Lazy River Lodge

One of the best kept secrets is a little known Tauranga wedding venue set in the countryside surrounded by new and established specimen trees called Lazy River Lodge. As the name suggests a lazy river flows through the property spilling over into several ponds dotted with water lilies, as it makes its way towards the sea. The setting is perfect for a natural forest wedding with multiple ceremony spots nestled under large trees and it’s where we did this beautiful autumn elopement shoot. Inspired by the autumn colours we carefully picked out the right dress, florals and props, bringing everything together from each vendor.

Autumn is an amazing time of year and we would love to see more couples picking to have their wedding at this time instead of in the heat of summer. Lazy River in-house photographer Marion Heurteboust captured the warm light as it came through the trees making for the best wedding photos when taken at just the right time of day to capture that beautiful light before sunset.

Rosie chose a rich autumnal hued palette, accentuated with foliage in goldens, reds, coppers and deep wines to reflect the season and the dress worn by our bride Mia. The bouquet was a wild mix of all things autumn…. foliage, flowers, gumnuts, berries and feathers which came together in a lush yet playful bouquet. The boutonnieres were mini collections of autumn. Tiny treasures foraged locally to create individual works of art wrapped in velvet.

• Venue: Lazy River Lodge
• Photographer: Marion Heurteboust