Kauri Bay Boomrock Wedding Venue Guide

Venue Guide: Clevedon

Our take on Clevedon's hilltop destination venue, from a photographer's point of view

Kauri Bay Boomrock is one of the newer venues on our radar, and it's earned its reputation fast. It sits right on top of a hill in the Clevedon countryside with views in every direction, the kind of backdrop you'd recognise from photos without ever knowing where it was actually taken. Here's our honest read on what a wedding day here looks like.

Why We Rate It

What stands out to us is how little compromise there is here. The building itself balances modern design with a country rustic feel, ceremony and reception happen in the same flowing space so guests aren't shuttled around, and the venue has clearly thought through every part of the day, right down to entertainment for guests while the bridal party is off doing photos.

Getting There

Kauri Bay runs a charter bus from downtown Auckland, which we think is a nice touch, it turns the trip out into part of the experience and guests arrive already in a good mood. There's also a helicopter arrival option if a couple wants to make a real entrance, and a carpark on site for anyone driving themselves.

Ceremony Locations

The main ceremony spot has what we'd call one of the most iconic backdrops in Auckland, rolling countryside and water views behind the aisle. Couples can choose a Manuka wood arch or bring in their own. If the weather turns, there's a genuinely good wet weather option too, the ceremony moves in front of a fireplace with clear side curtains, so guests stay warm and dry without losing the view entirely.

Photo Locations

This is a venue where we rarely feel the need to leave the property for photos. There's a concrete wall near the ceremony space that sits in open shade all day, which as photographers we love, it gives consistently soft, flattering light no matter the weather. Beyond that there's a forest on site, a network of gravel roads with plenty of stopping points, and the famous spot at the top of the hill by the trig station, which we always save for sunset.

Sunset here only takes a short walk from the reception building, 15 to 20 minutes round trip, and because of the surrounding hills the light changes a little differently to the official sunset time, which is exactly the kind of local detail we build into the day's timing.

Reception and Food

The reception building has a warm, tasteful feel, exposed wooden ceiling framework that works well left plain or dressed up with hanging florals if a couple wants to go further. On the food side, this is genuinely one of the stronger kitchens we've come across at an Auckland venue, and the service team brings real energy to the day.

Once the dancing starts, tables get cleared and the floor opens up, and the venue also sets up an outdoor fire with dessert tables, so guests who want a break from the music have somewhere comfortable to land.

Guest Entertainment

While the couple is off doing family and bridal party photos, Kauri Bay keeps guests entertained with lawn games, giant Jenga, cornhole, giant Connect Four, and a golf driving setup aimed at a floating pontoon target. Axe throwing is also available for an extra fee, and from what we've seen it's usually the guest favourite.

Our Planning Tips

With capacity up to 200 seated, Kauri Bay can handle a genuinely large wedding without losing the intimate feel of the ceremony spot, which is a rarer combination than it sounds. Our biggest tip is to make full use of the venue's own transport options, coach or helicopter, rather than leaving guests to sort their own way out to Clevedon. And if a sunset moment matters to you, talk to your coordinator about the local sunset timing here specifically, it runs slightly differently to the official time because of the hills.

Kauri Bay Boomrock at a Glance

Location: 777 Clevedon-Kawakawa Road, Clevedon, Auckland 2585

Getting there: charter bus from Auckland CBD, helicopter option, on-site carpark

Capacity: up to 200 seated guests

Ceremony options: hilltop outdoor ceremony with countryside and water views, wet weather option by the fireplace

Accommodation: on-site accommodation available

Contact: events@kauribay.co.nz, +64 9 298 7779

Website: kauribay.co.nz

Approximate cost: For an 80-guest Friday or Saturday wedding, the venue's own example packages run from roughly $17,500 in winter up to $22,500 in summer, all-inclusive (figures from Kauri Bay's own published pricing guide, confirm current rates directly with the venue)

Kauri Bay does the hard work of the setting for you, which is exactly why it's become one of our favourite recommendations for couples chasing that hilltop, destination-wedding feeling without leaving Auckland. If you're getting married here and want a photography team that already knows the light on that hill through the day, get in touch with Popin Wedding to talk through your day. With a genuine sunset moment built into the property's own layout, this is a venue where we'd always push for full-day coverage, missing that last light at the trig station would be a shame.