At Markovina Estate, we have a diverse range of ceremony locations, all unique in their own way, with various benefits and reasons why they are so popular. Each of them feels like its own world, despite being all contained within our 10-acre Auckland wedding venue. Furthermore, we have won several wedding awards for the diversity of these stunning ceremony locations. However, with so much choice, it can be difficult deciding which ceremony location to make that lifelong commitment. In this blog series, we go through each location one by one and highlight their main features, seasonal changes, as well as the rich history behind the venue and each ceremony space.
In this piece, we will be going through The Chestnut Tree.
The big chestnut tree, one of our original ceremony locations, has been lovingly enhanced to curate the perfect space to say “I do” on your wedding day. Just imagine walking down the aisle between beautiful flowering Jacaranda trees, followed by all your guests taking to their feet as you pass the trees into the seating area. Standing before you is your partner, right underneath a breathtakingly large chestnut tree, luscious and green with light filtering through the leaves. What’s more, at the tree's base are the colourful flowers, adding a vibrant pop to your ceremony photos and giving your guests a view while waiting for the ceremony to commence.
The History
Many decades ago, the space where the chestnut tree is located used to be filled with rows of grapevines, nurtured to make wine, port and sherry. However, after the winemaker, the late Ivan Markovina, could not continue the winemaking process, his wife, Rina Markovina, had a new vision in mind. She planted a few chestnut trees and various other trees around the property, envisioning a stunning garden wedding venue. Over the decades, these chestnut trees grew larger and larger and became the centre of many wedding ceremony backdrops.
However, the front tree, which has been the backdrop for so long, became sick and had to be removed. Still, luckily, thanks to Rina planting multiple chestnut trees, removing the ill tree revealed a healthy, luscious chestnut tree that is now the current ceremony backdrop.
In more recent years, there has been a focus on enhancing the current beauty of the space. The jacaranda trees were planted to outline the aisle and add more colour when the trees flower. Furthermore, the flowers around the base of the tree were planted not just to add colour but to protect the roots of the tree to ensure its longevity.
Seasonal Considerations
Like many wedding ceremony locations at Markovina Estate, the chestnut tree has essential seasonal considerations that drastically change the space's appearance. The main factor is the tree's leaves. Like other deciduous trees, the chestnut tree isn’t green all year round. Between November and May, the tree is covered in green leaves, enhancing the garden wedding that many couples seek.
During the winter, the chestnut tree is still beautiful, just in a different way. Many winter couples love the sculptural look of the bare branches for photos, adding a special element to the ceremony that’s unique to any other ceremony location at Markovina Estate.
Another seasonal aspect is the Jacaranda trees, which bloom with beautiful blue flowers between late November and December. These trees add another pop of colour to your foreground and background as you or your partner walk down the aisle between them.
Other Considerations
Beyond how the seasons shape the space, there are also a few practical perks worth noting. One such benefit is the location and proximity to the car park. Not only can you drive straight up to the aisle, ready to walk down in style, but it's also super close, so guests with impaired mobility don’t need to walk too far to get seated for the ceremony.
Its location is also a unique space to the main reception and cocktail area, allowing guests to see various parts of our vineyard wedding estate as part of your special day's formalities. It also makes guests feel like they are travelling from one entire venue to another, with such different spaces between each element of the wedding day.
Final Thoughts
Few places capture the romance of nature quite like The Chestnut Tree, a space where history, beauty, and love intertwine. This ceremony location should be high up on your Auckland wedding priority list. From the tree itself to the colours of the flowers, your guests and wedding photographer will love being there to capture the moment you make that lifelong commitment. If you’d like to check out The Chestnut Tree and explore our other ceremony locations at our Kumeu wedding venue, contact our team to book a private viewing at Markovina Estate.
