For landscapes straight out of a fantasy setting on your elopement day, you’re just not going to beat New Zealand. Let me tell you, as someone who has been to over 41 countries (and counting!) and every continent, there is nowhere on the planet like here. This country in general feels like someone mixed Big Sur with Hawai’i and Switzerland. So beautiful and dramatic that it feels fake.
Milford Sound is one of my top recommendations for eloping here. This is the highest point in the world that goes directly into the ocean, climbing 5,000 feet on a super steep mountain slope. The combos here are ridiculous and you can go from tropical and lush to glaciers to waterfalls all in one day!
From North Island to South Island and from Southern Alps to scenic beaches, there are a ton of options in this one tiny country to choose from when it comes to having an epic elopement day! I put together a list for you of my personal favorites based on my experience on the island photographing folks’ wedding days. Read on!
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Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
If “Fiordland” calls to mind the fjords of countries like Norway, that’s by design. This is an alpine wonderland full of glaciers, wildlife, and untouched stretches of wild land. Including hikes like the Kepler Track which will take you from beachfront, over scenic bridges, and on to deep rainforest on the same trail. Or get close to the water the park is known for on the Piopiotahi Milford Sound on food or on kayak. You can stay in the park and camp or stay in a lodge, but if you come in a season other than summer, be prepared for rain!
Best for: Mountains, Coast, Waterfall, Forest
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Helicopter, Camping
Roy’s Peak, New Zealand
The top of Roy’s Peak sits on a ridge overlooking Lake Wānaka, surrounded by other peaks in every direction. There’s a super scenic 4WD road through this area—or you can hike to the top if you feel like conquering something. Or recruit one of the helicopter services in the area to give you an aerial tour and a shortcut right to the top for the most romantic option of all. Outside of the ridge, the lake below can fill out the rest of your day with more activities and year-round beauty.
Best for: Mountains and Lakes
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Helicopter, Hiking
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park has 23 mountains and includes the country’s highest peak of the same name. If you’re after glaciers, there are a whopping 72 to explore here, with many accessible via helicopter or ski-plane for a fun activity on your elopement day. The Tasman Glacier is the longest in the country and sports a relatively short and easy hike to get there. The park is also part of New Zealand’s only Dark Sky Reserve, giving you a beautiful view of the stars at night. The vibes here overall are perfect for a wilderness-focused elopement with hikes of varying lengths and stunning alpine vistas around every corner.
Best for: Mountains, Glaciers and Lakes
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Helicopter, Hiking, Kayaking, Camping
Wanaka, New Zealand
Wānaka is a coastal town on the Southern Island perhaps best known for its proximity to Mount Aspiring National Park. If you plan on visiting the park during your elopement, Wānaka is a great place to stay nearby! The town has plenty of beautiful nature of its own to boast, as well as a thriving local culture, food scene, and fun things to do inside if you want a break from the elements. You can accent your elopement day by relaxing in saunas with gorgeous views or by hopping between food trucks. This rounds out any visit to Mount Aspiring in the best way.
Best for: Mountains, City and Lakes
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Helicopter, Hiking, Kayaking, Boating
Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
The seaside Abel Tasman National Park is most famous for its Coastal Track, which takes you through some incredibly beautiful parts of the park and is known as one of New Zealand’s “Great Walks.” The full stretch takes 3-5 days to complete, with hikers staying in one of four huts in the area or camping out under the stars. However, it’s also incredibly easy to access by boat, so you have the option to only hike for one day, enjoy the views by horseback, or stretch out on the sand.
Best for: Beach, Coast, Forest
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Helicopter, Hiking, Kayaking, Boating, Surfing
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound is unlike anywhere else you’ve ever been before. Picture ENORMOUS towering rocks that rise straight out of the sound, coated in moss and greenery and ending in snowy peaks. Picture sailing around the sound and taking in the waterfalls that cascade down from the ridge and into the fjord. This looks like a different planet. Everything here is beautiful, and you can fill an entire wedding day up with ease. Start your morning on land and find any of the dozens of picturesque spots overlooking the water for your vows. Then take out a kayak or chartered cruise and have a picnic out on the water. After lunch, get changed and go for a SCUBA dive in the marine reserve. This will be a special spot to remember for years to come.
Best for: Mountains, Coast, Waterfalls, and Wildflowers.
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Helicopter, Hiking, Kayaking, Boating
Christchurch, New Zealand
As the largest city on the South Island, Christchurch is a city with a great mix of the urban and the natural. If you plan on exploring some of the National Parks in the area, the city is a great hub to explore from. But there’s so much to do here on its own! You can easily fill an entire elopement here not only with beautiful locations, but also super unique activities. Here, you can go on a penguin safari, take a Lord of the Rings tour, take a guided all-terrain vehicle tour at the International Antarctic Centre, picnic in botanical gardens, or see the surrounding area from a gondola in the sky. You’ll have your pick of beaches, city, and mountains!
Best for: Beach, City, Coast
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating
Castle Hill, New Zealand
Kura Tāwhiti, also known as Castle Hill, is a large elevated field full of rolling green hills surrounded by tall peaks and packed with huge, distinct limestone boulders. The “Castle Hill” moniker comes from travelers to the area in previous eras mistaking the rocks for the ruins of a castle from afar. If you like climbing or just want stand-out natural landscape that often feels almost like a cathedral, you’ll love this spot. You may recognize it from a couple of blockbusters over the years! This is a cinematic view for sure.
Best for: Mountain
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Rock Climbing
Great Barrier Island, New Zealand
If you want a beach getaway for your elopement that is truly wild and one-of-a-kind, look to Great Barrier Island! This whole island is off-grid and runs on solar power, but that means you’re getting access to unbeatable nature in every direction. See bioluminescence in the waves and the Milky Way above you at night, wade in natural hot springs at sunset, and spend your day watching wildlife from the beach or engaging in any activity you can dream of, from surfing to motorbiking through the hills.
Best for: Beach, Coast, Forest, Hot Spring
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Surfing, Stargazing
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a city on the Southern Island that sits along Lake Wakatipu. It’s known to some as “the adventure capital of the world” due to the plentiful adrenaline-pumping activities you can get into here, from bungee jumping off of bridges to giant swings over deep canyons to leaping out of a plane together. If you’re looking for a place to elope that has beautiful scenery and super memorable activities to accent your day with, this is a world-class option. The lake is equally beautiful and ripe with ceremony spots, with calm waters stretching out underneath mountain ridges.
Best for: Mountains, Lake, City
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Helicopter
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
As one of the oldest national parks in the world and the oldest in New Zealand, you can be sure that you’re signing up for nature that is nothing short of legendary. Tongariro is the southern point of the ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Pacific Ocean, with three separate volcanoes in the park. These have been active as recently as the 1970’s, so it’s important to check local volcanic forecasts beforehand. Unlike some American spots, quite a few geothermal pools here are open for visitors to take a soak in, fueled by volcanic activity but without the same scorching heat. This park would be a great elopement location for couples who want a little taste of everything, as it’s got ski slopes, waterfalls, famous hiking trails (like the Alpine Crossing), bubbling pools, and rivers.
Best for: Mountains, Waterfall, Lakes, Hot Springs
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking
Mount Aspiring National Park, New Zealand
For couples who know they want some sort of outdoor adventure but aren’t sure if they want to commit to a hike or just stretch their legs a bit, Mount Aspiring National Park has a ton of incredible options! From leisurely walks just off the side of the road to scaling Mount Aspiring itself, this is a perfect place to explore the Southern Alps no matter what activity level you have in mind for your day. The Blue Pools are a highlight of the park, known for their color, oasis-like setting, and picturesque bridge.
Best for: Mountains, Lakes, Forest
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Camping, Helicopter
Coromandel Forest Park, New Zealand
Located on a northern peninsula of the North Island, the Coromandel is everything you could ask for from New Zealand scenery and then some. That makes it a super beautiful place to focus on for your elopement! The forest itself sports some stretches of truly untouched New Zealand nature with thick and dense vegetation, hidden waterfalls, tucked away bridges, and high rocky ridges surrounded in mist and fog. This feels like a world away from everything else.
Best for: Forest, Coast, Beach, Waterfalls
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking
Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
Hop on a helicopter and take a tour of the highest waterfall in the country! This waterfall drops close to 2,000 feet down, and I love how the aerial gives you a perspective to really take it in from. That also means you get a romantic activity and a view at the same time! Or, if you’re on the Milford Track embarking on an epic multiple-day trek, you can also get a closer look at the falls from there. Either way, this is a stunning natural feature to weave into your day.
Best for: Lake, Mountains, Waterfall
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Helicopter
Lake Pukaki, New Zealand
If you’ve ever seen a photo of Lake Pukaki and thought, “that can’t possibly be real,” you’d be forgiven. The blue of the waters here is genuinely unreal. That’s thanks to the glacial erosion in the area that has changed the color of the waters to its trademark electric blue. Find a spot at any of the overlooks for your ceremony and then stay the night in a lakeside lodge to appreciate the peaks and waters a little longer.
Best for: Lake, Mountains
Best months to get married here: November to February
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating, Kayaking, Paddleboarding
For a country that is only about the size of my home state of Colorado, it really packs a lot of distinct flavor into it! If you’re getting overwhelmed by possibilities, my searchable elopement location database is here to help. Search through hundreds of locations from around the world and filter by season, activity, and scenery to only get what’s relevant to you!
But this isn’t a decision you’re on your own for! I’m here to help you with personalized and specific recommendations (including those off-the-beaten-path, if-ya-know-ya-know spots) for your elopement day. I’ve got your back—through every step of the planning process, day of your wedding, and beyond.
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