"We would like to say a big thank you for having us at your place for our wedding on October 24, 2010.

The staff were warm, helpful, attentive, treated us like royalty and made us feel very special. Nothing was ever a problem to them.

Most of our guests went out of their way over the following days to comment on the stunning venue, superb food and amazing service."

Kindest regards,

Chris & Sharon Benton

Whangaparoa

October 24, 2010 Wedding

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"Beautiful Wedding"

We just wanted to write and say thank you so mush for our beautiful wedding! We had the most amazing day ever, and we couldn't have asked for anything more.

Thanks to both you and all the staff, we had so many comments of how great the service was and how incredible the food was. It truly was a very memorable day.

Also, The Villa was just amazing and it was so much fun to get ready there during the day. It was a lovely surprise to have bubbly and nibbles on our arrival! To top it off, the sun did shine and the rain cleared up!

Many thanks for making it such a wonderful day!

Katherine & Adam

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Craig and Cherie's Wedding Day

Craig and I had the most wonderful day! A huge thank you to The Old Church for being just incredible in all that they do! A magical day/evening was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone!

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"Absolutely Everything, Second to None"

Well here I sit, an old married man, or at least 6 weeks old that is... and as one ages it is time to reflect and let one's mind drift to times passed. Am I prematurely aged by the wedding business and all its attendant stresses? No...far from it, and why you ask would that be? Well the choice of The Old Church in Meeanee, Hawkes Bay has a lot to do with it.

It all started with a dinner out... Walking into The Old Church you are immediately struck by the baroque furnishings ,red velvet sofas and a grand chandelier - add fantastic food, excellent service and vineyard surrounds with the Ruahine and Kaweka ranges in the distance, and you have all you need for a truly special lunch/dinner treat. Finding that The Old Church also did weddings, it was a no brainer to choose it as our venue.

Their dedicated events planner was available at all times and incredibly helpful with everything required, easing the stress of the planning stage. The professional way in which all was accomplished did much to appease the prospective brides worries.

The restuarant was cleared and set up with chairs for the service, being a deconsecrated mission, a "churchy" atmosphere was easy to create. The prepared music all came at the right time and volume and the service went without a hitch.

Whilst our guests enjoyed drinks and truly delicious canapes in the conservatory, overlooking the mountains, the staff rapidly transformed the church into a reception venue. The detail on the tables and opulence of the decorations meant that no extra embellishments were required.

Often I am disappointed with the food and service at weddings, but not in this case. The service was exceptional with 3 choices of truly delicious food, all prepared with the love and care that goes into their lunch/dinner time service. Wine glasses were kept topped up and no table was allowed to run dry.

Unbeknown to us, our MC had prepared a whole media show and this also ran without a hitch, the venue already set up with a PA speaker system and large screen. To be honest, the rest of the night is a bit of a blur, but all I know is that the bar service could not be faulted, and our guests were all full of praise for what is a truly exceptional venue. I truly believe that there can be few better places on Earth to tie the knot.

All was not over as we stayed in The Villa, which was the old presbtery... Villa it may be, but once you are inside, a better description might be the Russian Princes dacha. Baroque velvet opulence mirrors the decor of the restaurant, with wonderful four poster beds laden with deep furnishings and cushions. Antiques abound around The Villa and huge Victorian baths allowed us to wallow and reflect. The kitchen was pre-stocked with breakfast supplies, wine (in a dedicated wine fridge) and unlimited coffee from the espresso machine - complete with a warmed cup tray. We used The Villa for an open house for guests the day after the wedding, again catered by the The Old Church. The staff were invisible as trays arrived and went, and no request was too much. Everyone was blown away by The Villa, and I have to say that as a fairly seasoned traveller, it really is the most amazing place I have stayed.

Everyone loves their wedding day (at least I hope this is the case), but I have to say that ours was that little bit more special, and a big part of that is due to The Old Church and its staff.....thanks guys.

Tania and Mark

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"Awesome!"

London

24 June 2010

We had our wedding at The Old Church and we cannot say how impressed we were with the whole experience. The wedding planner who helped co-ordiante everything was extremely efficient and we felt we were in professional hands.

The food was perfect and we received a number of comments on how yummy this was from our guests. The staff were efficient and went out of their way to make sure our guests and my niece were looked after. We forgot that one of our friends was vegetarian, and we hadn't catered for her on our menu, so they made up a special meal just for her.

The atmosphere is magical and I absolutely loved the decorations.

We were also lucky enough to stay in The Villa next door, which I definately recommend.

Overall, without a doubt I would recommend this place for a special meal or a special event. This is definately memorable and it blew our guests away.

For a restaurant that states it is five stars, you expect quality and professionalism with excellent service. I think you get all of this at The Old Church!

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"WOW"

Ken and I moved to Napier in 2007 and fell in love with the area. It porbably would have been easier to return home for our wedding, but Hawkes Bay has so many beautiful locations to choose from, that we didn't want to marry anywhere else.

We exchanged vows in the garden of The Old Church Villa, next to its restaurant, The Old Church Restaurant and Bar. Walking into the restaurant was definatley a 'wow' moment! Its opulent and glamorous in every way. We didn't need to add a thing - even floral arrangements weren't necessary. The staff had a range of tablecloths and chairs for us to choose from, and provided all of the centrepiece candles and place cards.

Our antique theme started with my 1930's engagement ring and influenced my hairstyle, makeup and dress. I purchased my silk satin gown with black lace and sleeves from Gowns on Gloucester. I didn't want a bouquet - I carried three white orchid stems instead. The guys wore black suits with white shirts, and instead of ties, the groomsmen wore greenstone pendants Ken had given them.

The early autumn colours looked great in our photos. To protect their Irish skin from the Hawkes Bay sun, my bridesmaids carried red parasols instead of bouquets. Their red and black dresses matched the season, as did my mum's dress and dad's tie.

We served canapes and a three-course sit-down meal accompanied by local wine. A friend made my favourite dessert - strawberry jelly and vanilla ice cream - into a wedding cake. Everyone laughed when we tried to cut it, as it was frozen solid - we had to come back to it later in the evening!

Marrying on a Thursday in March made it easy for us to secure vendors and services, and it meant we were able to share the whole weekend with our guests. Most of our 25 Irish guests were still here for Saint Patrick's Day, so it really was a time of celebration.

Ali and Ken