough to be able to splurge on a luxury wedding venue - either way, when choosing from so many Auckland wedding venues it’s important to look at how they structure their pricing. Is it an all-inclusive wedding package or are all the costs separate? Some wedding venues in Auckland offer a range of different wedding package options. Look out for hidden costs, such as items or services you might assume are included but are charged separately – especially if you’re considering a venue with a lot of ‘do it yourself’ work involved. These could include liquor licenses, supplying AV equipment and lighting, chairs and tables, wait staff, even the dancefloor!
Ask whether the venue hire charge guarantees you exclusive use of the space, or whether there will be other weddings or events taking place at the same time next door. Many venues will charge extra for an exclusive arrangement.
Of course, if you find a wedding venue that you love and that suits you perfectly, you will often be able to find ways to trim your wedding budget elsewhere in order to make it work.
Find out what’s included in a Hauraki Blue wedding cruise.
What’s your venue like to deal with?
So you’ve narrowed your venue search down to a couple of options, and you’re making appointments to view the location and ask plenty of questions. Is your venue quick to respond? Do you have a single point of contact who will work with you from the planning stages right up to the big day?
Is your wedding venue flexible and willing to create a personalised experience, or do they offer a set package with a ‘one size fits all’ approach? When it comes to food, are you restricted to a set meal plan or will the venue work with you to create your menu?
Contact us to discuss your personalised wedding cruise package.