Are you looking for an outdoor location surrounded by native trees, plants and wildlife to have your wedding ceremony? Cornwall Park is a stunning setting to have a small wedding ceremony and has been a popular spot for decades. 

There are two locations within the park allocated for wedding ceremonies that have been chosen for their natural beauty, semi-privacy, sereneness, and convenience. They are called the Grotto and the Kauri Steps.

The Grotto

The Grotto is a small patch of native bush, originally planted in 1997 with further plantings in 2005, located on the southern side of the park.

It is perfect for small ceremonies and intimate weddings of approx. 5 – 20 people, covered with dappled light and greenery. You can see from the photos above why it is often known by park visitors as the fairy garden or the secret garden.

Just outside the fenced Grotto, there is a large, grassed lawn that is perfect for larger ceremonies with more native trees and views out to surrounding Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. There are park facilities including parking, toilets and water fountains close by.

Kauri Steps

The Kauri Steps are a stone staircase that leads down from Michael Horton Drive into the park’s largest Kauri and Rimu grove and grassed area.

The area is set below the road, creating a sheltered and secluded area that offers many locations to set up your wedding ceremony. We only ask that you do not cross the roped area around the kauri grove which is in place to help prevent kauri dieback.

Parking is close by, along with toilets, water fountains and the Cornwall Park Bistro.
Please note, that these are not the large Memorial Steps that lead down from the Bistro.

Cornwall Park wedding ceremony guidelines at a glance

- Up to 100 guests

- Allocated for up to 2 hours

-Spaces are not exclusively booked, park visitors will still have access to the area.

- Seating allowed for up to 20 people

- Decorations must be free-standing, not attached to trees or pegged into the ground

For our wedding guidelines and more information, click here. You can fill out the form with all your known details and we will get back to you. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the details sorted out yet as our staff will help guide you.

Bonus!: Our favourite spots to take your wedding photos!

You can choose anywhere in the park to capture your wedding photos, here are some of our top picks:

1. Rimu Grove

The light filters through the towering Rimu to create playful shapes and shadows.

2. Belvedere and Wisteria Archway

The Wisteria Archway blooms in an array of lilac flowers in October and is green and leafy during summer. The Belvedere is a series of steps and gardens with views out to Maungarei Mount Wellington and is often a place where our sheep and lambs frolic in the surrounding paddock.

3. Memorial Steps

The Memorial Steps hold an iconic view out to our sweeping lawn and Native Arboretum.

4. Outside Acacia Cottage

Take your photos next to one of the oldest wooden houses in New Zealand! Add a rustic feel to your photography.