You have the premier Queenstown wedding planners at your beck and call at Lost in Love, with your destination wedding booked and excitement no doubt building, you can be sure that with our stress-free guide to an elopement in Queenstown, your special day will run smoothly, so you can relax and enjoy the most important parts of the day without any hiccups.
A destination wedding in Queenstown, New Zealand can certainly feel like a big deal especially if you are flying in from overseas, but no need to stress with Lost in Love on your team! We’ll take care of the things you might have missed. Be prepared as much as you can by having a read through our awesome guide to the best elopement day in Queenstown, and we can pretty much guarantee things will go off without a hitch! (And even if there are some surprises in there, you can be sure we have experienced almost every sort, and have worked out foolproof ways around any unexpected moments).
So relax, and read on because when it comes to creating the ultimate experience for getting hitched, we at Lost in Love have got some fuss-free tips to make the preparation part as smooth and enjoyable as possible for your Queenstown elopement wedding day.
Accommodation Tips
When considering your accommodation, you want to make sure that you have picked a place that has great natural lighting with some views if at all possible. Your Lost in Love Queenstown wedding photographer will thank you! You may be lucky enough to come across something that reflects both of you in terms of style and setting. Make sure there is enough room for those who may be there on the day such as family, friends as well as hair stylists, photographer/videographer and makeup artists. It’s not very enjoyable to start off your journey to being married in a cramped pokey space! Big windows with lots of light work well and lawn space is a bonus as a possible ceremony space or for a first-look photo shoot.
Make sure the area is clutter free by doing a tidy-up the evening before and putting things away that don’t need to be out. Having multiple rooms is fantastic if at all possible, especially if you need some privacy from one another to get ready and if you are including a first look.
Some of our favourite local spaces for Queenstown elopements and New Zealand destination weddings are: Jacks Point, Queenstown Hill, Goldfield Heights, Lake Hayes, and Kelvin Heights as these spots are all fairly central or not far from Queenstown CBD and have fantastic, stunning views.
‘Preparing for the Big Day’
– Queenstown Elopement organised:
To get the most out of your “getting ready” photos
Timing your hair and makeup to be finishing up just as your photographer arrives is a good idea, so your photographer can get some shots of your preparations and they can also begin to photograph other items that you may want to capture such as the rings, bridal veil/dress hanging up, buttonholes being pinned on, gift giving – those special little moments that are all leading up to the big one!
Prepare the night before, all of the important wedding items that you would like to have photographed, and place them in one area together. Ring boxes, jewellery, shoes, sentimental items and perfumes are all part of the preparation. If you would like some ‘finishing touches’ photos while your makeup artist wraps up then make sure you are sitting in a space with good lighting.
The men can be prepared by being dressed in pants with a shirt, and shoes for the photography, before the finishing touches such as ties and jackets go on – for memories captured where they are scrubbing up beautifully!
The bride and bridesmaids – if you are having them – can be semi-dressed, in cute robes as well as having loved ones helping the bride into the wedding dress. Photographs of buttons being done up, or the veil being placed onto the bride’s hair all make touching and memorable photographs to look back on.
For ‘First Look’ photography make sure you have all your personal items in your ‘assigned’ safe zones so that you do not risk bumping into each other before the ‘First Look,’ takes place.
Self-Care while getting ready for your Elopement in Queenstown, New Zealand:
Sustenance
Make sure you start your day with some delicious breakfast options or a platter you can pick from throughout the morning.
Try to avoid heavy, stodgy food which may make you tired later in the day and go easy on the coffee! (And the Champers).
It is important to eat at the start of the day before things get busy, as you may not feel like eating in the lead-up to the ceremony.
Atmosphere
Put your favourite sounds on to get in the mood – maybe you have even created a ‘getting married’ Spotify playlist with all your relationship tunes.
Have something a bit special and cute to put on while you are getting your makeup done, like a robe or loungewear so you can truly relax into the experience of your elopement wedding.
You may want to give each other gifts to commemorate this special day, it could be something sentimental that is meaningful to just the two of you, or you may wish to give a gift to your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen if you are having them.
If you have gone down the traditional elopement path and it is just the two of you, then make sure to include your families in some way, even if it’s small. You might have some special letters or messages to read out at the ceremony or the beginning of the day and you may also wish to video call your loved ones the morning of.
Your New Zealand Elopement Day
In preparation for your big day getting hitched in Queenstown, make sure to pre-pack a backpack the night before with refreshments such as water and snacks so you are able to keep your energy levels up. You will want to have some warm layers packed, a raincoat in case of wet weather, your phones, (although you want to put them away for as much of the day as possible!) and your credit cards if you are needing to pay for anything, such as the Heli flight. A good pair of walking shoes will definitely help if you plan on walking to any photography locations, and finally your makeup and any medications you may need – such as antihistamines, as Queenstown can be brutal for pollen.
This is so you can be as prepared and comfortable as possible on your big day and not let any stress take away from the magic.
Don’t forget your keys as you walk out the door!
The Afterparty
For a celebration dinner, you have a number of fuss-free options, from pre-ordering takeaways or a sumptuous platter board to pre-booking a restaurant of your choice – planning ahead on this one is a good idea and you will feel grateful that you had something organised ahead of time. You may enjoy having some of your favourite drinks in the fridge on your arrival so you can have a toast or two while getting changed for your elopement evening as a married couple.
With your destination wedding having been a huge success, you can celebrate in style out in Queenstown. There are many choices of top eateries with varying cuisine across the board. Some couples opt for a famous Fergburger or go all out and dine among the stars at the Skyline – you can be sure that you will find something to suit your taste and your personalities.
Make sure to book your restaurant of choice at least three months in advance to avoid disappointment as Queenstown’s top eateries can be hard to get into during the busiest months.
You might want to consider a luxurious bubble bath or spa in the colder months, to warm up before you head out to celebrate.
Congratulations! You made it – you are now officially married, enjoy every moment of this special day and evening.
We at Lost in Love hope you have enjoyed this guide to a stress-free elopement day in Queenstown. As your New Zealand wedding planners, we hope to create the type of magic on your wedding day that is unforgettable as well as stress-free. Being prepared is key and by providing this guide we are sure you will have these points covered, and you can focus on what is truly important – being present for every step on the way to becoming married. Enjoy it all!
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