The Hunting Lodge Wedding Venue Guide
Updated: Sep 29
Venue Guide: Waimauku
Our take on Waimauku's black barn winery, from a photographer's point of view
The Hunting Lodge is one of the venues we point couples toward when they want that modern rustic look without it tipping into cliché. It's a genuine working winery on 80 acres out in Waimauku, about 35 minutes from the Auckland CBD, with a cedar barn that photographs completely differently depending on the time of day. Here's our honest read on what a wedding day here actually looks like.
Why We Rate It
What we like about The Hunting Lodge is that it doesn't ask you to pick a single aesthetic. You can lean into raw cedar and vineyard rows, or dress the barn up and make it feel completely different. The property is genuinely large too, 80 acres, so even a big guest list doesn't feel like it's spilling over the space.
Getting There
It's about 35 minutes from downtown Auckland and only 15 minutes to Muriwai Beach, which we mention because a good chunk of couples end up doing a portrait run out to the black sand for sunset. Parking is straightforward and there's a lot right by the reception building, so we don't lose time herding guests around on arrival.
Ceremony Locations
There are a few options here and we like that they're genuinely different from each other, not just the same lawn shot from a different angle. Couples can say their vows among the vines, right alongside the barn itself, or down near the olive groves. Our honest advice is to walk all three before deciding, the light hits each one differently depending on your ceremony time, and the barn has an awning system for backup if the weather turns.
Reception Spaces
The barn itself seats up to about 168 and can hold 250 for a standing reception, with polished concrete floors and a vaulted ceiling that we genuinely enjoy shooting under, the pendant lighting gives receptions a warm glow once the sun goes down. We like that the walls are left fairly neutral, it means the room takes styling well without fighting whatever colour palette a couple has chosen.
The food leans into a shared, grazing-table style rather than a strict plated service, which tends to make receptions here feel a little more relaxed than a standard sit-down. If a couple wants that loosen-your-tie kind of evening, this venue's whole approach is built for it.
Best Photo Spots, Our Picks
For us, the golf cart tour around the property is worth building into the timeline, it opens up angles across the vines and the hills behind the barn that you'd never reach on foot in the time you've got. We also like taking couples down toward the tree line a short drive from the barn, the light gets softer and greener under cover, a nice contrast to the open vineyard shots.
And if the timeline allows it, the short run to Muriwai Beach is worth it. Black sand, west coast light, it's a completely different mood to the vineyard portraits and we think the contrast is what makes a gallery from here feel complete.
Getting Ready and Accommodation
The Vineyard Cottages next door are a popular choice for getting ready and staying over, they're a separate booking from the venue itself so we'd tell couples to lock that in early once the wedding date is confirmed, especially for a weekend in peak season.
Our Planning Tips
Book earlier than feels necessary, particularly for a Saturday in summer or autumn. Our biggest tip is to actually use the flexibility this venue gives you rather than defaulting to the same layout every couple uses, walk the grounds with your coordinator and pick the version of the day that suits your numbers and your style. And build in that extra 20 minutes for a Muriwai run if a beach portrait matters to you, it's an easy add and it changes the whole feel of the gallery.
The Hunting Lodge at a Glance
Location: 307 Waikoukou Valley Road, Waimauku, Auckland 0882
Getting there: around 35 minutes from downtown Auckland, 15 minutes to Muriwai Beach
Capacity: up to 168 seated, 250 for a standing reception
Ceremony options: among the vines, alongside the barn, or by the olive groves
Accommodation: Vineyard Cottages next door, booked separately
Contact: events@thehuntinglodge.com, 09 964 0565
Website: thehuntinglodge.com
Approximate cost: Food packages run roughly $150 to $170 per person, with venue hire separately from around $3,000 to $6,000 depending on the day of the week (figures from published third-party wedding guides, confirm current rates directly with the venue)
The Hunting Lodge gives you a lot to work with visually without needing much extra styling, which is exactly why it's stayed one of our favourite recommendations for a modern, relaxed Auckland wedding. If you're getting married here and want a photography team that already knows the property's light and layout, get in touch with Popin Wedding to talk through your day. With three distinct ceremony settings and a Muriwai sunset run on top, this is a venue where our full-day coverage really pays off, we build the whole timeline around catching all of it.
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