Explore Christchurch's Christmas Party Venues

Are you planning a Christmas party in Christchurch? Whether it's for work, family, or friends, there are many venue options to suit every style and budget. Christchurch boasts beautiful function rooms in the city and lovely outdoor spaces, making it an ideal venue for your end-of-year celebrations. Here's what you need to know to organise your perfect Christmas party in Christchurch.

What to Look for in a Christmas Party Venue

Here are key factors to consider when choosing a Christmas party venue in Christchurch:

Capacity & Layout: Make sure the venue can comfortably hold your guest list. There should be enough room for guests to mingle, eat, and dance. Also, check if the venue can provide formal seating, cocktail seating, or special areas for activities.

Catering Options: Make sure the venue can fit all your guests comfortably. It should have enough space for mingling, dining, and dancing. Check if the venue has formal seating, cocktail tables, or special areas for activities. For drinks, consider whether the venue offers bar tabs, cash bars, or beverage packages.

Atmosphere & Styling: Modern and trendy or warm and rustic? Some venues arrive fully decorated, while others are bare canvases for you to add your own style. Inquire about décor, lighting, and if you can supply your own. Otherwise, you may have to use their choices.

Location & Transport: Select a venue that's accessible by public transport or has onsite parking. If your event's running late, consider off-site accommodation for overnight guests or those with safety concerns.

Entertainment & AV: Planning speeches, a DJ or a live band? Ensure the venue has suitable sound equipment, a dance floor, and the flexibility to accommodate external entertainment.

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Book Early—Then Double Check

December is a busy month for events in Christchurch, so venues fill up quickly, especially on Thursday and Friday nights. To get your preferred venue, start looking 3 to 6 months in advance. Confirm your booking and review important details, including time slots, inclusions, and deposit terms. Booking early gives you more options, less stress, and better deals on packages and pricing.

Establish a Realistic Budget and Prioritise What Matters

Before you start planning, first set your total budget. Then, break it down into parts: venue hire, catering, drinks, entertainment, styling, and extras like transport or gift bags. Decide early what matters most to you—whether it's a nice space, great food, or good music. This will help you avoid overspending. Christchurch offers a variety of venue options at different price points, allowing you to find something that suits your style and budget.

Choose a Fun Theme or Dress Code to Set the Tone

Think about themes like "Summer in the Alps," "Classic Kiwi Christmas BBQ," or "Glitz & Glam." Choosing a theme, whether it's formal, festive, or fun, helps your guests know what to expect and makes the event more enjoyable.

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Plan Engaging Activities and Entertainment

A successful Christmas party needs more than just good food and drinks; it should create memorable moments. You can add a photobooth, a live band or DJ, holiday games like trivia or Secret Santa, or a short awards segment for corporate events. Christchurch has many local vendors who can help add interactive and personalised touches to enhance the atmosphere and encourage conversations among guests.

Confirm All Suppliers and Run Sheets Ahead of Time

One to two weeks before your party, check that all your bookings are confirmed. This includes the venue, catering, entertainment, styling, transportation, and any rented equipment. Create a schedule for the event that lists key times, such as setup, guest arrival, serving food, and entertainment or speech times. If possible, ask someone to help coordinate everything on the day of the event. This final step in your planning will help everything go smoothly so you can enjoy the event you worked hard to organise.

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Make It a Christmas in Christchurch to Remember!

With its mix of beautiful venues, festive hospitality, and stunning summer weather, Christchurch is a top pick for end-of-year celebrations.

Need help finding the perfect spot? VenueNow makes it simple to find, compare, and book Christmas party venues in Christchurch. You can do everything in one place. Our venue experts are ready to help you plan a memorable festive event.

How much do christmas parties in Christchurch cost?

Based on VenueNow's historic data, on average, Christchurch christmas party venues cost between 110 to 165 NZD per person. For example, an event for 100 people could cost between 11000-16500 NZD. Costs may differ based on your food and beverage requirements, AV requirements, event date and time and the type of venue you decide to book.

What should I consider when comparing Christchurch christmas party venues?

There are a number of different factors you should consider when comparing Christchurch christmas party venues. Firstly, you should review the standing and seated capacity of the venue to see if they can fit your attendees. Next you should review the costs associated with hiring the venue such as venue hire fees, food & drink packages, additional costs such as audio-visual equipment, and whether there is a minimum spend to hire the venue. Other important factors include the location, aesthetic, amenities and facilities of the venue to understand if the venue fits all of your requirements. A great way to do this is review the venue's listings on VenueNow and review their function packs attached to the page.

How do I find and book Christchurch christmas party venues?

Finding and booking Christchurch christmas party venues is easy with VenueNow. Simply follow these steps: (1) Enter your location, event type and number of people into VenueNow's search engine. (2) Narrow down your search results by adding filters such as your event date and time, preferred room layout and budget. (3) Once you've found some venues you're interested in, visit the venue listings and send your enquiry via VenueNow. The venue will receive your enquiry immediately and respond to you within 24 hours via email. We recommend contacting 3-5 different venues to ensure you get the best price. (4) Venues will respond with a quote via email based on your requirements, and may suggest alternate dates when they can host your event. (5) Once you're happy with the quote, you can confirm your booking with the venue, pay your deposit and start planning your event.

How far in advance should I book Christchurch christmas party venues?

On average, VenueNow customers book a venue 90 days in advance of the event. In some cases you are able to find venues that are available at short notice, however, availability for your preferred date and time may be limited. For large corporate events or weddings, we recommend booking your venue at least 3-6 months in advance, to ensure plenty of venues are available and you can lock in the best price for your requirements. Larger events also typically require additional planning with your attendees as well as any suppliers that may be required for the event.

Can VenueNow help me find Christchurch christmas party venues?

We sure can! Not only can you find and book venues via on VenueNow yourself or using our Match AI feature, our team of Venue Booking Experts can help you find the perfect venue, collect quotes from multiple venues on your behalf, negotiate the best price with venues and book venues, all for free. Simply send us your event brief and our team will be in contact with venue recommendations within 24-48 hours.