Songbird Retreat

29/06/2024

L&H as newlyweds, leading their wedding party from the Ceremony Terrace, down the Bridal Walkway (adjacent to the Cocktail Terrace) and Grand Staircase to their marquee placed exactly how they wanted it on the Grand Lawn....gosh, don't they just look so darn good 💚⁠
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It's all about having 'your wedding your way'. We provide the beautiful backdrop and you create your own vision of perfection, which is exactly what L&H did on their special day.⁠
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⁠Photo by Jonny Scott Photo
Flowers by ⁠
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09/06/2024

The exquisite S&J captured in that perfect moment of love, rainbows, sunshine and rain…💚

Whatever the weather at Songbird Retreat, the gathering of loved ones and family in an exclusive bubble of tranquillity, nature and beautiful gardens always ensures the loveliest of days.

07/06/2024

The wait is almost over for all you newly engaged couples and love-birds out there…💚

Songbird Retreat wedding venue is about to release its fabulous new garden wedding packages and open up bookings from September 1st this year!

Visit songbirdretreat.co.nz to register your interest and be ready to automatically receive our new packages and pricing.

We can’t wait to meet you all!

08/05/2024

‘It’s all in the detail’ – our daily mantra at Songbird Retreat

Just like the moments that make up our daily lives – tiny and sometimes enormous life changing ones. But each moment, like each detail matters because it’s those moments that make life truly enriching, turbulent, exciting, sad, joyous and a ride that lasts a lifetime creating moments of memories along the way

Book Songbird Retreat and experience some amazing moments to treasure forever 💚

28/02/2024

Local walk….to feed the soul and expand the mind 💚

15/01/2024

Boutique, stylish, private, relaxing holiday cottage….and with rare availability this weekend!

Available for couples or families up to 5, plus your furry friend
Please visit www.songbirdretreat.co.nz/songbird-cottage to enquire and book

18/09/2023

Songbird Intimate Weddings really are in a class all of their own and we love them!

Inviting a group of up to 35 of your closest family and friends and really focusing on what matters to you most is what ‘intimate’ is all about. Cherishing conversations, stories and laugher with those most dear to you is sometimes difficult with a larger wedding, but at Songbird, we give you the time and the space to choose a smaller wedding, if that is your dream.

Songbird Cottage, the Green Barn, flowers, trees and of course the gorgeous and mystical blue gum tree complete with Songbird swing and stunning outdoor lighting. Oh and did I mention that we throw in the rest of the Songbird Retreat wedding venue to choose a personal spot for your ceremony and wedding photographs!

Limited availability for this wedding season (2023/2024) but please get in touch as we can often make it happen! [email protected]

Wedding couple Rachel and Draz🧡
Photographs Anna Hart Photography

03/08/2023

Did you know that with the opening of the new SH1 motorway extension, getting to Songbird Retreat has never been easier and quicker from Auckland. That’s something to get excited about!

Live in the city but want a garden wedding surrounded by nature’s best? With over 500 white roses, lily ponds, streams and beautiful terraced lawns all set within a completely private and exclusive wedding venue, we have the best of New Zealand with a delightful splash of our own British heritage.

For those couples looking for a luxury boutique cottage to enjoy that special first night…we have that too!!

Coach guests in and then coach them back to Auckland at the end of the night – simple, easy and a quick tick on your ‘to do’ list with a phone call to one of our amazing local transport vendors.

Of course, not forgetting the helicopter flight option with the wonderful Skywork Helicopters Ltd 🚁

Photo Kate Little Photography
Florals Twig and Bloom Floral
Arch & chairs Utterly Marquee + Event Hire

02/08/2023

The stunning maze at Glendurgan Gardens in Cornwall, UK.

It struck me as I was running through the maze, feeling the nostalgia of childhood and the peals of laughter at getting caught out at a dead end but quickly turning to find another route, that planning a Design-It-Yourself wedding must look like a maze at first glance.

Decisions, decisions and more decisions….and what if the wrong choice is made and heaven forbid, what if the centre is never found and the big day is lost! Its daunting – there is no doubt about it and at Songbird Retreat we appreciate that it’s not for every couple.

However, for those determined to create their own special and unique garden wedding, we have oodles of advice and vendor recommendations to give you, plus if that still seems a bit too much there are some wonderful weddings planners offering different options to help you along your way….

Download our brochure from the Songbird website www.songbirdretreat.co.nz, find out a little more….and don’t be afraid to step into that maze of choices – it’s a lot easier to navigate than you think and the reward is the creation of a wedding day that is so personal to you that your love and unity will be bonded tighter than ever💚
weddingsandevents Weddings by Samantha

01/08/2023

Visiting our homeland for the 1st time in 7 years brought a mixture of emotions….both joy and sadness, surprise and delight, love and friendship, laughter and memories.

Very much like a wedding celebration when old friends, family from afar, spirits of lost loved ones come together and the memories and past occasions are remembered to create love, laughter and the spirit of unity.

From Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace to stately homes, glorious sandy beaches and turquoise seas, quaint Cornish villages and messing about on rivers and visiting the most stunning English gardens….the Songbird family rejoiced in their history but returned with a new found appreciation of the pure and raw beauty of the long white cloud….Aotearoa 💚

12/06/2023

Creating glorious gardens in an exclusive stunning valley is our passion – we are constantly tweaking and improving them to make your wedding experience even more extraordinary and beautiful.

However, many of our lovely couples have been asking if there is anywhere to take wedding photos with a sea view back drop…and as with most requests, we always try to make them happen!

So, the magic has been happening once again at Songbird Retreat, to create a new terrace…

Update to follow…but oh my goodness, is it going to be spectacular! 💙

22/05/2023

Looking for a boutique wedding venue that takes you from country to coast?

With stunning landscaped gardens bursting with ponds, trees, terraced lawns and gorgeous florals, to a newly boarded walkway that curves elegantly through native bush, rivers and waterfalls to the beautiful sheltered sandy beach of Matheson Bay, complete with its own little treasure island!

Songbird Retreat Wedding Venue gives you all that and more...💚

To create your own unique marquee garden wedding in a completely private setting, just minutes from the beach contact [email protected]

19/05/2023

It’s that buzz of excitement again with another of our exclusive Open Days tomorrow and we have an extra delight as the beautiful folks from Utterly Marquee + Event Hire have put up one of their stunning marquees and lots of gorgeous furniture for you to view – how nice are they!

We just love the double turret marquee as it oozes romance and fairy-tale magic and with the light casting glorious rays of sunshine, it shines perfectly on our Grand Lawn.

Due to a cancellation, we have one spot left tomorrow…email [email protected] to snap up an exclusive garden tour and a glass of bubbly 🥂

09/05/2023

Weddings are all about the creation of moments in a beautiful setting surrounded by your loved ones.

The moment of arrival…
The moment of saying 'I do…'
The moment of saying 'I love you mum...'
The moments with family and friends...
The moments of tenderness…
And of course, the moment of we’ve done it, now let’s party!...

Capturing those moments takes the skill of an experienced photographer, but also the time to create them. At Songbird Retreat we give you that time to prepare, savour, enjoy and then reminisce.

With 3 days included in the Songbird Garden wedding package (or more if you need them), we give you all the time in the world to create many wonderful and beautiful moments and memories.

Photography in order of appearance:
Moira West Photography
Storybridge by Mikayla
Anna Hart Photography
Brijana Cato Photography

Florals in order of appearance:

Little Leaf Florals
Twig and Bloom Floral
Miss Botanicals

01/05/2023

That’s right, we only have one appointment remaining for an exclusive tour of Songbird Retreat Gardens and Songbird Cottage with owners, Katherine & Adam.

If you have a preferred wedding date between Labour Weekend 2023 and the 30th April 2024 please contact us now to secure the last open day appointment!

Bouquet Twig and Bloom Floral
Photo Anna Hart Photography

27/04/2023

That moment when you reach the top of the bridal walkway and see all those smiling and familiar faces of friends and family waiting to celebrate your special day with you....and of course, the love of your life waiting for your arrival.

Our gorgeous couple, Sophie and Henry are adorable, their family are adorable and I'm sure all their friends are adorable, just because they are those sort of people that have beautiful hearts and souls and therefore create sunshine all around them (even on a cloudy day!)

Photo taken by the awesome Brijana Cato Weddings who cleverly captured that moment with the shy but delighted smile from Sophie, the very proud dad and the knowing that something really amazing is about to happen…

Stunning bouquet by Miss Botanicals

26/04/2023

Meeting Rachel and Draz was one of those moments when an instant connection was made and we knew they had to get married at Songbird Retreat.

Having their wedding cancelled 3 times dues to Covid and then Cyclone Gabrielle (yes - 3 times!!), we were 100% committed to getting them married...whatever!

Rachel and Draz have this unique bond, that is difficult to put into words. It’s definitely a true feeling of love for each other, but it goes beyond that. You get a sense that they have found the other half of each other and their devotion, care and companionship will be one of those relationships that are remembered as completely whole and everlasting.

They chose a Songbird Cottage Intimate celebration for their wedding day and Rachel was chief designer! The detail was impeccable and the rustic style combined with colour and a certain sophistication just blew us away and then add in the very talented Anna Hart Photography who created photos and memories that are really beautiful and represent the true essence of the day.

Hair pieces - K&Tflorals
Buttonholes – Rachel & Draz

13/04/2023

Recently engaged and looking for the wedding venue you have been dreaming about since you were little?

Songbird Retreat is an exclusive and unique garden venue set in its own little slice of paradise minutes from the beach and oozing natural beauty, elegance and sophisticated charm.

Whether you are looking to host a wedding for 15 or 150 guests Songbird offers a number of stunning options to choose from such as a fairy-tale white marquee wedding on the Grand Lawn, or a more intimate gathering in the delightful Green Barn and Songbird Cottage gardens.

With each wedding package including 3 days and 2 nights boutique bridal accommodation, this is the chance to bring your childhood dreams to life.

To make an appointment at one of our upcoming open days please email [email protected]

29/03/2023

Black and white was the theme for Toni and Sam's wedding at Songbird Retreat and wow, did they execute it perfectly, with the professional assistance of wedding co-ordinator, Samantha Weddings by Samantha

From the signage, the place settings, the guest gift bag and even the cake knife was black! The entire 100 guests wore black and set against the white marquee provided by Utterly Marquee + Event Hire, an incredibly unique white cake from Whipped Cakery and the stunning white florals and bouquet provided by the ever so creative Katie at Little Leaf Florals, the result was quite spectacular.

Songbird gardens provided the background of lush green foliage and trees plus the white roses and flowers - it really was a unique and 'wow' vision🖤💚

08/03/2023

What an absolute delight to see a reference to good old Blighty

Natasha & James just knew how to make the little details and references to their own relationship and journey stand out, without going over the top.

It was the simplicity of their style that actually made the details shine.

White benches supplied by tied in with the umbrellas and other furniture, creating a cohesive style that was spread across several ‘garden rooms' - super clever 💚

And how cute is that basket with petal confetti!

Benches by Flock Events - furniture, florals, styling

07/03/2023

Natasha and James chose dried flowers for their wedding arch florals and what a fabulous choice, not only in the colour (which picked up the lilac from some of the garden plants), but also the combination of the beautiful elegance of white hydrangea against soft lilac peonies.

The flowers nestled in a swathe of pampas grass gently swaying in the breeze along with the other garden grasses, catching the sunlight and contributing to the overall magical fairytale feeling. A unique and striking display 💜

Dried flowers are increasingly popular for wedding florals and can so easily be stored as a memento of the day.

Florals by Floralessence
Triangular arch made with love by father-of-the-groom ❤️
Chairs and benches by Flock Events - furniture, florals, styling

06/03/2023

REAL WEDDING at Songbird Retreat 🥂

When Natasha and James first came to us during the winter of 2022 and instantly fell in love with Songbird Retreat, we knew they would be the perfect couple for our very first wedding.

An absolute dream to work alongside and with a vision in her head, Natasha told me she wanted to 'make the gardens sing' and she did just that. With the help of the wonderful team Flock Events - furniture, florals, styling she utilised the Grand Lawn, the Cocktail Terrace and the Ceremony Terrace to characterise the spaces as she wanted them - exactly what we hoped couples would do!

These photos are of the set up pre-wedding before the official wedding photographer arrived. Just look at those striped umbrellas alongside the simple yet elegant white furniture on the Cocktail Terrace with the gorgeous champagne bar - matching in with the surrounding gardens so seamlessly 💚

28/02/2023

So excited to have the lovely Amaranto at Songbird Retreat, a truly delicious and authentic Italian culinary experience ❤️

Fresh authentic Italian food cooked from a vintage caravan. Catch us at markets or hire us for events

04/02/2023

"It hits you when you enter the venue - the vibrancy of the green, the mass of white flowers and the thought that has gone into every detail" (quote from visiting couple)

Songbird Retreat Garden Weddings - creating a space of peace, tranquility and serenity through a palette of whites, greens and attention to the finest detail. Enabling you to focus on your wedding, your guests and, most importantly, each other 💚

23/01/2023

We try to capture the beauty, ambience and spirit of Songbird Retreat in photographs and words...it never really works! When couples visit us, more often than not their first words are - 'WOW! Your photos don't do this justice' and 'its so much bigger than we thought'

The only way to really understand what has been created here is to make an appointment and see it for yourselves.

Stand on the top terrace overlooking the entire venue and just take it all in - we promise that you won't be disappointed 💚

Hampton Marquee 10m x 10m Country to Coast

20/01/2023

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19/01/2023

Out with the green velvet sofa (to its new home in the Green Barn) and in with the much more versatile day bed!

You asked and we listened...again!

Whether Granny is looking for a wee lie down after too many sherries, or Uncle Timothy from the UK is still suffering from jet lag, or cousin Helena is 8 months pregnant and the heat is just a little too much...the day bed is a perfect respite in the coolness and tranquility of Songbird Cottage.

Far enough away to feel restful, but not too far to re-join the celebrations when energy levels are revived.

That's the beauty of having Songbird Cottage as part of your weekend wedding package - a haven for you, your guests and of course, close enough to tumble into bed at the end of a perfect day💚

04/01/2023

Keeping children entertained at a wedding can often be a challenge, particularly when the bridal party is getting dressed, when the speeches are stretching on a little longer than expected and when the band starts playing and you want to kick off your shoes and dance the night away!

At Songbird Retreat, like everything else, we try to make things as easy as possible, so when it comes to your little ones we have created a list of excellent local child minders for you to chat with about your requirements and book them ahead for your special day.

Now thats one less thing to worry about, isn't it?

Photography by Kate Little Photography

29/12/2022

How will you arrive at your wedding ceremony?

Open top vintage car, horse back, limousine, helicopter?...Or how about in super cool style on a classic Italian motorbike...

Or perhaps you just want to walk with your best friend, family or even the love of your life...anything goes when you have a Songbird Retreat Garden Wedding 💚

Photo Kate Little Photography
White umbrellas Utterly Marquee + Event Hire
Motorbike - a friend!

27/12/2022

Congratulations to all those couples out there who got engaged this Christmas - how exciting and what a wonderful time you have ahead of you!

And to make things easier for you, we are opening our gates on Saturday 7th January to welcome couples for an exclusive tour of Songbird Gardens and Cottage and a glass of bubbly - what a wonderful way to start your wedding planning journey!

We always say, first steps are to get your venue booked as dates go much faster than you think, especially if you want a specific date and year.

Once the venue is booked and you have chosen your marquee then everything starts to fall into place...catering, drinks, styling, flowers...

And remember, at Songbird Retreat, we have an excellent vendor recommendation list to guide you through the wonderful selection of weddings vendors that New Zealand has to offer (list supplied with a confirmed booking).

We look forward to seeing you!
Email [email protected] for an appointment