Reviews
Where possible we love to post reviews from our couples of their day. Of course these reviews are not compulsory and thus have been given with full permission of our guests. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and we look forward to hearing from you. Greg & Mel
Greg & Mel Coles
Photo credit: @laurajohnsphoto
Chelsea & Jack
The most beautiful wedding venue & accommodation in south Canterbury!!
We will forever be grateful for Mel, Greg & Whitney. They were amazing hosts, easy to communicate with, very knowledgeable & just super down to earth lovely people.
My parents & grandparents stayed there for 4 nights. Myself & one of my bridesmaids stayed the night before the wedding in the bridal suite. Mel & Greg have done such a beautiful job of all the rooms, very modern & homely with comfortable beds, plush pillows & lovely linen. The rooms had fantastic lighting for photos of us girls getting ready the morning of the wedding.
Mel & Whitney put on a delicious spread of breakfast for us all the morning of the wedding with fresh fruits, muesli, croissants, toast & eggs plus tea & coffee. Which was also offered to my parents & grandparents for the other mornings they were there.
The reception hall was the perfect size with a good size dance floor & plenty of room for a head table & roomy guest tables.
They provided the beautiful wooden tables & cross back chairs which fitted perfectly with our rust & ivory decor.
Whitney had made up & sent through the ideal table setting which was then set up for us before we got there on the Friday so we could just get straight into decorating.
Mel, Greg & Whitney set up all our chairs for the ceremony & did all the final touches the morning of while we relaxed & got ready for the day.
Whitney was super helpful & had all our nibbles & drinks ready for our guests after the ceremony & was always around if we needed help. She is very knowledgeable with everything wedding related & it was lovely working with her.
The next day everything was packed down & put in a pile for us to easily pack into the car thanks to them.
We could not have done it without you Mel, Greg & Whitney! You went over & beyond for us & We are over the moon with how perfect the venue was, highly recommend staying here or hiring the venue for an event.
Photo credit: @laurajohnsphoto
Sian & Nathan
I highly recommend Kingsdown Manor and Mel and Greg as a wedding venue and BnB. We were absolutely thrilled with how our big day went with the owners and team really going out of their way so that it all ran as smooth as possible. My husband and I used the hall, gardens and chapel and the transition between all areas was seamless and unproblematic.
It was fantastic to be able to use the bridal suite after the wedding and the night before. The amenities were deluxe and really felt like we woke up refreshed and ready to start our married life together. My favourite spot of the whole venue is the courtyard, I have fond memories of our wedding singer serenading the guests for our cocktail hour. Again thank you so much to Mel and Greg for making our day so memorable!
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The hall and garden areas were a great size for our 96 guests. We used the gardens for our ceremony and chose Kingsdown Manor, as we knew the chapel could be used in case of rain which made a lovely backup option.
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We were busy setting up for the wedding the day before with Mel, Greg and Whitney all helping us set up all the tables and put together all of the finishing touches. Whitney was amazing putting together all of our cheeseboards and organising all of the vendors during the day so that me and Nathan didn't have to worry about anything.
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We also highly recommend using eventbrew for alcohol and drinks, Robin and Andie for photography, country feasts for food, the wooden spoon for cake and Danny Atkinson for all things music!
Photo credit: Robin + Andie Photography
Photo credit: @AGNESGRACE_PHOTOANDFILM
Ella & Dylan
Hi Mel and Greg,
Firstly we just want to say a huge thank you for everything you did and provided over the weekend. The place was beautiful and we were so happy with how everything turned out. All the guests were so impressed by the venue and we also were very much wowed by your hospitality and all the included features.
Whitney - thank you so much for all your help in the lead up and on the day. You were so excellent to work with and so efficient and organised which really helped us with planning. All the best wishes for your new upcoming and exciting adventure!
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Thank you so much once again for everything. It was the perfect day!
Ella and Dylan
Tori & Cam
Mel and Greg are attentive, friendly hosts and owners of Kingsdown Manor, and they made our wedding day the most memorable and special day of our lives. With their individual expertise and our mutual love of music, we couldn’t quite believe how lucky we were to cross paths with such wonderful people, who were a delight to work with.
Together, this couple of 33 years have a strong bond and love that is reflected in every detail and gesture around this magical Manor. Future couples are spoilt for choice with the many locations onsite to hold a ceremony and reception with the Chapel, Barn and Courtyard. For our special day, we choose our love story to continue under the very chandelier we sung our first duet of ‘In a Crowd of Thousand’ from Anastasia the Musical, to seal this momentous occasion. From there, the courtyard, which has been beautifully manicured and decorated with an eye catching archway is the perfect location for group photos. No need to go offsite for photos either, with the many indoor and outdoor spaces to pick from, so you are covered no matter the weather. The chapel is an intimate and beautiful space, and we choose to use this particular space for our speeches and reception.
Should you choose to stay upstairs in the bridal, fairytale or honeymoon suites, be prepared to have your breath taken away. Not only is the lighting idyllic and perfect for getting ready photos, the beds are the most comfortable to sleep in for the night before the big day, and after a night of dancing. The generous bath was a welcomed treat, and the views from every room were like something out of a movie. From morning to evening, this venue provides all you could possibly imagine and more.
Mel and Greg went the extra mile to ensure the day ran smoothly, were personable, and loving and gracious hosts. Two such genuine and generous souls, and it was a pleasure to meet you. I highly recommend Kingsdown Manor to anyone who has an upcoming event. Big thanks from Mr & Mrs Sutcliffe.
