Hawke’s Bay Weddings with The Dome
With it’s incredible climate, beautiful scenery, great selection of venues and delicious dining and catering options, Hawke’s Bay is a fantastic choice for a wedding location. For those coming from out of town for the big day our accommodation is the perfect environment to pamper yourself leading up to the Wedding. And if you are a Hawke’s Bay local, why not choose to stay with us to make the day even more special? With our flexible and versatile apartments and studios that can be used independently as well as in conjunction with one another, we can arrange accommodation to suit the various needs of your guests, both friends and family.
As well as stylish accommodation there are a number of things that can give your experience an extra touch of class, including:
Napier wedding photography by Eva Bradley, Hawke’s Bay wedding photographers
The Dome Wedding Experience
Imagine arriving with your wedding party in beautiful central Napier, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars and boutique stores, and bordering Napier’s scenic waterfront. On entering your accommodation be prepared to be swept away into a world of boutique. Start off with a champagne toast, then settle in to your 5-star rooms that feature majestic sweeping views, and all the luxuries you deserve. Gather in the Grand Dining Room for a welcome cocktail party, or relax in your spacious rooms while pampering yourself with in-house spa, beauty and massage treatments.
Wedding Ceremony Options
Many of our guest choose to use The Dome’s scenic views as a back drop for their wedding, however if you would rather an outdoor wedding Napier has some stunning venues. These are our top picks.
Friends Bush
This private garden blows guests away, and makes you feel like you’re in native bush, miles from anywhere. The garden is fulled with stunning trees, flowers and driftwood sculptures that provide a breath-taking back drop for your wedding photos. The garden is located 8km from The Dome and boutique transport can be arranged for the wedding party and guests.
The Napier Botanical Gardens
These gardens have been developed since 1875, and have seen some incredible weddings in the years since. The perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding, with beautiful trees and flower gardens, an abundance of bird-life, and endless opportunities for beautiful wedding photos. The gardens are around 3km from central Napier, and boutique transport can be arranged (see below).
The Sunken Gardens
Just 220m from The Dome on the Marine Parade, the Napier Sunken Gardens are small but scenic. Though very central, the layout of the gardens allows for an intimate setting for the ceremony, and a variety of wedding photos, all within walking distance from your accommodation.
Wedding Party Catering and Dining
The ceremony venues introduced above, and most others in the area, can provide exceptional food and drinks for the Wedding. Don’t forget however to organise catering and dining for the welcome party or the reception. This could include a welcome toast, a Champagne breakfast on the day, or an elegant after-party complete with wine and dancing. Our Grand Dining Room is the perfect location for this, and there are several incredible options in central Napier. Our preferred caters are Design Catering and Dish Contemporary Cuisine.
Celebrate in the Grand Dining Room
Local restaurants and catering companies are on-hand to assist with anything from canapes, drinks, glass-ware and service right through to fine dining. Choose from gourmet cocktail style plates, or course meals…whatever might suit the evening.
Intimate Dining at The Dome
If you and your guests require a more intimate dining experience we have the ideal location and can assist with planning something truly special. Course dinners with matched wines and delectable deserts are all possible – let us know what you envision and we can help make it a perfect reality.
For larger functions, the spacious and well appointed Grand Dining Room can accommodate up to 120 people standing, 50 for presentations, or 20 seated around a large table. For smaller functions, Deco Decant’s indoor and outdoor areas accommodate 80 standing. A round dining table under the actual Dome can seat 10. Dining is also available on the roof. You can self cater or we provide catering through our catering partners.
Mr D Dining
Mister D is a stylish bistro on Napier’s upper Tennyson Street, just 280m from the accommodation. They also operate a sister venue nearby, “Monica Loves”, and between these locations you will definitely find the perfect spot for your reception.
Bistronomy
Bistronomy came onto the Napier gourmet scene in 2015 and have been warmly received. An intimate location for a reception, with gourmet dishes in a contemporary designer setting.
In-house Spa and Beauty Treatments
With our flexible arrangements, creating the perfect space to have hair, nails and make-up done in the comfort of your accommodation means you can relax with friends while getting dressed up ensuring everything is picture perfect before heading off. You’ll be able to go directly from the accommodation to the wedding venue allowing you to look and feel incredible. Not only that, you can treat the whole wedding party to spa and beauty treatments the night before the big event.
Beauty Care, Massage, Spa and More
Whether it is beauty treatments or a relaxing massage the day before the wedding, or hair, nails and make-up the morning of, you’ll feel relaxed and indulged in the boutique surroundings.
Optional Wedding Party Activities
Hawke’s Bay has a range of unique activities that can be organised for both guests as well as the bride and groom and their family. Make the Wedding even more incredible by providing guided tour experiences for all. Hawke’s Bay Tourism is a great resource along with the Napier iSite. This could be a welcome cruise, a day-after trip, or something as exciting as a plane ride.
Boutique Wine Tours
If those in your group have time, a wine tour the day before the Wedding is a great way to get out and experience Hawke’s Bay, indulge in some local wines, and pick up some special bottles to take back home with you (if they last that long).
Scenic Flights
An exhilarating option for any guest, a sight-seeing tour around Hawke’s Bay will not be forgotten in a hurry. Fly over the area in a 1930s Tiger Moth – a range of flight paths are available.
Vintage Car Tours
With Napier being the Art Deco city, an excursion in vintage cars is a great way to see the area. Or organise to be dropped off and/or picked up at the venue by vintage car for an added touch of class.
Interested in The Dome for Your Wedding Experience?
We would love to help you make your wedding in Hawke’s Bay the enjoyable, memorable and incredible occasion you deserve. Contact us with some details about the kind of wedding you would love to create and we look forward to assisting you in creating something special.