WEEKENDS AT TRENT'S
WORDS Liam Stretch PHOTOS Ellen Mary Taylor, Koru Photography and Sarah Clements
In recent years, Cantabrians have relished the heritage that remains in our region, and in equal part, those that have kept that history alive.
One such icon is Trent’s Vineyard. It is situated on a 50-acre park-like setting, with the jewel in the crown being an impeccably and sensitively restored, 147-year-old chicory farm building.
Many locals will remember going there before 2002 when it was open to the public, and more will have donned their glad rags for weddings and other events at this little slice of paradise over the past 18 years.
Now, the folks at Trent’s are welcoming you back to relive those memorable moments (and create some new ones) with an invitation for private bookings this summer.
The idyllic, sheltered rural setting is only a 20-minute drive from the central Christchurch and is open for hire as an exclusive venue for 40 to 100 guests on Sunday afternoons, 12 till 5pm. There’s a large garden for kids to wander and ramble about, and the day is in your hands with the sole attention of the manager and staff, the option to BYO your favourite wines and design the menu; your preference of food, drink, music, timetable, and guests. Also available are live-streaming facilities so speeches can reach friends and family who are unable to join due to pandemic travel restrictions.
As well as the historical locale, Trent’s has been fiercely loyal over the last few decades. Owned by the same family since 1997, this is a hospitality venue that has endured. While over a thousand weddings have been hosted there throughout the years, some things have not changed – with some key staff being with the business for over 20 years.
With the summer season rapidly approaching, and a reduction in domestic Covid-19 limitations, it is sure to be a bumper season for celebration, and while we can’t venture to the Mediterranean, Trent’s is a little slice of the Amalfi Coast and the Cote d’Azur, right in our backyards – dine alfresco under the shady sycamores on one of the traditional long banquet tables. Explore the sheltered lawn and fountain, conservatory, gazebo, vineyards, and pond, and you’ll be positively transported overseas – there’s no need to quarantine, and you won’t be weighed down by jetlag!
If you haven’t been in for an event by mid-summer, this stalwart of Canterbury will be holding an open day on 24 January 2021, and the public is invited to pop by to take it all in. You’ll find it down a beautiful country driveway off Trents Road, a stone’s throw from Prebbleton.
If you’re ready to book or would like more information, please call or email the venue manager on 021 112 3591 / info@trentsvineyard.co.nz.