Old Forest School | Tauranga Wedding Venues
Exactly as the name suggests, the Old Forest School is literately a revamped old school house secluded within the forest! Originally built as a rural school near 1933, it eventually shut down and was forgotten for decades. Su-an and her family took on this magnificent project breathed new life into the heart of the school but retained all it's vintage and rustic flavours; you can still see the traces of its origins within the main building, the tennis court from 1943, and the classroom with benches and a blackboard.
Su-an and the team are also such an amazing hosts, she’ll make sure that no matter what happens, your big day will be exactly as how you dreamed of. From the moment you get in touch you’ll notice right away how awesome and helpful she is!
You'll also get the option of whether to have your ceremony indoors or outdoors, and the same goes for your reception. Imagine walking down the aisle located in front of an old tree; your partner waits patiently as you walk and see friends and family gathered to witness this precious moment.
And how about celebrating an indoor ceremony at the schoolhouse? Featuring lots of natural light and a white wall, all your guests are seated on the original benches of this vintage school. It's also perfect as a wet weather back up! Step out to the tennis court and take some playful pictures with your bridal party, then we can walk to one of the many spaces this venue offers to frame your formal pictures with your partner.
Guests won't even know you're away with plenty of stuff to do, like a giant Jenga, tennis, and badminton and an array of lawn games. Plus, you’ll have outdoor furniture and buildings such as Bar, Sports Pavilion, and The Fernery, where you can set up the drinks and relax for a moment before the reception.
Old Forest School is an ideal wedding venue for up to 120 guests, and it is available from October to April. Here, you can celebrate spring, summer, or early fall weddings, when temperatures are nice and relatively dry. You’ll have exclusive use of the venue from 10 am to midnight, indoor and outdoor space for your ceremony, a reception area with tables and chairs, an indoor dancefloor, outdoor festoon lighting, a fireplace, and firewood for chilly nights.
The best part of all is you’re free to bring any caterer you fancy! You'll also be able to find a helpful list of vendor that are familiar with this gorgeous place if you get stuck. And if you're still on the look out for a kick ass wedding photographer, look no further :P
Oh right! Almost forgot, the animals!!! Here you’ll get to get right up and close to the donkeys, pet pigs and a very very friendly kitten! Su-an even provides a bit of treat for you to entice them over :p
But of course it's not just us that are in love with this Tauranga Wedding Venue, here's a few words from some very happy newly weds!
Old Forest School were very accomodating when we had to postpone our wedding due to COVID. They were happy to transfer us to another date and did their best to give us new dates that worked for us.
This venue is stunning! We had so many people come and tell us what a magical place it is. I still have guests talking about how awesome the venue was. They especially loved all the different games (including tennis) that they could play during the cocktail hour. We also got some incredible photos!
- Sophie & Kush
My now wife and I were married at Old Forest School in November, and it was the best venue hands down.
Su-an and Alistair just made everything work so smoothly, without any hassle or upsets. Su-an looked after the planning in the lead-up to the day and herself and Alistair were amazing at making sure everything ran smoothly on the day. We also really appreciated how well they worked with our other vendors on the day - coordinating directly with them so we didn't have to.
The venue itself was wonderful - a great ambience and lots of spaces for people to mingle and relax. All our guests were raving about the venue on the day, and continue to do so even now.
Our wedding day went so well, and a big part of that was down to our venue and the team at OFS.
- Blair Argyle
WOW WHERE TO START!???
Not only is OFS one of the most stunning venues I’ve ever been to in my life, but Alistair and Su-An are incredible humans and make your wedding experience one to remember. The different areas are so unique! So many precious memories created here.
- Shona Tautari
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch now and see if they're still available on your big day!
