New Zealand’s natural beauty, combined with a rich cultural heritage and world-class hospitality, makes it an ideal destination for unforgettable weddings. If you’re captivated by the idea of tying the knot in such an enchanting setting, be sure to check out our wedding packages for a truly magical experience.
When planning a destination wedding, you need to know about your location – that’s why we provide New Zealand (NZ) information online here.
New Zealand – Aotearoa is not, by area a large country. Only about 270,000 square kilometers making it very similar in size to Japan, England or Colorado.
With only 4 million population New Zealand has approximately a third still in National Parks, stunning lakes and unpolluted beaches. New Zealand is the land to unique birds, flora and the people are proud of their Natural Heritage.
Land of The Long White Cloud, Aotearoa
From the top of the North Island to the bottom of Stewart Island the distance is only about 1600 kilometers, making New Zealand easy to travel – the reason for such popularity for tourists.
New Zealand offers so much… Lakes in the North Island are volcanic cratered and in the South Island many are glacier feed, fishing in the rivers is popular with a variety of fish. Walking on the beaches which are a precious part of the inheritance of New Zealanders, bungy jumping, exploring caves, and flying over the famous Southern Alps, skiing, water rafting is just a little part of what makes New Zealand so exceptional. This range of activities and attractions make it the perfect destination for a New Zealand wedding holiday.
New Zealand is a paradise on Earth, with breathtaking landscapes and serene natural beauty.
The Climate
- Spring – September, October, November
- Summer – December, January, February
- Autumn – March, April, May
- Winter – June, July, August
New Zealand has in principal a diversity of temperate climates. In the far north the area has subtropical weather during summer, whilst the inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10 degrees Celsius in winter, the majority of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and abundant sunshine.
Because New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere, the average temperature decreases as you travel south. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20 – 30 degrees Celsius and in winter between 10 – 15 degrees Celsius.
Other Important Notes
Language: The official languages for New Zealand are English, Maori as well as Sign Language.
Daylight Savings Time: Begins the first Sunday in October and ends the third Sunday in March.
National Holidays:
- 1st January – New Years Day
- 2nd January – Day after New Year’s Day
- 6th February – Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand)
- The Friday before Easter Sunday – Good Friday
- The first Sunday after the first full moon following the March Equinox – Easter Sunday
- 25th April – ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey)
- The first Monday in June – Queens Birthday
- The fourth Monday of October – Labour Day
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Boxing Day
Kiwi Slang
- A & P Show: a 3 – 4 day event where farmers show their stuff and win prizes for best stock as well as fun and side shows for the family
- Banger: sausage
- Bach: a small holiday home
- beaut: great; good fun; “that’ll be beaut mate”
- bit of a dag: hard case; comedian; joker
- biscuit: cookie
- blow me down: expression of surprise, as in; “Well! Blow me down, I didn’t know that.”
- bonnet: car hood
- boy-racer: Young hoon in fast car with unbelievably loud stereo!
- brassed off: disappointed, annoyed
- brekkie: Short for ‘breakfast’
- bugger all: not much, very little; as in “I know bugger all”
- buggered: exhausted
- chips: french fries
- cheers: goodbye or thanks or good luck.
- choice: very good
- chook: chicken
- dag: hard case; joker; comedian
- ding: a small dent in a vehicle
- eh: pronounced as you would the letter “a” and often used at the end of sentences when expecting a response to a statement
- get off the grass: exclamation of disbelief; equivalent to “stop pulling my leg”, “get outta here”, and “no way”
- gimme: abbreviation for “give me…”
- good on ya, mate!: congratulations, well done
- good as gold: a good job well done; not a problem
- hooray: the Kiwi “Goodbye
- jandal: thongs, flip-flops
- judder bar: speed bump
- Kiwi: New Zealander
- mate: buddie (common term, and can be used even with strangers) as in “how’s it going mate” for “how are you
- pakeha: non-Maori person
- she’ll be right: not a problem, it’ll be O.K.
- smoko: break, rest period
- sticking plaster: band-aid
- ta: Thanks
- tiki tour: roundabout way to get somewhere; scenic tour