Wedding Industry Awards 2023: Karapiro's The Red Barn has won the Outstanding Wedding Venue of the Year and Wedding Planner of the Year. Photo / The Red Barn
Wedding Industry Awards 2023: Karapiro's The Red Barn has won the Outstanding Wedding Venue of the Year and Wedding Planner of the Year. Photo / The Red Barn
The Waikato is THE place to tie the knot - judging by another big win for the region at the New Zealand Wedding Industry Awards.
The Red Barn, located between Karāpiro and Tirau, has been crowned outstanding wedding reception venue after Woodlands Estate in Gordonton took out the award for Outstanding Ceremony Venue last year.
It was a double-win for The Red Barn, as the team also won the Outstanding Wedding Planner award.
Managing director of the Red Barn, Bridgette O’Sullivan, said it was a “monumental achievement” for her and the team.
“We are absolutely thrilled to win the awards... Our committed team ... pours their heart and soul into making each event at The Red Barn special,” she said.
“To see our collective passion and dedication being recognised on such a platform is a testament to every single individual who has been part of our story.”
The Red Barn’s story can be traced back to the early 1900s.
The Red Barn managing director Bridgette O'Sullivan with the two awards the venue won at the New Zealand Wedding Industry Awards 2023. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“It used to be a livery stable for stagecoaches to change their horses on their journey through the Waikato,” O’Sullivan said.
However, her story with The Red Barn began about 100 years later, in 2006, when she and her husband, thoroughbred horse trainer and former champion jockey Lance O’Sullivan, bought the Rockspring Farm, on whose grounds the barn is located.
“We purchased the farm as a home and the barn was part of the deal ... a nice bonus, if you will,” Bridgette said.
“We had a few private parties here and everyone always loved it because of its homely feel and we wanted to see [the barn] used.”
So in 2008, the O’Sullivans decided to officially open their gates as an event venue.
“We started small, in our first season we had four weddings, but since then we have been going from strength to strength. Last year we had 74 weddings.”
One of those weddings was that of Waikato couple Eilish and Nathan Colvin.
Nathan and Eilish Colvin got married at the Red Barn last year. The Red Barn is well known for its long scenic driveway. Photo / Jordan Reid, Alexandra Weddings
“We had heard about the Red Barn because it is close to where we live. Then, a couple of vendors they work with posted on Instagram about an open day at The Red Barn,” Eilish said.
“We [initially] didn’t consider it [as a venue for our wedding] too much but when we went to the open day, it was basically love at first sight.”
Eilish said what stood out to her was the beauty of the venue.
“It’s very versatile, you can make it what you want it to be.”
When it came to the big day, Eilish said the team had everything run seamlessly.
“My husband and I didn’t have to worry about a thing we could really enjoy the wedding.”
The Red Barn is located on Rockspring Farm in rural Waikato, between Karapiro and Tirau. Photo / The Red Barn
When asked which wedding stuck with her the most, O’Sullivan said it was hard to pick.
“All weddings are special in their own way ... at one wedding about a year ago, the two brides loved their dogs, two little pugs, so much that they were the bridal party. One of the pugs was dressed in a little tuxedo and the other one was wearing a dress,” she said.
“We also had the lead singer of the band The Monroes get married here. She surprised the groom by playing ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri on a grand piano after she walked down the aisle. That was really special.”
“We also have a number of in-house options for catering, we have a head chef, Harry Williams, and a hire range of archways and decor. And there are 500 acres of land for photos, including a beautiful fern grotto.”
The Red Barn also has a wet weather ceremony option called The Shed, which has been purpose-built.
Weddings, without catering and decor hire, start from $10,000, but the venue is also open to corporate functions.
Bridgette said her team ultimately had one overall goal.
“We love to share this beautiful property with people, we want people to have a great time here.”
The annual Wedding Industry Awards recognise New Zealand’s wedding industry professionals and their achievements in close to 40 categories.
The Wedding Industry Awards were founded by Pete Duncan and his wife Valeta in 2014 to formally recognise wedding industry professionals and their achievements.
Together, the Duncans run the Rotorua-based wedding business The Love Company (formerly known as The Wedding Guy Company).
