Palmerston North & Manawatū

The Best Wedding Venues in Palmerston North & the Manawatū

The venues couples keep coming back to, with an honest note on who each one actually suits, from the team who photographs weddings nearly every weekend in the Summer!

9 venues Palmerston North & Manawatū Updated July 2026

A wedding couple in front of Villa Candotti, an Italian garden wedding venue near Palmerston North — Photo: Ryan Clark, Selah Weddings · Villa Candotti

Okay so we photograph weddings all over the Manawatū, which means we spend a LOT of our weekends at these venues, in every kind of light & weather! This is basically the list we'd give a mate who just got engaged & asked where to even start :)

You're spoilt for choice around here. Big country estates just out of town, heritage homesteads right on the lagoon, & even a little Italian garden most people have no idea exists! Whatever kind of day you're picturing, there's probably a spot for it.

One tip before you book anything: sort your venue first, then everything else slots in around it. Capacity & date are the two things that lock in fastest, so if a place feels right, get in early :)

Makoura Lodge

The full destination weekend, an hour from town.

Makoura is the one couples pick when they want the whole thing to feel like a proper getaway, we've shot a wedding out here & absolutely loved it! It's out in the rural Manawatū countryside, so everyone drives out, settles in, & the day just slows right down. Indoor or outdoor ceremony, reception for up to 110, a boutique bar, & accommodation on site so nobody's driving home :)

It's such a beautiful spot to shoot, big open landscapes & that gorgeous golden evening light, with heaps of room so the day never feels cramped. If you want a destination feel without leaving the region, this is it!

Up to 110 guests
~1 hr from Palmerston North
On-site accommodation
Indoor & outdoor ceremony

● 736 Makoura Road, RD1 Feilding (Apiti), Manawatū

Visit website → ☼ We've photographed weddings here

Orlando Country

The Pavilion & lawns on a country estate, ten minutes out.

Orlando Country is a relaxed country-club estate just ten minutes from town. Weddings happen in The Pavilion, with lawn space for an outdoor ceremony & room to put up a marquee if you'd rather be outside. They do in-house catering & can host up to 200, so a big day is no stress.

Because it's all on one estate the flow is so easy, ceremony, photos & reception without carting everyone across town. There's a wide-open, spacious feel to the place that a lot of couples love :)

Up to 200 guests
10 min from Palmerston North
The Pavilion + marquee option
In-house catering

● 748 Rangitikei Line, RD5, Palmerston North

Visit website →

Villa Candotti

A little slice of Italy, hidden out in Colyton.

Okay this one is a super special one! We recently shot here & it completely stole our hearts! Villa Candotti is a proper Italian Renaissance garden out in Colyton, tall cypress trees leading to a loggia, hedged parterres, an olive grove & bubbling fountains. It genuinely feels like you've stepped into Tuscany.

It's intimate & unbelievably photogenic, every single corner is a backdrop! If you're after something a bit different that feels like a destination wedding without the flights, put this one right at the top of your list :)

Intimate garden weddings
Colyton, ~20 min from Palmerston North
Italian Renaissance gardens
By appointment only

● 133 Reid Line East, Colyton, Manawatū

Visit website → ☼ We've photographed here · see the gallery

Te Puna

A renovated barn on a rolling farm, just out of Feilding.

We just shot here for J & E and had the best day! Te Puna is a gorgeous farm venue near Feilding, with a beautifully renovated barn, concrete floors, big wooden beams & so much natural light. The folding glass doors open right out onto the lawn, so it flows from inside to out as the night rolls on.

The rolling-hill landscape is unreal for photos (those barns nearby are a dream at golden hour!), & they let you bring your own food & drinks, food trucks & all, which so many couples love for keeping the day completely their own :)

There's even homestead accommodation on site, so your closest people can stay the night, & the barn itself is full of character, weatherboard, corrugated iron & reclaimed church details that make it feel like nowhere else.

Up to 150 guests
Feilding, Manawatū
Renovated barn + lawn
Homestead accommodation
BYO food & drink

● 375 Lethbridge Road, Feilding, Manawatū

Visit website → ☼ We've photographed weddings here

Hiwinui Country Estate

100 acres of gardens & a grand homestead.

Hiwinui has been a family-run estate since 2002, & you can really tell, the gardens are so established & beautifully looked after. It's about fifteen minutes out on 100 acres, with a homestead & an elegant marquee, so you get that manicured-garden look without heading all the way to a hotel.

It suits couples after something a bit more classic & formal, without losing the country setting. Loads of green, & so much space to spread out :)

Manicured gardens
15 min from Palmerston North
Homestead + marquee
Family-run since 2002

● 465 Ashhurst Road, Hiwinui, Palmerston North

Visit website →

Caccia Birch House

A heritage homestead right on Hokowhitu Lagoon.

Caccia Birch is a gorgeous restored heritage house on the edge of Hokowhitu Lagoon, run by the council. The gardens & the water make it one of the prettiest spots in town for an outdoor ceremony, & it holds up to 120!

It's a favourite for couples who want a bit of character & a central location, you're minutes from town but it feels tucked away. That lagoon light in the late afternoon is honestly so lovely :)

Up to 120 guests
Hokowhitu Lagoon, Palmerston North
Heritage homestead + gardens
Council-run

● 130 Te Awe Awe Street, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North

Visit website →

Wharerata

An 1901 homestead on the Massey campus.

Wharerata is a grand old homestead built back in 1901, & they've been hosting weddings since 1990, so the team really know their stuff! It's on the Massey University campus, with indoor function rooms, a veranda & lawns for the ceremony, & it holds up to 200.

Great pick if you want heritage & a bit of grandeur close to town, without the drive out to the country :)

Up to 200 guests
Massey University, Palmerston North
1901 heritage homestead
Weddings since 1990

● Wharerata, Massey University campus, Palmerston North

Visit website →

The Chalet

Small & intimate, right by the lagoon.

The Chalet sits right by the Hokowhitu Lagoon & is made for smaller weddings & civil ceremonies. It's run by the Boatshed Catering team who are lovely & so easy to work with!

You're minutes from the Esplanade & the Manawatū River, so there's heaps of good photo spots nearby if you want to sneak out for a bit. If you're keeping it intimate, this is such a lovely, low-fuss option :)

Intimate / smaller weddings
Hokowhitu Lagoon, Palmerston North
Boatshed Catering
Near the Esplanade & river

● 154 Centennial Drive, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North

Visit website →

Distinction Coachman Hotel

Full-service hotel wedding, right in town.

If you'd rather have everything under one roof, the Distinction (the old Coachman) is your central hotel option! Ceremony, reception, catering & rooms for your guests all in one place, with a coordinator to run the logistics for you.

It's the easy-mode choice honestly, especially if a lot of your people are travelling in & you want them to just walk upstairs at the end of the night :)

Central Palmerston North
On-site accommodation
In-house catering & coordination
All under one roof

● 175 Cuba Street, Palmerston North

Visit website →

Your photographer & film team

Sorted your venue? We'll take care of the photos & film :)

We're Selah, a Palmerston North wedding photo & video team! One crew for Photo, Video, & real Super 8 film. The Manawatū is our backyard, would be stoked to connect!

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Common questions

How much do wedding venues in Palmerston North cost?

It's a pretty big range! A smaller or council-run spot like Caccia Birch can be a few hundred up to low thousands for hire, while a full country estate with catering & accommodation can climb into the many thousands once everything's added up. Most venues don't publish exact prices, so honestly the best move is to send them your date & guest number & ask for a quote, it changes a lot by season & day of the week.

When should we book our wedding venue?

As early as you can! Venue & date are the two things that lock in fastest, especially the popular country estates over summer (November to March). If a place feels right, get your date held before anything else, the rest of your vendors (us included!) all book around the venue.

What's the best time of year to get married in the Manawatū?

Late spring through summer (November to March) is the classic run for long evenings & the best shot at settled weather. Autumn (April & May) can be stunning too, softer light & fewer crowds :) Winter weddings absolutely work if your venue has a good indoor option & you're happy to roll with the weather.

Do these venues include catering & accommodation?

Some do, some don't! Places like Orlando, Makoura & the Distinction handle catering in-house & have rooms on site, while Te Puna is BYO so you choose your own caterers, & others are venue-hire only. Always check what's included before comparing prices, because 'venue hire' can mean pretty different things from one place to the next.