A North Canterbury wedding venue where guests can explore an old-fashioned shopping street, view vintage tractors and wander through more than 100 years of rural history is opening its doors to the public.

Rossburn Receptions, tucked away on a family farm in Spark Lane near Rangiora, will hold an open day this Sunday.

Organiser Sheree Roberts said, “Couples planning a wedding, along with people searching for a venue for a celebration or special occasion, will be able to explore the chapel, reception centre, gardens and museum, and meet local wedding suppliers.”

“What sets Rossburn apart from many traditional wedding venues is what guests discover beyond the reception room,” Roberts said.

Northbrook Colonial Museum, which is connected to the wedding complex, contains 1,200 square metres of New Zealand social history.

Its displays include Rangiora’s original Post Office clock, an old working printing press, historic household appliances, children’s toys, clothing, cooking utensils and an early shopping street featuring a grocer, chemist, hardware shop, photographer and butcher.

The museum also holds what its owners describe as New Zealand’s largest collection of old bricks.

Wedding guests are able to explore the museum between the ceremony and reception, providing an unusual experience while the couple and wedding party are having photographs taken.

There is also a separate tractor museum, containing what Rossburn owners said was the largest collection of pre-1940 Allis-Chalmers tractors in the Southern Hemisphere.

The collection began in 1975 when the Spark brothers decided vintage tractors needed to be preserved. It now includes 40 tractors, including the 13 different wheeled tractors and three crawler models produced by Allis-Chalmers before the Second World War.

The venue’s story stretches back considerably further.

Rossburn is the name of the property’s more than 100-year-old homestead and family farm. The Ross family arrived in New Zealand from Scotland during the 1870s, bringing seeds from some of the trees which now tower over the grounds.

The name combines the family name Ross with “burn”, the Scottish word for a stream. Northbrook Stream continues to wind its way through the property.

The Spark family took over Rossburn in 1942.

Rossburn Receptions was built by Richard and Dawn Spark in 2002, after Richard had spent about 20 years developing his social history collection.

The reception centre was originally intended to accommodate visiting bus groups, although the family decided to make it large enough to host the occasional wedding.

Since then, about 400 weddings and hundreds of other celebrations have been held at the property.

A purpose-built, non-denominational chapel was added in 2010, allowing couples to hold their entire wedding at one location regardless of the weather.

Set against mature elm trees, the chapel is linked to the reception centre and museums by a covered walkway.

One of its most distinctive features is its set of historic kauri entrance doors, dating from 1880.

Outdoor ceremonies can also be held beneath the established trees or within the gardens, with extensive lawns providing room for photographs, entertainment and special wedding arrivals.

The reception centre can seat up to 150 guests and features a silk-lined ceiling, macrocarpa dance floor, stage, commercial kitchen and large open fire.

The open day will give visitors a rare opportunity to see how the chapel, gardens, museum and reception centre work together as one complete wedding destination.

Rossburn Receptions Open Day
Sunday 23 August
11am to 1pm
Spark Lane, Rangiora