Settlers Country Manor Wedding Venue Review | Auckland Wedding Photographer
There’s something about Settlers Country Manor that gives you a lot of variety in one place. You’ve got established gardens, bridges, waterways, large trees, classic architecture and a spacious reception venue all within a few minutes of each other.
For couples planning a West Auckland wedding, that makes the day really easy. You can have your ceremony, family photos, couple portraits and reception all at the same venue without spending a big chunk of the day travelling between locations.
From a photography point of view, that variety is what makes Settlers Country Manor such a great venue to work at. We can move from soft garden photos to more dramatic portraits around the manor, then straight back into the reception without taking you away from your guests for too long.
If you’re considering getting married here, this guide covers some of our favourite photo locations, ceremony spaces, wet-weather options and why Settlers Country Manor works so well for different styles of weddings.
Wedding Ceremony Setting
One of the biggest advantages of having a Settlers Country Manor wedding is the choice of ceremony locations.
The venue has both outdoor and indoor ceremony options, which gives couples much more flexibility when planning an Auckland wedding where the weather can change quickly.
One of the most recognisable outdoor options is the White Pavilion, surrounded by gardens and greenery. It creates a classic backdrop for the ceremony while still keeping everything relaxed and surrounded by nature. Settlers also has other garden areas and indoor ceremony spaces available depending on the weather and the style of your wedding.
Settlers Country Manor Wedding Photo Locations
This is probably one of our favourite things about photographing weddings at Settlers Country Manor.
There are plenty of photo locations spread around the property, including:
- Garden pathways
- The white ceremony pavilion
- Arched bridges
- Willow-lined waterways
- Tropical gardens and palms
- Open lawns
- The manor exterior
- Heritage-style indoor areas
- Large established trees
- Reception and courtyard areas
The venue describes seven acres of grounds with gardens, lakes, bridges, mature trees and European-influenced architecture, which gives photographers a lot of variety within one location.
That means we can create completely different looks throughout your wedding gallery without taking you away from your guests for a long photo session.
You can go from romantic garden portraits to darker, more dramatic photographs around the manor, then back to the reception within minutes.
If you're still comparing venues, have a look through our top Auckland wedding venues for more ideas.
Getting Ready and Reception Space
Another handy thing about Settlers Country Manor is that there’s also a dedicated getting-ready space on site, which makes the day much easier if you want everything happening in one location.
It means you can get ready at the venue, move straight into the ceremony, then continue on to photos and the reception without needing to travel between different locations.
The main reception space features high ceilings, chandeliers and large arched doors opening towards the gardens. It works well for both smaller weddings and much larger celebrations.
There’s plenty of room for dinner, speeches, first dances and dancing later in the evening. We also like that guests can move between the reception and outdoor areas, which gives us more opportunities to capture natural candid moments throughout the night.
Wet-Weather Options and Cultural Weddings
The venue has dedicated indoor ceremony alternatives. There are also plenty of covered and indoor areas we can use for photography if Auckland weather decides not to cooperate. Settlers Country Manor is also well suited to larger weddings and cultural celebrations.
We photograph a lot of multicultural weddings, including Indian weddings and Pasifika weddings, where extended families, cultural traditions, performances and larger guest numbers can be a big part of the day.
That’s something we always recommend couples consider when comparing Auckland wedding venues — don’t just look at how beautiful a venue is on a sunny summer afternoon. Ask yourself whether you’d still love it if it rained.
Why We Recommend Settlers Country Manor
If you’re looking for a venue with plenty of photo locations and the flexibility to have your whole day in one place, Settlers Country Manor is definitely worth considering.
It’s particularly suited to couples wanting:
- A garden wedding venue
- Multiple ceremony options
- Plenty of wedding photography locations
- Strong wet-weather alternatives
- A large reception space
- Ceremony and reception at the same venue
- A venue suitable for larger weddings
- Space for cultural celebrations
- Plenty of variety without travelling off-site
As Auckland wedding photographers and videographers, we love venues that make it easy for couples to spend more time with their guests while still giving us plenty of opportunities to create a varied wedding gallery.
Planning your wedding? Check out our Wedding Guides for more Auckland wedding venue inspiration, planning tips and advice to help you get the most out of your day.
If you're considering photo and video together, you can also view some of our wedding highlight videos to see how we capture the full story of the day.
Settlers Country Manor Wedding Galleries
