A Photographer’s Guide to Turanga Creek Weddings & Events
By Lisa Monk Photography
As a local wedding photographer, I’ve been lucky enough to capture weddings at Turanga Creek Weddings & Events in Whitford, Auckland since 2018. Honestly, it never gets old. It’s one of those venues that feels special every single time.
Set amongst rolling vines, valleys, bushland, and open skies, Turanga Creek has that perfect blend of rustic charm and natural beauty.
Whether your ceremony is lakeside, under the beautiful trees around the back overlooking the vines, or inside the warm timber-beamed venue, there’s no shortage of beautiful backdrops; and every couple can make the space feel like their own.
From a photography point of view, this place is a dream. The west-facing golden hour light is just magical! Soft, warm, and perfect for portraits that feel romantic and timeless. I know all the best little corners of the property for photographs, and having worked here so often, I can plan your day with that in mind, so we’re in the right place at the right time for the best light and the very best Wedding photographs.
Turanga Creek isn’t just beautiful; it’s also incredibly practical. There is…
- A Bridal Suite onsite for getting ready (and staying overnight if you wish.) This makes the morning feel so much more relaxed. You can have your Hair and Makeup Artist onsite, and you don’t need to get in and out of cars and wrangle Auckland traffic on your Wedding day (how good is that?!)
- Guest accommodation pods, so your favourite people can have a few drinks and don’t have to travel/ uber after the party.
- A lush canapé lawn, where guests can enjoy delicious capapes, drinks, lawn games and laughs. Think fun in the sun!
- Covered spaces for both your ceremony and photographs if the weather has other ideas.
- And yes, plenty of parking, which is one of those things no one thinks about until it’s a problem!
The food and wine are incredible. Every time I’m at the venue, I hear guests raving about the menu.
The team are just as impressive. They are professional, friendly, warm, calm and helpful. They really go the extra mile to make sure your Wedding day runs smoothly.
As the lady behind the lens at Lisa Monk Photography, I’ve captured dozens of weddings at Turanga Creek. Knowing the best light, the best angles, and how to navigate the day with ease means you can relax and focus on enjoying the moment—while I focus on documenting every detail of your day beautifully.
I go out of my way at every step to ensure you receive a Wedding Photography experience unlike any other. This is your love story and your Wedding day. It’s beautiful and unique. My commitment is to capture it skillfully, artfully, and authentically so that one day you can share it with your children and grandchildren.
If you’re planning your Wedding at Turanga Creek Weddings & Events and want a photographer who knows the venue intimately, I’d love to chat. Let’s make your vineyard wedding everything you’ve dreamed of.
Turanga Creek Weddings & Events Lakeside
The lake at Turanga Creek is simply stunning. Certainly, one of my favourite spots to capture beautiful Wedding photographs of my special clients.
It amazes me how different is looks as the seasons change/ pass throughout the year.
In autumn it’s bright and vibrant with hues of red, orange and yellows shining through in the foliage of the edges of the lake. In December there are more muted greens, browns and soft yellows. No matter what the season the lake is always an incredible spot for beautiful Wedding photographs that you will cherish forever.
(Photographs by Lisa Monk Photography – Copyright 2025)
Turanga Creek Weddings & Events; Ceremony Area Overlooking The Vines
This is definitely my favourite ceremony spot at Turanga Creek. It’s rustic, beautiful, overlooks the stunning vineyard, it’s tucked away at the back and away from the road. The amenities (bridal suite, bathrooms, canape lawn) are all close by and the beautiful trees provide shade cover in summer.
(Photographs by Lisa Monk Photography – Copyright 2025)
La Serra; An Indoor Ceremony Option At Turanga Creek Wedding & Events
A warm and inviting wooden building at the front of Turanga Creek Weddings and Events.
Unfortunately, Auckland’s weather is unpredictable at best! Fret not! La Serra is a great wet weather option if the weather has other ideas on your Wedding day.
Many other venues don’t have a dedicated ceremony space option for wet weather. Turanga Creek does and it means you can relax and not stress about the weather on your Wedding day.
(Photographs by Lisa Monk Photography – Copyright 2025)
Turanga Creek Wedding Reception Area
Combining rustic and modern, the macrocarpa and redwood is so stunning in the centenary building where Turanga Creek Wedding receptions are held.
The windows break the room into seven different pictures allowing guests to enjoy the beauty of the vineyard from different points of view.
The use of solid oak tables keeps the wooden ambience along with comfortable seating.
There are set areas and spaces for the buffet table and dance floor. Options for photo booths, sweet stations, your cake, wishing well and present area and more.
(Photographs by Lisa Monk Photography – Copyright 2025)
Canapé Lawn - Fun in the sun!
One of my favourite parts of the day at Turanga Creek is watching guests relax and unwind on the canapé lawn.
It’s the perfect space for mingling and plenty of room for lawn games, drinks, and platters of delicious canapés.
There’s something so special about that time. Friends catching up, families connecting, kids running around barefoot, and everyone enjoying the sunshine with a glass of their favourite drink in hand.
It’s those in-between moments that bring so much joy and really set the tone for an unforgettable Wedding celebration.
(Photographs by Lisa Monk Photography – Copyright 2025)
Bridal Suite
There is a bridal suite onsite at Tauranga Creek for getting ready (and staying overnight if you wish.) This makes the morning feel so much more relaxed and means you can have your Hair and Makeup Artist onsite, and you don’t need to get in and out of cars and wrangle Auckland traffic on your Wedding day (how good is that?!)
Guest Accommodation Pods
So your favourite friends and family can have a few drinks at your Wedding and don’t have to travel/ uber after the party.
Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
The food and wine at Turanga Creek Weddings & Events is incredible. Every time I’m at the venue, I hear guests raving about the menu. The team are just as impressive, professional, friendly, warm, and always calm and helpful. They really go the extra mile to make sure the day runs smoothly.
There really is so much on offer at this Auckland Wedding venue and so much to love about Turanga Creek!
If you are planning on or looking at getting married at Turanga Creek Weddings and Events I do hope this information has been helpful.
Your Wedding Day Your Way!
Thanks so much for reading! This is part one of a two part blog post on this Wedding venue. Be sure to go to part two of this Turanga Creek Weddings & Events blog. In the next part we check out all of the incredible photo spots, dreamy sunset photographs and of course the fun part; the dance floor captures. See you there. In the meantime, happy Wedding planning!
What It's Like To Have Lisa Monk Photography Capture Your Wedding Day
Kind words from past Wedding clients…
“It’s so hard finding a photographer especially when you have the pressure of knowing how much of a HUGE part they play in capturing your wedding day. You go through so many online portfolios, you receive so many recommendations and you read so many blogs sharing about who they are that finding one who fits what you’re looking for becomes almost impossible.
Lisa Monk Photography was actually mentioned by Tania Sevesi our celebrant but once we read a bit about her and saw some of her work, we knew she was our photographer and regardless of the fact she was recommended, we knew we would’ve found her ourselves anyway. 🙂
Lisa Monk usually works alongside another photographer but for our wedding she was assisted by another EXTREMELY talented landscape photographer, Nathan Kavumbura who is freaking amazing!!! They both work so amazingly together and are just really chill, down to earth and just genuine people which helps so much especially on a day that has so much potential to be overwhelming and stressful.
Another great thing about Lisa, is that she actually checks out your venue beforehand and puts her talent to work finding the perfect places for photos and exploring lighting options. Sunset photos were something we disregarded from the beginning thinking that because of the timing it wasn’t an option, but then without even mentioning it, Lisa brought up the idea and a way that it could work so we decided to run with it. Safe to say, our sunset photos are our absolute FAVOURITES! She really puts her all into making sure you get the best shots possible. I could not recommend Lisa Monk Photography enough!! She’s just a genuine person capturing genuine moments “
Tessa and Ale