Justin Aitken Photographer

Justin Aitken Photographer 5x NZ Wedding Photographer of the Year
Fun + Doco Style + Chill Vibes
Papamoa/Tauranga based. Will travel.

Personal, creative and professional photography services in New Zealand. Beautiful and authentic products that you'll be proud to hang on your wall!

They’re patiently waiting…And for some geeky photography talk…. First time creating a bokeh pano shooting right into the...
10/08/2026

They’re patiently waiting…

And for some geeky photography talk…. First time creating a bokeh pano shooting right into the sunset, came out kinda cool 😎 🌞

Back to Eagle Ridge Estate and Winter is officially showing off.I’m convinced we’ve had better weather in the BoP this W...
16/07/2026

Back to Eagle Ridge Estate and Winter is officially showing off.

I’m convinced we’ve had better weather in the BoP this Winter than we did all Summer. Not complaining... but someone should probably have a chat with the seasons.

Eagle Ridge delivered another one of those sunsets - sky just showing off.

Billy the dog naturally decided he deserved some airtime too. Fair enough. He’s got the charisma so he deserved it.

Espresso martinis were flowing, the food was as good as ever, the fire kept everyone toasty, and the Highland cows once again proved they’re the hardest-working unpaid wedding models in New Zealand.

Every single guest had a handwritten message waiting at their seat. All 120 odd of them. Time, thought and effort there!

Emotional speeches, a dress change to keep everyone on their toes, and a dance floor that absolutely clocked in for overtime thanks to Matt on the DJ decks.

Also... black & white looks so good on these two.

Another Eagle Ridge day. Another ridiculous sunset.

Vendors:

Photography - Justin Aitken Photographer
Venue/Food - Eagle Ridge Estate
Celebrant - Wedding Celebrant Tauranga
Hair & Makeup - Lipstick & Co
Wedding Dress - The Bridal House by Corina
Suits - Bond&Co Fine Tailoring for Men
Rings - Diamonds On Richmond
Flowers - SweetPea&Jasmine
Music/DJ - MASSIVE MUSIC NZ
Cake/Dessert - Spongedrop
Stationery - Kale Print
Transport (Bus) - Nev’s Bus & Coach Hire

It seems like small and intimate weddings are having their moment lately.This one at The Falls Retreat felt like autumn ...
14/06/2026

It seems like small and intimate weddings are having their moment lately.

This one at The Falls Retreat felt like autumn had personally RSVP’d to be a guest.

The rain turned up early, did a quick appearance, then politely moved on as if it had checked the run sheet and noticed the ceremony was at 3pm.

The autumn colours are still hanging on around Falls Retreat too. Leaves scattered across the ground - nature spent the morning decorating before the guests arrived.

Inside, the fireplace was warm, cosy, and where people wanted to be.

And the food...

I know I talk about food a lot. I’m aware of this. But Falls Retreat is a great place to eat (if you’re ever in Waihi then go have lunch there, you won’t be sorry)

Good people, autumn vibes 📸🍂✨

Vendor shoutout:

Photography - Justin Aitken Photographer
Venue & Catering - Emma Walters
Celebrant - Mat Delaney
Cake & Dessert - 🅻🅴🅽🅰
Hair & Makeup - Beauty Tribe | Makeup + Hair Styling NZ
Wedding Dress - Idora Bridal Sydney
Suit - Oscar Hunt
Rings - ATLAS JEWELLERS PARRAMATA
Flowers - Your Local Florist

E-shooting with a prism, always fun. I didn’t think much of this image when I first shot it, but it always surprises me ...
25/05/2026

E-shooting with a prism, always fun. I didn’t think much of this image when I first shot it, but it always surprises me what we can create in post production with some pretty simple editing. As usual, always find myself torn between colour and b&w

Amanda & James under the beautiful Mount Te Aroha, with the Kaimai Ranges quietly showing off in the background all day....
14/05/2026

Amanda & James under the beautiful Mount Te Aroha, with the Kaimai Ranges quietly showing off in the background all day.

Awesome Autumn day too, my favourite time of the year.

Church ceremony and a bridal party that operated almost entirely on laughs and good energy.

One of the most special parts of the day though was Grandad, 97 years old and still there taking it all in. Massive respect. Moments that carry real weight.

Formalities wrapped up and dance floor completely changed personality, and got into the fun big time.

Beautiful people, beautiful location, big family energy, and a day that felt properly full from start to finish.

Photography - .aitken
Hair & Makeup -
Food/Catering -
Wedding Dress -
Alterations - .creative
Bridesmaid’s Dresses -
Groom’s suit -
Suits -
Celebrant - Fr Mark Field
Venue - St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Te Aroha
Rings -
Flowers -
Music/DJ/Band -
Furniture Hire/Marquee etc -

Courtney + Daniel smashing it out for their Eshoot, giving Beth and Rip vibes 🤠 Always good to get out in my backyard an...
08/05/2026

Courtney + Daniel smashing it out for their Eshoot, giving Beth and Rip vibes 🤠 Always good to get out in my backyard and create some fun frames 🌞 🌅

Tarsh & Brendan at Eagle Ridge Estate on a proper Autumn day 🍂 The place was looking unreal… crisp air, golden tones, ev...
07/05/2026

Tarsh & Brendan at Eagle Ridge Estate on a proper Autumn day 🍂 The place was looking unreal… crisp air, golden tones, everything behaving like it knew it was on camera.

Bridal party banter was elite from the jump. No warm-up needed. Just straight into it.

Always rate it when the kids are part of the day too. Adds that extra layer of chaos and heart at the same time. The good kind.

There was an old school orange Toyota Corolla in the mix, casually stealing scenes like it’s been waiting years for its comeback moment.

Food was doing what it always does at Eagle Ridge, being tasty as ever.

Birthday month antics made another appearance, which I’m now convinced is a full-blown wedding tradition.

Then… things escalated slightly.
Sparkler situation got a bit enthusiastic… which led to a surprise visit from a fire engine. Everyone’s fine, just a friendly reminder that fire… is in fact, fire 🚒 and it can spread soooo quickly 🔥

Dance floor? Very active. Strong commitment across the board from all involved.

And the sunset… honestly, it pulled up like it had a point to prove. After a full day of action, it just casually dropped a “by the way, I’m the main character here” performance. Bit like showing up late to a party and still stealing the show.

Big day, big energy, a few unexpected plot twists, and an awesome crew that made it all work.

Massive thanks to the vendors who always make these days come together behind the scenes. All the staff at Eagle… the real MVPs. 📸✨

Photography - .aitken
Venue + Catering -
Celebrant -
DJ/MC -
Florist -
Makeup -
Cake -

Back to Eagle Ridge Estate for Caitlyn + Sean’s mega day….and somehow everything threaded the needle perfectly.Timings?...
12/04/2026

Back to Eagle Ridge Estate for Caitlyn + Sean’s mega day….and somehow everything threaded the needle perfectly.

Timings? Perfect!
Ceremony + all the good stuff… wrapped up just in time before the rain rolled in nice and politely, before Cyclone Vaianu blew in.

The cows made an appearance.
So did the dung 😂
Everyone handled it like professionals. Plenty of laughs.

Birthday month antics back again, which I’m starting to think is less of a moment and more of a movement.

The crew? Calm, slick, cool as cucumbers. Just a bunch of top class cats who made the whole day feel easy.

Eagle Ridge has also added some new swings and structures… which basically means new toys for me and some new photo ops.

Then the dance floor kicked off and, as expected, things got loose.

Good timing, good people, a bit of farmyard reality, and a very solid day all round. 📸🌧️🐄✨

Vendors:

Photography - Justin Aitken Photographer
Venue and catering - Eagle Ridge Estate
Celebrant - Tauranga Wedding Celebrant
Flowers - SweetPea&Jasmine
Cake - THE FLOUR PROJECT
Hair and Makeup - Beauty Tribe | Makeup + Hair Styling NZ
Wedding Dress - Madison Rose Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses - BRIDESMAID & EVENT DRESSES Designed By Miranda Cobb
Suits - Rembrandt Menswear
DJ - Groove DJs

Out to the beautiful East Coast for this one… Te Kaha doing what Te Kaha does - quietly reminding everyone how good this...
08/04/2026

Out to the beautiful East Coast for this one… Te Kaha doing what Te Kaha does - quietly reminding everyone how good this part of the country looks.

A proper DIY home wedding right on the coastline, ocean backdrop. Raw, relaxed, and full of solid charm.

Another first (it’s the season for firsts it seems).....Random opshop plates everywhere… and not just for looks. Every single one was different, and by the end of the night they became gifts for guests to take home. Elite level wedding detail. Getting everyone involved washing their own plate before taking it home - yet another first haha.......very good.

The kai absolutely showed up.
Crayfish.
Oysters.
Pork Belly.

Such good food…exactly how it should be.

Then there was the private beach area, which was honestly ridiculous. The kind of spot that makes your job feel suspiciously illegal because surely you shouldn’t get scenery that good and so easily.

A solid haka came through too, with Te Huia joining in and bringing the kind of energy that doesn’t just fill a space… it shifts it.

And of course, Bruce the dog was roaming around like he owned the joint. Which, to be fair, he may well have 🐶

East Coast magic, epic people, unreal food, and a beach setup that was doing far too much in the best way. Solid day hanging out with the bro Kutz on video too.

Vendors:

Photographer (.aitken ) Videographer ( ) Band ft Sammie (, ) Singer ( ) Sound () MC ( ) Celebrant ( ) Catering ( ) Flowers ( ) Makeup ( ) Hair ( ) Marquee & Equipment ( ) Seating, Bar Leaners, Cushions ( ) Cutlery, Jugs, Handles ( ) Venue - Airi Kāinga ( ) Dresses ( ) Groom ( suit, boots) Groomsmen ( pants, shirts) Liquor ( , whakatane, , , )

Karlynn & Shaun, and my first time back at Markovina Estate in a very long while.The grounds are still looking sharp, be...
02/04/2026

Karlynn & Shaun, and my first time back at Markovina Estate in a very long while.

The grounds are still looking sharp, beautifully kept, and very much scoring gold in the scenery department.

A surprise announcement, always a fan.

The food was top class. Yes, I know I always talk about food. No, I will not be stopping. Food deserves airtime.

There was plenty of rain doing its thing, but honestly, it just became part of the day’s character. Bit dramatic, bit romantic, bit “New Zealand would like a word”. Land of the long white cloud and all.

Then the dance floor kicked off, bubbles started flying, and things got appropriately loose.

A wet one, a fun one, and a very solid return to Markovina.

Vendors:

Photography - Justin Aitken Photographer
Venue + Catering - Markovina Vineyard Estate
Celebrant - Siobhan Swartz
Hair/makeup - Fresh & Flawless Hair & Makeup 〡Auckland
Wedding Dress - Bridal and Ball NZ
Suits - yd. Australia
Rings - ANNI LU Jewelry
Flowers - Forage + Form- Auckland Floral Styling + Events- Becks
Cake - Cakes And Desserts

Address

Tauranga

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

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