WHY YOU SHOULD GET MARRIED IN NEW ZEALAND: A ROADTRIP STORY
It all started in a small city at the top of the South Island. Nelson is a cute little city where my friend Ashleigh had been living for the last nine months. She'd been offered a new role up in Whangarei (North of the North Island) and was in the process of moving up North. I was in the country for Christmas and some wedding photography, but had a little gap in my schedule. So I offered to fly down and do the roadtrip up with her. The roadtrip was beautifully scenic, crazy fun and filled with adventure! Here's a recount of my favourite spots, and why you should definitely be getting married in New Zealand.
MARLBOROUGH:
The South Island of New Zealand gets all credit for that classic kiwi beauty, and driving through the Marlborough Sounds, you can definitely see why! We had rain and cloud and all the things you don't want on a roadtrip, but it was absolutely stunning. I've never expereience such stillness and beauty in a landscape as that of Marlborough Sound. I genuinely think this is one of the loveliest places to get married in New Zealand. It's serene, quiet and only a short drive from Nelson or Blenheim easily accessible for such a beautiful spot!
WELLINGTON:
Catching the ferry from Picton to Wellington was an experience I'll never forget. We managed to get ourselves a window nook and the views were spectacular! As we came into Wellington harbour and drove off the boat I was struck by how cool a city Wellington is. With it's tall skinny buildings and cultural vibe, its so unique in New Zealand. I'm photographing my first Wellington wedding this year and I'm super excited to photograph a wedding in this awesome city! There are so many awesome sculptures and monuments, a beautiful rugged coastline and cute buildings - what more could you need for some epic urban wedding photographs.
PALMERSTON NORTH & MANUWATU:
My family moved to Palmerson North a few years ago now, and although I've never lived there myself, I'm slowly getting to know it. What I didn't realise until I started spending time in this city is how beautiful the scenery surrounding it is! I've since done engagement shoots down at the esplanade and up at Stormy Point with Terri and Will. Liana, Dan and I explored some rugged west coast beaches around Bulls and some gorgeous woodland areas. Who knew it was such a gorgeous part of the country?
RAGLAN:
Raglan already has a reputation of being a beautiful holiday spot in New Zealand. What I didn't realise is there are some really lovely venues to get married in Raglan. Ash and I stayed at Solscape when we visited. Solscape is a surf and yoga retreat with epic views of the west coast beaches. It also homes a tipi forest - which is the perfect place for an intimate wedding! I'm not normally much of a camper, but sleeping in a tipi nestled in a forest in the middle of nowhere was an amazing experience. Getting married at Solscape is a chance to bring all the boho vibes to your wedding day and really get immersed in nature. With a venue like this, you can't help but feel grounded and remember what it's all about at the end of the day - declaring your love for one another (and a beautiful setting doesn't hurt!)
AUCKLAND:
In the last few years I've spent most of my time in London, and being away from home has made me realise how great a city Auckland is! The rest of the country looks down on it - too busy, so much traffic, a rat race they say. But when you experience a city of 10 million people, you realise our 1.5 million coastal city is actually pretty neat. Not only are there countless beautiful beaches and bush walks, but the city has some quite cool reception venues too. I photographed Caitlin and James' wedding out at Orewa Beach and then headed in to the Bluestone Room for their reception. the nature/urban combination wedding is something I highly recommend - why not get the best of both worlds when it's so accessible to us?!
Wherever you're getting married in New Zealand or abroad, I'd love to hear all about it xx
