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Early in 2014 we began the search for a wedding venue for our daughter’s wedding and Ascension just ‘felt right’.  Meeting with Carlie inspired us with confidence and we knew we could trust Ascension completely to provide us with the type of venue and service we were looking for (and the bonus was it fitted with the Spanish theme our daughter had in mind).  In the lead up to the wedding, Carlie and her team were never too busy to take calls to answer questions or take note of what we were adding to the list of ‘things to do/things we would like’.  Nothing was too much trouble for them to help us with before and during the wedding.  They ensured that everything ran according to plan. 
The venue was beautifully prepared for the wedding.  Outside, where the ceremony took place was pristine and the reception area was set up exactly as we wanted with nothing out of place.  In addition, they worked closely and very well with our other suppliers (the florists, the hire companies, the cars, the photographers, the musicians), something that was very helpful to us and which relieved us of the additional pressure of having to check up on them. 
The wedding was, for us all, a truly beautiful and memorable occasion and the feedback from our guests who came from various destinations in New Zealand and around the world was most favourable.
We can only say a very big thank you to Ascension, to Carlie, Stephanie, Hannah and to all the team who made the occasion so special

Finally after 8 years of being engaged we didn’t need to look around when we took the plunge; walking into ascension we were in love! Tranquil setting, indoor/outdoor options and all you need under one roof-so to speak! The beauty of Matakana is its a gorgeous getaway and yet an hour from the city and Ascension is a jewel in its crown for sure! As many a bride will tell you, choose who you work with wisely-and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better than Carlie and Hannah! From intricately detailed planning, calm and wise advise, genuine excitement for your special day to helping you hold your large but beautiful dress! It is clear they are very passionate about creating beautiful memories for people and I will always look back fondly on seeing their excited smiles as my bundle of nerves-self wobbled off down the aisle!
We were amazed by the quality of the whole experience; wine,food, party atmosphere, beautiful amenities, outdoor games and outstanding service! We had the time of our lives and would choose Ascension again in a heartbeat!

Mrs (&Mr;) Wildbore

Five stars is not enough to give Carlie, Hannah and the team at Ascension Wine Estate, They deserve thousands!!!!

My husband and I had always dreamed of having our wedding in a vineyard setting and when we stumbled across the beautiful Ascension Wine Estate in Matakana we fell in love and knew it was the place to have our wedding ceremony and reception.

From the very first phone call Carlie was friendly, professional and extremely helpful, She helped us lock in a date and time to visit the venue and took us for a tour of the premises. Carlie also took the time to sit down with us and go over our requirements, pricing, menu’s, wine tasting and other important bits and pieces. We were so impressed with not only the venue but with the service we received that we locked in our wedding date straight away.

Leading up to the wedding Carlie and Hannah were there anytime I needed a question answered or needed something amended (and there were a lot of those believe me), I even ran wedding ideas past them which is totally not part of their job descriptions however they were really supportive and gave me their opinions which was amazing!

When the big day came around and I was so relaxed as I knew Carlie and Hannah were taking care of everything at the venue. I could actually enjoy the getting ready process and the lead up to the wedding with my bridal party and am really thankful to Carlie and Hannah for that as the last thing you need to be doing is stressing out on your big day.

When I arrived at the venue everything was PERFECT! Carlie and Hannah were there to met and greet me and made sure I was calm and collected to walk down the isle. After the ceremony the staff were very attentive and made sure our guests were looked after with canapés and drinks which made it easier for my husband and I to sneak away with our bridal party for our wedding photos. When we arrived back from having our wedding photos taken it was so good to know our guests were well taken care of, Everyone was in such good spirits and was ready to get the reception started.

Walking into the reception venue blew my mind, the place was BEAUTIFUL and the attention to detail was outstanding! The food was amazing and completely exceeded my expectations. Everything seemed to magically run like clock work so I didn’t have to worry about a thing (full well knowing that Carlie and Hannah were taking care of everything behind the scenes!).

Overall we had a perfect day/night and we would go through the whole process again with Carlie, Hannah and the team at Ascension Wine Estate in a heartbeat. If you want a beautiful wedding to remember that is stress free and everything you imagined do yourself a favour and lock in a date with these gorgeous ladies, You wont regret it! x

Wow! What an amazing venue and support and communication from Carlie and Hannah on the lead up to the wedding. The day ran smoothly and all our guests had a blast and the food is just amazing. Service was great and the whole night just felt so relaxed. There was no challenge for Carlie and the team and everything was possible. Definitely recommended!

Absolutely fantastic venue, staff, location, food, everything!

We chose Ascension Wine Estate for several reasons:

1. The location was meaningful. Rebekah and I have been coming up to Omaha / Matakana for years to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The location is not far out from the central city and on an average day takes just over an hour from the East Auckland suburbs.

2. When you come down the road heading towards Matakana, you cannot help but take a look at the Estate - stunning, making it synonymous to the region (Google it). We have been regular visitors to the restaurant and wine tasting when we come up to Omaha and always felt the food and service was excellent. A big part of the appeal was not only the stunning restaurant and belfry but also the vineyard that lays a pleasant backdrop for wedding photos.

3. The help and thought of the people from Ascensions during the wedding planning process is amazing. Firstly it was very easy to book a meet and greet time with Carlie who is an absolute specialist in helping you plan your wedding. We always felt reassured leading up to the wedding and took on recommendations from Carlie. With our wedding date being in Autumn and outside among the vines, there was always the risk of bad weather. However, there was always a back up plan to have it in the belfry,

4. The wedding day went to plan with no complaints. It was an awesome evening with great service and food. All our guests LOVED the wedding!

Highly recommend it!!!

When Jason and I were deciding on a venue for our wedding, we both loved the idea of Ascension. Firstly because it’s so beautiful, and also as we were getting married in the middle of Winter, we wanted a single venue in which we could be married, and have the reception, and I could walk into - in a long white dress, without getting wet! We thought it would probably be very expensive, but, after looking into the prices and what came with the package, we realised that it was extremely well priced, and what we considered to be good value. From the very beginning, the people at Ascension made us feel as though our wedding was the only one that actually mattered to them! And Carlie felt more like a friend chatting to us about what we could do, than a member of staff. Our wedding day was absolutely seamless. every single thing was perfect. it looked amazing, the food was spectacular and the wine was delicious, and our guests felt the same way. As a bonus, even though the weather before and after our day was torrentially bad, our day was a stunning clear blue sky day without a breath of breeze. ( I’m not sure if Ascension can actually be credited with this…. But who knows!?) the great weather meant we could stand around outside for a time to mingle with our guests before heading to the cellar for some awesome photography. I don’t think I have ever been more happy in my life. Neither of us wanted the day to end, and we stayed right to the very end. I can’t recommend Ascension highly enough. If you’re marrying the perfect partner, you deserve the perfect venue. Ascension has it all.

My husband and I had been together for 30 years and engaged for 7, we decided to have a small intimate wedding with just close family members. We couldn’t have found a better place than Ascension. The dining room lent itself perfectly for our spring-themed styled wedding. Carly knows, everybody in the industry so when I mentioned different vendors we were dealing with, like Little Black Booth she knew immediately how it would work with the venue. We were able to create our own signature cocktail which the bar staff produced effortlessly. The wait staff were so professional and really helped us enjoy our day. We enjoyed Ascensions own wines to serve with the set menu we chose. The food was outstanding. Eveyone of guests said it was the best wedding they had been to. Carly was an absolute treasure to work with. I thank Carly and her team. Our day was perfect.

Having just celebrated our first wedding anniversary it seems like a good time to reflect on the day and share our experiences with others. My wife and I chose Ascension Wine Estate as we were wanting a vineyard setting, somewhere close enough to Auckland and ideally a complete package for wedding and reception.

At first we thought the package was going to be out of our price range and the idea of having a wedding planner seemed over the top. However, after our first meeting we were completely sold on Ascension and even our toughest critic the parents were impressed. Carlie and the rest of the team are incredible and offer an untold amount of support for any bride and groom from planning down to the smallest details to delivering what was a flawless evening without any issues at all.

We took advantage of their preferred suppliers who knew how everything worked at the venue and also we knew would not let us down. The celebrant delivered a beautiful ceremony, the chef’s produced the most delicious banquet, wait staff ensured their wines were flowing while the DJ kept the dance floor packed all night long. When it came time for us to leave as scheduled before the guests we ended up changing things around as we were having too much fun to let the party finish.

While we are biased like any couple would be, we have now been to quite a lot of weddings of friends and family at a range of settings and venues and we still love everything about our day and would not change anything at all.

WOW. What magical day.

The best part for me (apart from marrying the girl of my dreams) was how easy the whole process was. From back-up plans, to ideas when we got stuck, to communicating and looking after our guests. It was all handled. Nothing was too hard or couldn’t be done.

Carlie was very friendly and hospitable every time we went to visit and we could tell that she was genuinely interested and excited about our big day.

I would without hesitation recommend Ascension to anyone who is looking for ‘that perfect venue’ We had many comments like “the best wedding I have ever been to” and “The most beautiful wedding I have been to”

Ascension didn’t treat us like a client. They treated us like family.

Thank you Carlie & Ascension.

We could not have enjoyed our day more! What an amazing venue and amazing service.

Carlie was an expert, could answer all of our questions, gave great advice and helped us solve any little problem that cropped up. Carlie helped put us at ease and it was a pleasure to have her be part of our day

Everyone raved about how beautiful the venue is, and enjoyed visiting the local sites as well. Many of our freinds and family had never been to Matakana and now they are regulars!

The other huge highlight was the FOOD!!! the best wedding food I have ever had! and that sentiment was echoed by all the guests and my husband…. who is a chef himself

We had dreamed of having our wedding at Ascension but thought it would be out of reach, however we were delighted to find it affordable and excellent value for money

We are still buzzing about our amazing day even two years on.

Carissa Pereira

Ascension were great on our wedding day. Nothing was too much hassle, and they ensured that our day went smoothly, according to what we wanted. We were very impressed with their organisation, service, and food. We had guests on the day complimenting us on our choice of venue, as they were impressed with the service and food received.
We loved Ascension’s outlook and location, and the photos we had in amongst the vines look amazing.
Thankyou Ascension for making our wedding day perfect!

We were married at Ascension wine estate in April 2013.

Everything about being married at Ascension was easy! We were initially put on a waiting list for our date while another bride made her final decision. Ascension were very good at keeping us in the loop.
During the planning process Carlie was able to book some of the vendors for us (chair covers, backdrop lighting etc). We met with Carlie a couple times before the big day to discuss the details of the day.

We had 109 guests and I havent heard a single negative review about our day. The food was amazing (the steak was to die for) the canapes, desert and plentiful wine went down a treat. Everything went to plan and if it didnt, I didnt know about it. The day was so well executed by the team at Ascension.

The only downside (if I can call it that because it really wasnt a major) was the DJ that was provided as part of the Winter Wedding Package. We gave the venue a list of songs that were ‘must play’ and it wasnt there on the day. He came equipped with a DJ set up but seemed to be playing music off his ipod…I approached him at one stage asking if he could changing the style of music as it really wasn’t suited to the crowd and initially he wouldn’t. Once he did the dance floor was completely full and people were still dancing as the lights came on at midnight.

Ascension really did give us the wedding of our dreams and the photos from that gorgeous venue are just stunning. I have had a number of people comment on it being the best wedding they have been to.

My daughter chose to get married at Ascension Wine Estate because of the tranquil setting, however, the quality of service and food that came with the wedding package exceeded all our expectations.  The Ascension team, headed by the Artisan of Events, Carlie, could not have been more cooperative and pleasant to deal with, including being able to accommodate last minute changes in numbers and arrangements.  The whole wedding was professionally managed (including having readily available alternatives in case the weather was unfavourable) and conducted in a relaxed atmosphere.  There was no rush to vacate by a certain time which was also appreciated.  Highly recommended.

Ascension is a superb venue!

Their attention to detail in the pre planning of our wedding was exemplary which ensured a day that ran without one hiccup! Carlie was a pleasure to work with and she took all the stress away which meant a very happy bride and groom.

The venue on the day was stunning. The gardens were manicured perfectly and the setting was perfect.

We chose the buffet menu to speed up the process and it was just pure class. All guests spoken to just raved about how good the food was!

Feedback from the 80 guests….the best wedding ever!

Whenever driving to Omaha from Auckland - I always noticed Ascension. From my early teenage years, I dreamt of having my wedding there.

After 10 years with my high school sweetheart we finally booked the venue. We were over the moon with the landscape, design and the reception room lay out.  It is the perfect venue.  Our photos look stunning.

As I was planning our wedding from Perth, I had a few anxious moments.  However, the staff, (especially Carlie) were more than accommodating.  They went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we wanted.  We visited the venue the day before our wedding just to go over some final touches and I have to say, meeting everyone there was just such a fantastic experience. 

Ascension also help with the hireage of anything you may need on the day.  From chair covers to special lighting.

Ascension made our wedding dreams come true and I am forever grateful. x