Donkeys wedding venue Tauranga

Guest Blog – Kelly Scawin – Floral Designer – Hand-Picked Flower Company

My husband and I were lucky enough to book Old Forest School for our wedding in 2016. It ticked all the boxes for us as we had friends and family coming from all over the world and we really wanted to bring them together in style. Old Forest School offered us the outdoor setting we …

Plants wedding tables

Botanical inspiration

Flowers and greenery play an important role in the decorating plans of most people on their wedding day. As an alternative to traditional flower decorations have you thought about using live plants instead?  We recently had botanical expert and young entrepreneur Theo Spargo stop by for a visit at Old Forest School, and luckily for …

Wedding venue making a difference in the environment

Old Forest School – Vintage Wedding Venue are proud supporters of the Rotoehu Ecological Trust (RET), here’s a few words about RET from their Chairperson Sarah Orton.

You can find out more at the Rotoehu Ecological Trust website.

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Rotoehu Ecological Trust (RET) first became a concept in 2011, before officially becoming a registered charitable trust in 2013. We operate primarily in Pongakawa Ecological Area (650 ha), which forms part of the wider Rotoehu Forest Conservation Area (some 3,500 ha). In 2015 we added the Otari Block to our management area, bringing the total managed area up to 750 ha. The Trust manages the land in partnership with the Department of Conservation, and in particular looks after a Category One Site (one of only five in the country) of North Island Kōkako (Callaeas wilsoni) population of around 150 birds that is present in the forest. The kōkako are our keystone species and RET works on the theory that if we protect this endangered species then the whole ecosystem will benefit, particularly from pest control.

Rotoehu Forest is located some 30 minutes from Rotorua and Tauranga, on Rotoehu Road. In addition to the kōkako population, the forest is also home to whitehead, the New Zealand Bush Falcon, grey warblers, tomtits, geckos, and giant rewarewa, rimu and puriri trees. The Trust protects these native assets by carrying out weed and animal pest control including for possums, rats, mice, mustelids, hedgehogs, wild/feral cats, wallabies, blackberry, pampas and wilding pines.

In addition to working with the local Department of Conservation office in Rotorua, RET has also formed valuable relationships with other local and national conservation groups and entities including Kōkako Specialist Group, Kaharoa Kōkako Trust, Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust, Manawahe Kōkako Trust, Kōkako Organic Coffee, Old Forest School, Little Miss Rose Photography, Kaingaroa Timberlands, Ngati Makino, Te Puke Forest and Bird and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

RET first came into contact with Old Forest School around 2013 when we were looking for a venue, close to our patch of bush, to hold a thank you BBQ for our volunteers. It was our first operational year as a Trust and out then chairperson, Murry Clode, recommended Old Forest School as he was friends with the owners, Su-an and Alastair McMahon. The Old Forest School has always been a beautiful and serene place, but back in 2013 Su-an and Alastair had only really begun to cherish it again after years of neglect.

For RET though it was, and continues to be, perfect. Over the last four years the relationship between Old Forest School and the Trust has flourished. Su-an and Alastair always love having the Trust, our guests and our volunteers out to use their beautiful facilities (indeed we frequently get told we need to make greater use of the School). In addition to hosting volunteer BBQs, the School has also hosted Kōkako Organic Coffee in their restored on-site accommodation last year when they came down to volunteer with the Trust, and again this year when Kōkako Organic Coffee returned, bringing with them local cafes Artisan and Abracadabra.

Su-an, Alastair, and their daughters Holly and Rose are always the perfect hosts, keen to show off their latest additions to the School, whilst making their guests feel warmly welcomed. The whole family take an avid interest in RET’s activities, always wanting the latest news on our kōkako, and working on new and exciting ways to further strengthen our relationship. Old Forest School’s ultimate goal is for the Trust’s activities to be so successful that they have kōkako in their backyard, adding to their dawn chorus.

Rose, of Little Miss Rose Photography Ltd fame, also professionally supports RET, acting as the official photographer and videographer. Thanks to her hard work and talent behind the lens, and with the support of her sister Holly, Rose has produced some outstanding photos that capture the very essence of the Trust’s conservation work, and the dedication of our volunteers. The fact that Rose managed to perfectly capture an elusive kōkako on her first outing into the bush is a source of annoyance for Roger, one of our Trustees, who had been trying to do the same, unsuccessfully until this year.

Over the last four years of running RET I have come to realise the importance of the support we receive from the groups and volunteers that we engage with. RET’s passion is for our conservation work, restoring and protecting a small part of our natural environment, enriching it for future generations, and ensuring the continued success of the endangered kōkako. But it is the reciprocal passion that we receive from our volunteers, Kōkako Organic Coffee and Old Forest School that truly helps to drive us forward. People like Su-an, Alastair, Rose and Holly take our passion and enhance it a hundred fold. We at RET as so lucky to be able to use the Old Forest School, and count them amongst our supporters, and more importantly, amongst our friends.

He aha te mea nui o te ao
(What is the most important thing in the world?)

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
(It is the people, it is the people, it is the people)

Maori proverb

Thank you so much Old Forest School

Sarah Orton
Chairperson, Rotoehu Ecological Trust

Yay sign wedding venue

A Soft Spot for Brides & Grooms at Old Forest School!

I married my hubby at the stunning venue of Old Forest School in December, 2014. It was the best day of my life, a busy crazy time, but like most weddings, it came together beautifully after a dash (a ton) of planning and organisation. Having married at OFS, I am extremely biased and overly proud. I can’t stop raving about it should a somebody spark up a conversation about becoming engaged or a whisper that they are on the lookout for a special venue.

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My husband and I planned our big day from London, so I can relate to brides and appreciate how hard it can be for brides to find decorations in New Zealand. Something that might look remotely like the Pinterest board you have made of your dream wedding day.

Since returning home from London I have settled in Mount Manganui and continued my passion in marketing and events. I now work for a lovely inspiring company Eventfull. The first mission on my agenda was to figure out how I could support brides, who like me struggled to find beautiful décor for my day.

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I have to admit, Old Forest School is one of those magical places, where you don’t actually need a lot of decoration. The surroundings of this venue is naturally beautiful. But if you are anything like me, you might want a theme or splash of colour to tie your event together. Something that might interest you are our LED lights that glow beautifully inside our huge white globes, our natural wax LED candles for your tables, or our biodegradable confetti (just hose down and it will disappear).

As a local supplier, we would like to offer brides and grooms of Old Forest School 10% store wide (code supplied by Old Forest School, make sure you get in touch for the code). To find out more about what we products offer, check out our website or to gain ideas join our Instagram page, where we post our images of our products in a wedding setting.

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We are always happy to help, so if you need any advice or support please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Lots of love,
Shaina Low

www.eventfull.co.nz

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Get in shape wedding venue Tauranga

Let’s get you fit, strong and confident for your Wedding Day

This guest post was written by Jason Whitelaw from Beyond Fitness.

This is going to be one of the most extraordinary days of your life! With all the things on your list of things to work on for the big day – have you considered adding yourself? Your wedding day is the perfect motivation to kick-start a healthier you, and get you in the BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE!

At Beyond Fitness in Tauranga we have helped a number of brides and bridesmaids to look and feel amazing for their momentous occasion in as little as 6 weeks! We would love to share a handful of our favourite tips to help you too…

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We love and encourage STRENGTH TRAINING for women! If you have doubts about incorporating a quality strength training programme into your weekly routine because you “don’t want to become bulky” PLEASE READ ON! We understand that there are certain stereotypes that fit with the idea of lifting weights. The purpose of this blog is to assist females in busting the myths and understanding the benefits of strength training!

*** (If you’re still not convinced by the end of the blog – try asking Su-an! As we know she has recently become a great advocate for strength training)

We recommend doing strength training at least 2 x per week, and here’s why…..
Strength training helps burn calories – resulting in fat loss!

You burn more calories during a quality strength workout, as opposed to steady state cardio exercise! Why? Your body recruits more muscles and therefore needs more energy to perform the exercises.

Strength training can boost your metabolism by 15%

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Following a strength workout your body will also continue to burn calories, a process commonly known as the “after burn” – your body must work to re-build muscle which requires extra calories. This may mean that you needn’t stray too far from your current diet in order to achieve your desired results ─ as long as you eat good healthy foods in moderation. (We can help you with this too!)

Strength training will add definition to your muscles

When you push yourself to lift weights, your muscles will get stronger and denser (not necessarily bigger!) – you will burn the fat on top of your muscle, and you will get that “toned” look that many people are after.

Strength training to boost energy levels and improve your mood!

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Strength training elevates your level of endorphins (natural opiates produced by the brain), leaving you feeling energised and alive. Strength training has also been shown to be a great antidepressant and tool for stress relief. It will give you a better night’s sleep, helping to calm the thousands of thoughts in your mind in planning for the big day!

A final note – we really encourage people to work out with their future husbands or wives / bridesmaids / groomsmen / friends / family members to share what can be an awesome experience and achieve great results together. There’s nothing better than having a loved one keep you accountable on your health and fitness journey.

Hopefully you can take something away from this blog, ladies. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Beyond team.

Jason is excited to be tying the knot at Old Forest School on the 3rd of Feb 2017! Jason co-owns and operates the exclusive Beyond Fitness Training Studio based in Tauranga. Beyond Fitness specialise in personal training, group training and physiotherapy.

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In Jason’s words – “At Beyond we help improve the quality of life through increased health and fitness”. If you are interested in one of Beyond’s ‘Wedding Training Packages’ or some personal training please contact the team to find out more…. We would love to help and be a part of the exciting time you have ahead in planning your big day!

If you would like more information or to contact Jason…

email: info@beyondfitness.co.nz
ph: 07 571 6745
www.beyondfitness.co.nz

festoon barn wedding

Let there be light – Light Viking

This is a guest post by Darcia from Light Viking.

Special events are magical…. Surrounded by loved ones, dressed up to the nines, with lovely food and drinks to enjoy.

It’s important for your venue to provide a fantastic setting to ensure yours and your guests’ comfort – from our experience, Old Forest School – Vintage Venue are most definitely one of those venues. Being set on a historical school site offers so many options not often available at large gatherings – for example, having a pool to swim in, tennis courts, a cricket pitch – good golly – such fun!

For us personally, our favourite aspects of Old Forest School aside from the delightful hosts, are their gorgeous barn, the seriously cool touches of authentic vintage to be found dotted about the venue, and the strands of festoon lights draped romantically across the party areas. The latter of which brings us to our favourite discussion – event lighting.

Event lighting sounds very grand, but unless you are looking for something akin to a big stage production, many whimsical and gorgeous lighting touches can be added to your party without breaking the budget. Here are 3 ways to light up your event…

1. Fairy Lights – there are seemingly a gazillion fairy light options available these days… and many ways that the humble fairy light can transform an area. An extremely simple DIY is a jar with a strand of the battery operated seed lights woven through marbles or glass beads, offering a sparkly little glow for table settings or pathways. They could also be suspended from above, placed on shelves – you are limited only by your imagination with these quick and easy little wonders.

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This amazing table setting was created by Tricia Saroya, North America. And whilst it is insanely gorgeous, if you deconstruct the elements, it is completely achievable should you desire – just be sure to practice before the big day…. And allow plenty of time to create!

2. Candles – so versatile, and by putting them into vintage jars (or any jars for that matter) you can keep mess and danger to a minimum. Battery operated candles are available too, and can be quite difficult to tell from a real one.

A very easy DIY, as seen here, is simply candles, jars, a holder (could be a basket, a wire basket, a wooden crate – there are many potential options), some pretty blooms, and a place to display your creations. Sand in the bottom of the jars helps to stabilise the candles, and will also catch any wayward wax if you are using real candles. If you use some scented candles, you will also add another dimension – essential oil candles can set the mood perfectly.

3. Include a budget for a Lighting Stylist to transform your event. A lighting stylist will have a variety of lighting elements on hand, and many will have styling packages available, including hire, setup and deconstructing after the event. Hiring a Lighting Stylist will eliminate the need for you to source, purchase and set up your lighting, and give you quite a bit of bang for your buck, because a lighting stylist is, by very definition, someone who lives and breathes beautiful lighting scenarios. Additionally, they will quite often be incredibly creative, assuring you of a unique and bespoke style for your event. From the beautifully basic, to the out of control gorgeous, the right lighting stylist will be sure to meet your requirements and budget with a serious touch of fancy and bling.

So, if you are a DIY kinda person, or prefer to have your lighting dreams brought to life by a professional, there are endless lighting options available. Be sure to check what your venue offers in terms of “additional lighting” they may also be able to recommend a Lighting Stylist if you choose to go that route – word of mouth is often the very best reference.

Most importantly, when all is said and done, your event is about you and your loved ones enjoying one another’s company, and creating memories to be cherished forever more.

About Light Viking: Established in 2013, Light Viking is a Bay of Plenty company who manufacture Vintage Style Marquee Lights, and provide Lighting Styling services. They have a variety of decorative lighting options for hire.