School camp type grounds North Island

So I am trying to do our wedding on a budget!

Mum made the comment that her friends daughter hired the Port Waikato camp down there and they had their wedding over the weekend and I thought that sounded like an idea.

I was looking at close to where we live originally at a bar or something so that we could put DD to bed at home then continue without too much of a hiccup but then thought if we have it at a camp of somesort then we can either keep her up or put her to bed depending on how close we were to the cabins when finishing up the evening I have a monitor and she sleeps in a bed so no problems there if we are abit of a distance.

What I need is ideas of venues. I have contacted YMCA about camp adair and waiwera but am stumped for other venues. I thought the other thing that would be good is that it means DP's family have a place to stay for a night as his family lives in Australia or Samoa and we are mainly family and close friends (It kind of will be a bit of a deterrent to the family I would rather not be there, you know the ones who make no effort with us now despite the fact we live just on the other side of Auckland)

So venue ideas please! I am happy to self cater to an extent for this sort of venue We can take stuff that just needs to be heated and that as DP's family own a restaurant in Brisbane so are used to catering for a number of people, they did the catering in Samoa for a family wedding.

Forgot to mention we are based in Auckland but we may be willing to travel to a certain extent depending on costs to us and our families

Edited by HoneybunsMa

For Playcentre we use to go to the Hunua Church camp grounds. They have a huge kitchen with everything you need. (will have to take your own plates and all that). Lots of cabins with beds in it and close to the hall area but not close enough that it will bother them too much with sleep. it is 5 minutes walk to the waterfall. And it worked out that each family had to pay like $55 or something like that with only like 10 families attending so was very cost effective (and that was for a whole weekend so two nights).

Dont have the details on me but if you contact Howick Playcentre and ask the moms there for the details of the campsite or do a search for it.

They have a huge rugby field you can put tents up as well if you want.

Yip just checked it out and the site I gave you is the place that I am thinking about. Hope you come right.

Yeah I'm not concerned about the bunk bed thing, there will be about 10kids or more if we have it at a camp we will probably invite families as we weren't going to if we were in Auckland. We wouldn't care about sleeping in a big bed, and I'm sure the 20yr olds won't mind doing top bunks especially for one night. The oldest ones there would be my parents and DP's grandmother who are in their 60's mum won't care dad might, but he can go get a motel if he wants although he will probably try drive home he wanted to after an engagement party in Hamilton. Then DP and I can take off for a week down the line hehehe ditch DD with mum and dad. I know Hunua have been to camp adair with school which is near hunua, hmm might have to contact that other camp.

Hopes I wonder if the place your thinking might be castaways? Might have to look more into it.

Waharau is another good one. We've had quite a few family reunions there. There are about ten cabins all sleeping about 10 people plus quite a big kitchen and dining hall. We've put kids to bed then spent the evening in the dining hall or on the deck and just checked on the kids throughout the evening.

There is Kokako Lodge out in Hunua too. Here
We just went to a 60th there.

There used to be Camps at Lake Okataina and Waiamungu near Rotorua too - though it's been a long time since I've been to them!

Also - it was a great way of doing the wedding on a budget, it made a huge difference in keeping costs down.

Merc Camp at Long Bay Beach

Motu Moana Scouts Camp in Blockhouse Bay

A bit further south is Stoney Creek Ranch just outside of Hastings/Napier...