The Starling Homestead
Elopements & Micro Weddings
Plan an intimate Elopement or invite your family and friends for a Micro Wedding at Waipara's popular rustic venue...
Now booking 2026
2025 bookings for Starling Homestead with Wild Union Co are officially closed!
Wild Union Co is here to help make getting married in New Zealand's breathtaking wine country and rolling hills as easy and memorable as counting 1,2,3.​​
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All inclusive elopements starting at $4950
Photography + Content Creation + Planning + Coordinating + Venue + Celebrant
The details:
Photographer + Content Creator
Planner + Coordinator
Venue + Accommodation
Scenic Locations for Portraits
Scenic Heli to Mt. Grey
Floral Options
Catering Options
Cake Options
Tablescaping
Celebrant
Hair + Makeup
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Up to 18 guests + bride & groom
How it works:
Step 1:
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Choose your photography + content creation coverage and build your elopement or micro wedding package on top of that in the booking form.
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Step 2:
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Fill in your contact details, ideal date (within 2025), and any extra notes that we might need to know or ask any questions.
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Step 3:
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We will get back to you within 48 hours confirming your booking with an invoice with a deposit required to secure your booking for the 2026 season. Bonus you only deal with two contracts (one photographer + one vendors) and invoices (all accessible in one space), simple and easy!
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Disclaimer: Bank transfers won't incur a additional fee, but online card payments will incur a processing fee of 2.7% - 3.7%
Navigation:
Service Details + Meet your Vendors
The brainpower behind the whole operation
Planning/Coordination + Photography + Content Creation by Chaznel Photography
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From the moment you book your elopement or micro wedding Chaznel will contact all your requested vendors and book them for your special day. She will be your point of contact throughout the whole process, connecting you with your vendors by being the direct message relayer. You will be put into contact with your celebrant to personalise your ceremony vows as well.
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Photo + Content Creation coverage includes:
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​​​​​Photography and Content Creation coverage (3 hour coverage with add-on for personalised scenic portraits tour)
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Complimentary elopement or micro wedding day chauffeuring to scenic photo locations​
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Sneak previews of photo + content creation within 24 hours​
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Full online photo gallery + content creation delivered within 4 weeks​
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Unlimited 24/7 logistics, planning, coordinating support​
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Unlimited vendor communication support​
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A collection of polaroids to take home on the day
Chaznel Photography
North Canterbury Elopement & Micro Wedding Photographer, Content Creator & Planning Coordinator
Starling Homestead
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Jae + Jodie
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Venue Hosts
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Venue Hire
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3 hours for ceremony + reception in the Homestead Courtyard (or inside the Homestead during wet weather)
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Up to 20 persons incl. bride + groom & children
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Tables + chairs for up to 20 persons
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Bench or mismatch seating for ceremony
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Ceremony Arch
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Wine barrels
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BYO
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Tablescaping
Please note the Ceremony time is 1pm
Flourish Events
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Cassie
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Florist + Flower Farmer
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Seasonal and locally grown blooms - available between September - May
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Bridal bouquet + boutonnière:
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One small bridal bouquet - designed to suit your style and aesthetic​
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One boutonnière
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Photographer will collect your florals if arch florals aren't booked
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Arch florals:
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Arrangement for arch (arch from The Starling Homestead)
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Setup + florist travel included to The Starling Homestead
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Waipara Hills Helicopters​​​
Flight:
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Flight to Loch Stock Lodge's private mountain
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Option to add a second trip for 2 guests/celebrant to join you on top of the mountain
Paige's Pantry
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Paige
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Fresh, Real + Local Ingredient Baker
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Cakes:
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Carrot cake with classic cream cheese icing
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Chocolate mud cake with raspberry filling and swiss meringue buttercream
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Lemon & Poppy cake wiith lemon curd filling and swiss meringue buttercream
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Vanilla cake with raspberry filling and swiss meringue buttercream
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Elopement cake - for 2
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Micro Wedding cake - up to 20 persons
Bloom Catering
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Zoe
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Grazing + Buffet Catering Genius​
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Grazing box for two:
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Includes grazing snacks, quiche, and garden salad for two
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Incl. delivery to The Starling Homestead
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Dietary requests welcome but may incur a small extra fee
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Grazing Platter for up to 20 guests:
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A yummy variety of grazing foods on a wine barrel platter
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Incl. deliver to The Starling Homestead
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Dietary request welcome but may incur a small extra fee
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Buffet meals:
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Includes 2x meats, 3 salads, minted potatoes, condiments and breads
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Per head pricing, please advise guest count when booking your elopement or micro wedding
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Travel + delivery incl. to The Starling Homestead​
Jane Godfrey​
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Woodend based Celebrant
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Ceremony includes:
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Personalised ceremony vows
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Modern Ceremony Script - option to add prayers or short readings
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Travel to The Starling Homestead
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Legal requirement support
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Meetings via email, phone, text, social media
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When you book and have paid your deposit you will be contacted by Jane to start the ceremony personalisation and legal requirement process.
Makeup by Shelby
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Shelby
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Hair & Makeup Artist
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Hair for bride, MOB, MOG and bridesmaid options
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Makeup for bride, MOB, MOG and bridesmaid options
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Hair and makeup trials available
FAQ's
How many guests can I have at the elopement or micro weddings?
You can have up to 18 guests + the bride and groom (20 persons in total). Children over 12 months old are counted as a guest.
Can we elope and meet our family and friends at The Starling Homestead?
You sure can, simply book the venue hire as well as the Waipara Hill Ceremony location when building your package. You will have 3 hours of venue hire to spend with family and friends at The Starling Homestead.
Can we stay at The Starling Homestead accommodation?
The Starling Homestead have some reno plans for 2026 meaning The Stables are unavailable, but Chaznel can send you some accommodation options that are based on the same road as The Starling Homestead.
How many hours can we book the photographer for?
You can book the photographer for 3 hours for onsite photography at The Starling Homestead with an add-on option of a 5 hour personalised scenic portraits tour of North Canterbury.
Can we add multiple scenery photo locations?
Yes you sure can, during the booking process after you have submitted your inquiry Chaznel will contact you to discuss local hidden gem locations for your sight-seeing portraits. As part of her service she will chauffeur you as the bride and groom from location to location during the coverage time.
What if Chaznel is not available?
One of Wild Union Co's associate photographers will be able to step in and take over the photography side of your booking (we will let you know about this when you first inquire). The associate photographers do not offer content creation and is only available when Chaznel is. Star Portraits is also exclusive to Chaznel.