In 1999 Zinny and I became engaged, we had 6 months to organize a wedding, a very daunting task since we were living in the UK and getting married in New Zealand. So we asked Sue to coordinate our wedding. She is one of the most creative ladies I know!
Sue had some wonderful ideas for our wedding and basically any idea she came up with, I would agree.It could have been a logistical nightmare organizing a marquee wedding on Waiheke Island, but it was absolutely no problem to Sue and in fact she totally thrived on the experience! She organized everything from the rose petals for the confetti to the state of the art portaloos!!
I definitely could not have done it without Sue and her incredible enthusiasm and the thing about Sue, is that she never does anything by half. She puts her heart and soul into anything she undertakes and the results are amazing! Sue is a wonderful wedding coordinator that made my day very relaxed and special !!
Alison and Zinzan Brooke
We just had to say thank you for an excellent lunch a month ago. You really have done the place like a palace, with excellent food and service.
My clients consider that this lunch was the best out of three weeks trip. Just like to say THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK!!
Best regards
Monica Aberg
Swedish Tourist Travel Group
Thanks again for such a superb reception; the food was absolutely divine!
We had such a lovely wedding - better than our dreams...lots of people commented on how nice cassels was as a venue.
Katrina & Adrian Schoone
Wedding 20 Nov 04
I am writing to thank you both so much for a fabulous day last week. I have had several people ring to express their enjoyment. Everyone enjoyed the space that you and John have so successfully created and also please thank your staff for their contribution to a most enjoyable day.
The food was exquisite and I particularly enjoyed the very beautifully smoked ham, which I know you smoked yourselves. Absolutely delicious!!
Brenda Higgins
Secretary, Interior design Guild
Xmas Lunch Dec 04
An absolutely fabulous venue. Both the inside and outside areas are well designed for a wedding reception. A great setting. The organization of Sue and John pre & during the event, were first class (faultless). They thought of every small to large detail, to make our day a great success and something special.The food is something else. A large selection of delicious dishes were made available for our guests. I received excellent feedback from our guests, as to the selection & standard of the food. Heaps was supplied superbly cooked and well presented.
What more can I say, Cassels is a first class venue. You will not be disappointed, you will have fond memories of a great day.
Phil Hickin (Father of Bride - Nov 04 Wedding)
Director IBIS Ltd
Thank you so much for providing a venue that was truly magical for my daughter and son-in-law and of course the whole wedding party. Right from the start people felt welcomed and excited about what lay ahead as we all joined together in the celebration. Your little extra touches, e.g. the pashminas for those who felt cold, the drinks on arrival, and the antipasti, all contribulted to a superb wedding reception. Many spoke of your personal interest in the success of the evening and how attentive you were to the needs of the guests. The room looked exquisite; the table decor, the candles and the ambience provided by the magnificent open fire. Other positive comments were given about the quality of food and how delicious the woodfired salmon was...and of course the French Croquembouche made by Cassels...that was such a hit! I would therefore not hesitate to highly recommend your place to anybody requiring a venue of the highest quality and the best of service.
Mike Williams - Father of the Bride
wedding Aug 05
Thank you so much for your understanding about postponing the date of our scheduled wedding from 26 Feb 06 to 24 Feb 07.
You have been so lovely to deal with in all aspects of booking and altering. You have created such an amazing place to share and experience what is the most memorable day of most peoples lives. I have referred two people (indirectly and directly) to Cassels and both have had the same warmth and feeling and also felt that there was nowhere else but Cassels to get married! So a huge thank you for your kindness and understanding, and we look forward to sharing our most special day with you at Cassels.
Mary Teirney & Simon Lytollis
- upcoming wedding in Feb 07
Hi Sue .....THANKS so much for making our day so wonderful! We had a fantastic time at Cassels, you were absolutely lovely! I would recommend you and your venue to anyone, in fact I have! Everyone enjoyed themselves! The food and venue are just great! So thanks again for having such a lovely venue and great staff! And being so helpful and enthusiastic!
Cherie & Matt Sharp
Wedding 25 Feb 06
Hi Sue
I attended Grant and Kirstyn's wedding at Cassels last night and just wanted to tell you that I was most impressed with the venue, it is a truly beautiful setting. I just love your taste in decor - you have great vision. I must also mention, the food, service and organisation was to perfection.
Debbie Timmins (Guest)
Wedding March 06
Thank you so much for such a superb day last Friday. Wow! everything well exceeded our expectations. Very professional and personal staff. Everyone commented on how lovely everything was, from the food to the handcream in the bathrooms. What else can we say, our wedding was perfect! Great job, you really are setting the bar high.
Kirsty & Jason Beacham
Wedding April 06
I just wanted to let you know what a fabulous day we had at my daughter and son-in-law's wedding on 7 April 2006. Your establishment is just superb and nothing was too much trouble for you and your staff. We thought the pashminas for the guests was a great idea and everyone commented on this. The food was fantastic, so tasty and what a mouth-watering selection. Your staff were very friendly and helpful, your attention to detail and organisation on the day was faultless. I want to thank you both again for an absolutely fabulous day, we think about it often and I speak for all who attended. You certainly will be recommended by us to everyone else contemplating a wedding. Thanks again!
Liz McIlvenna
(Mother of the Bride)
& Laurie Burt
(Master of Ceremonies)
All a parent can hope for on the day of their daughter's wedding is that they contribute to it being the best day of her life thus far. However, they can't do that on their own and Ngaire and I want to say how much we appreciated your wonderful help and professional support leading up to and during ""the day"". It was simply outstanding and went beyond the bounds of our very high expectations.
Sincerely
Murray & Ngaire Beckman
Wedding May 06
Hello Sue & John
First of all I would like to say a big ""THANK YOU"" for all the hard work you guys did for us on our wedding day. I have received so many compliments from the guests, they said the venue is beautiful and the food was perfect.
Well done to everyone at Cassels.
Once again THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Alex & Brenda
Wedding 14th May 2006
I am writing to congratulate you on a wonderful facility with truly professional presentation. We were guests at the wedding last Saturday and were enormously impressed by the set up you have and the flawless function.
Your attentiveness to us as guests was way beyond expectations: friendly, discreet staff, attentive touches such as the offer of pashminas in a range of colours to suit any outfit as soon as a breeze came up, wait staff offering not just delicious nibbles, but in a manner that was discreet yet attentive as to our needs for a fresh plate, a clean napkin, another wine or more water. Similarly, throughout the meal, your thoughtful staff never missed a beat.
As West Auckland residents for more than 30 years, this is the first time we have come across a function centre that we would be happy to use ourselves in both our business and personal lives. Our experience has been that The West is not only short on facilities that are tastefully presented, but that food and staff are not at the top level. Now that Cassels is out west, that deficiency has been rectified.
We offer our appreciation, and our very best wishes for your business longevity and prosperity.
With kind regards
Laraine and Jolyon Allen
Dear Sue and the rest of the team at Cassels
Well, where do I start?!!
Sue, right from the very beginning, you made us feel like our wedding day was the only one you were hosting at your venue. You made us feel so valued and special. You were undeniably organised and more than efficient. You made communication with you so very easy when we were finalising and changing (yet again!!) more arrangements.
When I arrived on our wedding day, you could not have managed to make me feel more than at ease. You were my “thinking cap†for the day, how could I ever say thank you enough?
Our guests were absolutely blown away at your venue. The garden for our ceremony was so stunning and so far the photos we have seen from our guests are just perfection with the beautiful scenery that acts as a native backdrop.
I like things to be more than organised and perfect and you exceeded my expectations by a mile.
The interior of Cassels was set exactly how I wanted it and how you managed to tie in our white gerberas with black sequins just finished the look.
The food was exquisite- please thank the chef. Our guests could not believe the high quality of the food. And, how could I not mention the magnificent profiterole cake? It was just breath- taking.
Not only would Cam and I go out of our way to recommend Cassels as a chosen venue, but so would our guests.
I hope that our paths cross again at some stage - you have inspired not only myself, but Cam and our families to ensure that a special event is made to be so special.
Lots and lots of love
Cam and Penny Powell
Hi Sue & John
Thank you so much for a fab night last Saturday!!!! Everything was perfect, from the canapes to the cheeses, everyone raved about the food and service and how fanastic the venue was. Thanks to you and your team for giving us a magical wedding reception, we loved every minute of it and we didn't want to leave the dance floor!!
I will be telling everyone I know to have their reception at Cassels!!!
Thanks again for everything.
Vanessa & Matt Perry
Wedding 3rd Feb 07
We truly had the most magical, perfect wedding day. Not a thing went wrong, thanks to Sue’s dedication (and patience!), her attention to detail and the efficiency of the wider Cassels team. I was constantly forewarned by family and friends that things do go wrong on wedding days, and to take it in stride, but astonishingly nothing went wrong; everything was perfect. Friends and family have commented that ours was the best wedding they’ve ever been to. So much of this is due to the stunning venue – with its unique style, spaciousness and relaxed feel. And so much due to the experience the staff gave our guests. Sue understood that we wanted our wedding to be a party at which we were being married and she obviously communicated this well to her staff; Cassels sure does put on a great party. Thank you Sue, John and team for making our very special day truly magical.
Tui & Hamish
Wedding 9 March 07
Hi Sue
Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the part you played in Claire & Sean's wedding on Saturday. It was an absolutely magical day and we had such a ball!!! I know Claire was delighted with how it all came together on her big day and is very grateful to you for all the hard work you put in to make it all happen. A beautiful sunny day, very yummy food, good wine and a very stylish and elegant venue - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Regards
Marie Bymolt
Claire & Sean
Wedding 12 January 08
To Dearest Sue and John
Where to start!!! right from the very beginning just on the look and layout of Cassels I knew it was my dream venue. From the grass isle leading to the fountain garden, the large under cover cobblestoned area, the decor and layout inside, and then there was the classy toilets (which guests commented on you know) to my most favorite Italian Gazebo. There was no if's or buts I was going to get married there! Then came the prompt friendly and helpful replies to my millions of emails, and the consultation visit in which absolutely everything I was going to ask or had concerns about, Sue had already thought of and gave me my answers before I had to even ask anything. This was how the communication remained; right through till both Sue and John said personal good byes at the gate 12.30am following our wedding night. The practice rehearsal was nothing short of extremely well organized either. When the groomsman were mucking around and not listening she made sure they knew where to stand, when to move, where there hands needed to be - the list goes on, needless to say they got it all right on the day thankfully.
When I arrived at Cassels on our wedding day my bridesmaids were waiting for me under the small erected gazebo with Sue personally checking that I was feeling ok and wishing me good luck with a hug. The music was cued at exactly the right times, just to ensure it was all impressive to our guests. The garden looked stunning with planters, market umbrella's and seating, the lawn looked like it had been hand cut that morning! John worked the bar all night ensuring everyone had what they needed and the staff were out of this world professional. They all seemed quite young but with their mature manner, positive attitude and finely tuned waiting skills everything during the meal went without a hitch, all the guests were impressed with the food and everyone wanted to know what the "curls" were, just as Sue said they would.
I really could go on and on I have no idea what my day would have turned out to be if it weren’t for the patience, support and guidance from Sue and John, they truly belong in the wedding business and set the standard for any other venues that hold weddings.
Thank you both so much for what you gave us, it was without a doubt the best day of our lives and so many people said apart from their own wedding ours was the best that they had been to……both Paul and agree that largely comes down to both Sue and John as well as the staff at Cassels.
The best Wedding venue ever!!!
Nikki & Paul
29 Nov 08
Sue and John,
Thank you for all the organization and for hosting AJ and Shane’s wedding at Cassels.We have received many favourable comments about the venue, menu and service plus some nice photographs from guests already to remember the occasion. How lucky we were to have a nice fine day for AJ and Shane to marry with the rose of love in full flower atop. We will certainly cherish the memories for years to come and be pleased to recommend your wedding service and venue.
Jeff & Rosemary Jackson
Shane & Alexandra
Wedding 8 Nov 08
Well it really has been sometime since I married Tim at Cassels. I wanted to send you an email as I wanted you to know that I still think of Cassels with warmth and loved my day, I'm jealous when others get married now as I want it to be mine again!! We received so many comments about your venue, all were great. Thank you so much I can safely say that I wouldn't change a thing on my wedding day.
Kindest regards
Kirsty (nee green)
Wedding 10 Jan 08
Dear Sue and John,
Scott and I would like to extend our huge gratitude to you for helping to make our wedding day so special. The experience I had working with you both was brilliant, you are such lovely, positive, professional and organised people. I thought that the service you provided was absolutely brilliant and worth every penny. The feed-back from our guests has been fantastic with many of them commenting on what an amazing venue Cassels is, what delicious food they had and how smoothly and enjoyable the day was. Knowing that we had the support from the Cassels team doing all the necessary things to make the day perfect was a blessing.
My brother Richard who was the MC said that he was very impressed that you both guided him through the things that he had to do to make the day run smoothly.
We shall highly recommend you to friends looking for a wedding venue in the North Island.
We appreciate it so much that you made us feel special on our day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Victoria
Wedding 10 Jan 09
Thank you again for everything you both did to make our day such a special occasion. We are both so appreciative and will continue to recommend Cassels to any friends and family getting married.
Alicia & Earl
April 2009
Hello Sue & John
We Just wanted to wholeheartedly let you know how much we appreciated your support, ideas and meetings we had with you over the last 6 or so months. Our wedding last month as just such a lovely afternoon and evening, you two are truly a wonderful duo and took such great care of everyone, you made our beautiful wedding such a memorable day. If it had not been for your stunning venue and overall encompassing experience you provided, we doubt the day would have been as amazing as it was. We mean this from the bottom of our hearts. You are both such wonderful people and it has been a pleasure to get to know you. We hope to see you again....quite soon.
Andy & Louise
March 2010
To Sue & John
Thank you so much for the wonderful wedding you put on for Michelle and Andrew. Everyting was perfect and we couldn't have asked for more.
Please congratulate the chefs as well - many people siad how much they had enjoyed the buffet - and one guest, a chef, said it was the nicest wedding buffet they ever had.
Thank you all so mcuh for making our day so perfect.
Kerri & Steve (Parents)
Michelle & Andrew
April 2010
Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU or everything you did to organise our wedding at Cassels. We had an amazing day and Cassels looked just lovely. All of our guests really loved it and I've recommended it to a few of my friends who are now engaged as they loved it so much.