Inside the Secret Garden - Ataahua Wedding Venue, Tauranga
I felt like I had the keys to the Secret Garden when I shot Amanda & Travis’ wedding at glorious Ataahua.
While lots of photographers regularly travel around New Zealand to shoot weddings, I’m lucky that I’m super busy shooting Hawke’s Bay wedding photography (plus I hate driving and always stress out that my plane will get delayed!). But for Amanda and Travis, I traveled to Tauranga after a fire at their original Hawke’s Bay wedding venue prompted a change. It was fantastic to shoot somewhere new and get outside my comfort zone, and Ataahua in Tauranga was the most GLORIOUS wedding venue.
With a 10-month old baby and a large number of guests visiting from Travis’ home-country of Canada, the couple knew they wanted a no-fuss wedding that allowed them and their friends and family to just turn up, celebrate and leave at the end of the day. Ataahua with it’s established gardens and permanent marquee provided the perfect location for an easy, breezy wedding.
Despite being together for a number of years and already having started their family, Amanda says the moment of walking down the aisle and seeing her future husband was overwhelming.
“My first thought was ‘Travis is holding our baby so he must have been causing a scene”, recalls Amanda with a laugh.
“It was overwhelming to see how beautiful everything looked and to experience the joy of seeing my two boys standing there waiting. We didn’t plan to have babies before marriage but it was pretty special to walk down the aisle to meet them.”
The couple wanted a whimsical, magical garden feel for their wedding. The walled courtyard where the ceremony was held created that feeling as Amanda stepped through a small gap in the wall and entered a beautiful secret space where lilac, pink and pastel florals complimented the soft greenery.
Because everything was on-site, the wedding photography with the bridal party couldn’t have been easier. We all enjoyed cocktails on the lawn and when it suited little baby Hudson, we wandered to a lovely avenue of trees for five minutes of photos with him, before being joined by the bridal party and cruising around the Ataahua gardens for an hour. Super fun, super easy, super gorgeous.
Although it felt like I was working with professional models at this wedding because Amanda and Travis were so gorgeous and easy to direct, Amanda admits she’s not a big fan of having her photo taken so she was stoked to have a wedding photographer with a candid style and relaxed, fun way of working.
“Eva made me feel absolutely at ease during the whole process. I knew she would be amazing but she absolutely delivered! I am beyond in love with the documentation of the day and everyone I share the photos with can’t believe how incredible they are. She captured my day just as I’d hoped and I am so grateful.
While we finished up the wedding photography, guests took their seats inside Ataahua’s beautiful permanent marquee. With the sides open it felt like just another extension of the garden and it was the prefect setting for what I swear was the best meal I’ve ever had at a wedding - and after almost 20 years of being a wedding photographer that’s more than you can shake a stick at! The sunset cast a golden glow over the venue as I took my leave and returned to my home of Hawke’s Bay, having thoroughly enjoyed my magical trip into Tauranga’s not-so-secret little wedding garden.
A big thank you to Amanda and Travis for allowing me to share their beautiful wedding photography on my blog. And also thanks to all the other vendors that helped to make this day so beautiful:
VENUE: Ataahua Garden Wedding Venue, Tauranga
DRESS: Astra Bridal, Tauranga
SUITS: Dorset Suits
FLORALS: Honeysuckle Rose Flowers
Hair: Shine Hair Co.
Makeup: The bride herself - Artisan Beauty
To see more of the best Hawke’s Bay wedding venues and other work by Napier photographer, Eva Bradley, check out the other wedding photography blogs.
