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R and B standing in front of the villa and its clipped parterre hedges at Villa Candotti, Colyton
Real wedding · Palmerston North

R & B at Villa Candotti, Manawatū.

A Friday in January at the Italian garden out in Colyton, from the first look to the first dance under a clear marquee.

By Ryan Clark2 min read

Home/Journal/R & B at Villa Candotti, Manawatū

R & B got married at Villa Candotti in Colyton, about 20 minutes out of Palmerston North, on a Friday in January 2026. Ceremony, photos & reception all happened in the garden, so nobody had to get in a car all day.

Villa Candotti, Colyton

Villa Candotti is a private Italian Renaissance garden on Reid Line East. Tall Italian cypress trees lead up to the villa & its loggia, & around it there are clipped parterre hedges, ivy arches, an olive grove & fountains. It's by appointment only.

The bride walking down the long avenue of Italian cypress trees towards the villa at Villa Candotti

Getting ready & the first look

R got ready, then met B out in the garden under the wisteria for a first look before the ceremony.

The bride in her veil getting ready beside a bookshelf on the wedding morning
The bride walking out between the cypress hedges in her gown
The groom turning to see the bride for the first time under the wisteria
The couple hugging during their first look beside the old garden gate

The ceremony

The flower girls came down the cypress avenue first, then R walked in. They said their vows in front of the ivy arches, B wiped away a tear, they signed on a wine barrel, & went straight into a dip on the way back down the aisle.

Two flower girls walking down the cypress avenue holding baskets
The bride being walked down the aisle past the stone urns
The outdoor ceremony in front of the ivy covered arches at Villa Candotti
The groom wiping away a tear during the vows
The first kiss in front of the ivy arches with the groomsmen clapping
Signing the marriage register on top of a wine barrel
The groom dipping the bride into a kiss halfway back down the aisle
The newlyweds sharing a kiss as they walk back down the aisle
The whole wedding party and guests cheering together in the cypress garden

Portraits around the garden

We didn't leave the property for a single photo. The parterre hedges, the reflection pond & the loggia are all in the one garden.

The couple kissing under the bride's veil in the garden
The groom lifting the bride's train beside the reflection pond, black and white
The bride swishing her gown through the clipped parterre hedges with the groom holding her train
The couple sitting together under the loggia of the villa

The reception

The reception was under a clear marquee on the lawn, so the garden stayed in view through dinner. Guests had darts, cornhole & a pool table, the cars had ribbons on them, the flower girls & the bridal party wore matching heart sunglasses, & the speeches got plenty of laughs. Then the first dance inside the marquee.

The couple and the flower girls in heart sunglasses beside two ribboned cars
Guests playing darts on the lawn against the garden wall
Long tables full of guests under the clear marquee at Villa Candotti
A white three tier wedding cake on a draped barrel
The bridal party at the head table in matching heart sunglasses
The couple's first dance inside the marquee
The groom lifting the bride during the first dance

A bit of 35mm film

We shot some real 35mm film alongside the digital photos, including the first look under the wisteria & the long tables in the marquee.

The first look under the wisteria, shot on 35mm film
Guests at long tables under the clear marquee, shot on 35mm film

Curious about it? Here's what 35mm film adds to a wedding.

How much photo time should you plan at Villa Candotti?

R asked us this while she was putting the runsheet together. For a traditional size wedding we'd usually allow about 1.5 hours for photos in total. At one December wedding we set aside 30 minutes straight after the ceremony for a big group photo plus family & friends, then 1 hour 15 for the bridal party & the couple.

A smaller wedding can get away with less, & at Villa Candotti none of it is lost to driving. It really comes down to how important mingling is to you versus going off & getting cool photos. Our wedding day timeline guide walks through the rest of the day.

Photography collectionsFrom $2,400

See pricing →

Comparing venues around Palmy? Here's our guide to the best wedding venues in Palmerston North & the Manawatū.

Getting married at Villa Candotti, or anywhere around Palmerston North? We're based here. Send us your date!

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