Nocton Woolshed - Wedding Venue Review
Nocton Woolshed is without a doubt one of my favourite Auckland wedding venues. Cosy, rustic and classy all in one, this is the place to get married if you want a quintessential country wedding.
As an Auckland wedding photographer who has been photographing weddings for 7 years, I have decided to share my thoughts on some of my favourite Auckland wedding venues to help out couples searching for venues.
General info:
Nocton Woolshed is located on a private property in Clevedon, Auckland. A family woolshed turned wedding venue, started as a family project, which soon became a much bigger success than expected. Think DIY countryside vibes, where all the work has been done for you. A stunning renovation of a historic woolshed, surrounded by lush green grounds and a view of Maraetai. Suitable for up to 120 guests. Tables & chairs provided with hire.
Getting to the Venue
Getting to Nocton is easy. First up they have a large turning Bay and an undercover shelter for cars and shuttles to unload guests at next to the entrance. There is also parking for up to 60 cars.
Ceremony Options
Nocton Woolshed offers a stunning outdoor ceremony location on the lawn in front of the Woolshed. It offers stunning views across the Clevedon countryside and of the water in the distance. Nocton provide chairs suitable for your ceremony, if you want an arch you can totally create one.
They also have a wet weather ceremony option. They are able to pull over a rainproof roof over the deck, which means your guests still get to enjoy a ceremony with outdoor vibes and the view included but without the worry of getting wet.
Lawn Games
Nocton has lots of beautiful green lawns perfect for setting up some lawn games.
Onsite Photoshoot Locations
Nocton has a bunch of options available to you on site. There’s a bunch of rustic buildings you can use as a backdrop as well as a lot of greenery. There is also a patch of bamboo at the entrance of the property.
For sunset in particular, Nocton Woolshed offers something really special. There’s a spot at the top of a hill behind the venue which offers incredible panoramic views in every direction. This is one of my favourite parts about shooting here.
Offsite Photoshoot Locations
Just a 5 minute drive down the road there’s a bunch of spots to explore by the water. I’m a big fan of this jetty/wharf in particular. There’s also a places on the rocky coastlines to get amongst. The water at Maraetai has a stunning pastel blue quality to it and I’m a big fan. All these spots are within a couple minutes of each other and are so close to Nocton.
Reception
The reception building at Nocton Woolshed is stunning. This is hands down the best restored woolshed I’ve ever seen. It maintains all the perfect levels of rustic while providing everything you want. The hard wood floor, paired with the Arkade Furniture (included in hire free) is a winning combo. The venue is well lit (something that isn’t always the case in a setup like this), which is a huge plus from a photography (as well as a being able to see your guests) perspective. The reception also has a built in sound system for you to plug in to. The corner to the right of the bridal table transforms into a dancefloor when you’re ready for it, with space for a band to setup (without moving tables.
Food
One of the best things about Nocton Woolshed is that they leave the catering open to you - which opens up a world of options. Do you want food trucks serving your favourite market treats? Or would you prefer some grazing table glory? Not only do they offer BYO catering, they also offer BYO drink with no extra corkage charges.
Pictured above are a few of the ways my couples have done it. The first photo is catering done by Free Range Chef which was delicious and had a bunch of fresh goodness. The other two photos are of catering done by The Cater Station who actually deliver these large self serving boxes, steaming hot and ready to go. I’m a really big fan of them and I actually used them before at a party and the food is amazing and goes really far. They offer a bunch of different box options such as sliders, tacos, vietnamese buns, hot dogs etc.
More information
In terms of accomodation for getting ready, Nocton have their very own luxury bnb - ‘Kitenga’ available on site.
Capacity: Nocton is suitable for up to 120 people.
Hire includes:
The venue for two days - giving you a half day to setup, the day of the wedding/event and half a day to clean-up after the event.
Tables and chairs
Toilets
Parking for 60 cars
Built-in sound system
You can check out Nocton Woolshed’s website here to learn more about their packages and pricing. www.noctonwoolshed.co.nz
Phone: 021 973 799
Email: nikki@noctonwoolshed.co.nz
Physical Address: 684 North Road, Clevedon, Auckland 2582
If you have any questions for me about Nocton Woolshed or anything wedding related feel free to shoot me an email: jonathan@jonathansuckling.com
Or if you’re interested in having me as your wedding photographer then hit that contact button below!