The River House

The River House sits on the banks of the Tukituki River just outside Havelock North, with Te Mata Peak rising across the water. It is a five-bedroom villa set in Mediterranean-style grounds, run as a private wedding and events venue with room for the party to stay on. Ceremonies take place in the gardens or down by the river, and receptions go up on the lawns under a marquee. The two formal lawn areas take a range of marquee sizes, up to around 200 guests, so the day scales from an intimate gathering to a big celebration. The owners run a marquee company as well, and can set up a day or two ahead so there is time to style it. Venue hire starts at $5,500 plus GST and gives access from the day before for setup through to midday the day after for pack-down. The villa sleeps the wedding party, which keeps everyone in the one place across the weekend.