Elwood Function Centre, located in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, is a spacious event venue set on 13 hectares of park-like grounds with views of Te Mata Peak. In 2025, they sought a modern website refresh to better showcase their amenities and convert casual visitors into booking clients. As the sole designer, developer, and maintainer, I rebuilt the site on WordPress to achieve these goals.
Goals and Strategy
The primary objectives were to present the venue’s features clearly and use social proof to build trust. The new design emphasizes a clean, contemporary layout with clear navigation and strong calls-to-action guiding users to inquire or book. Testimonials and Google review ratings were highlighted to reinforce credibility and help build confidence with prospective clients.
Venue Features Highlighted
The new site places a strong focus on the venue’s wide range of offerings. From a fully licensed bar and on-site catering to comprehensive facilities, scenic outdoor areas, and space for up to 300 guests, the site communicates the flexibility and scale of the venue. It highlights suitability for everything from weddings and conferences to trade fairs, concerts, and community events — ensuring prospective clients can quickly see the venue’s versatility and value.
Design and Development Highlights
The site was built on WordPress with a modern, responsive design to ensure seamless experiences across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Image optimization, lazy loading, and streamlined code improved page load speed and SEO. Clear calls-to-action were placed strategically throughout the site to guide users toward contacting the venue or making a booking.
The content was structured to be easy to scan, with concise menus and prominent headings. High-quality photography and visual galleries were used to showcase the venue spaces, giving visitors a sense of what their event could look like.
Social Proof and Trust-Building
Social proof was a central feature of the redesign. I incorporated testimonials, a dedicated reviews section, and embedded Google review ratings throughout the site. These elements reassure visitors by demonstrating past client satisfaction, creating trust, and strengthening the venue’s reputation online.
Outcome and Impact
The redesigned site launched in 2025 and has received outstanding feedback. The modern design, clear presentation of features, and strong integration of social proof have led to a noticeable increase in visitor-to-client conversions. The client has reported more inquiries and booking requests since launch, validating the focus on trust-building and conversion-driven design.
Conclusion
The Elwood Function Centre website redesign successfully transformed an outdated site into a modern, conversion-focused platform. By blending thoughtful design, clear communication of amenities, and trust-building elements like testimonials and reviews, the project has delivered real business results and elevated the venue’s digital presence.
