FAQs

Easy! We can have a no obligation chat to start things off. Once you’ve decided I’m the right celebrant for your wedding or elopement, I’ll send through a booking form and invoice for a deposit. As soon as that’s paid, your date is officially yours.
From there, I’ll guide you through everything — from the legal paperwork to planning a ceremony that feels authentically you.

Absolutely. Whether you’re picturing vows beside Lake Wakatipu, a mountain-top heli-elopement, or something intimate in Wanaka, Arrowtown or Glenorchy, I’ll happily come to you.
Travel within Queenstown is included, and I’m always up for an adventure ceremony in the wider region, down to Milford Sound or up to Aoraki/Mt Cook for example.
I also conduct weddings in the North Island. Just contact me to discuss travel plans and charges.

If you’re local, I’d love to meet for cuppa face to face. Most of my couples plan their Queenstown or destination wedding from overseas, though, so video calls are the norm. We’ll still get to know each other, and you’ll feel connected and supported from afar.

Yes and yes. Love is love. I celebrate LGBTQIA+ weddings, vow renewals, and commitment ceremonies with joy and inclusivity.
Many couples come to Queenstown for this very reason — the freedom to marry in a breathtaking setting.

Queenstown being at 45 degrees south keeps us on our toes! 
If you’re planning a mountain ceremony or heli-elopement, I or your heli pilot – if it’s a heli wedding – will always prioritise safety. We’ll usually have a back-up location (a lakeside, forest, the other side of the mountain to escape winds), so you’ll be married rain, shine, or snow.
If you are someone who is nervous of plans changing at the last minute or not wanting to have your hair blown about or your outfit get muddy, then perhaps consider booking an indoor back up option. I’m happy to make suggestions.

Queenstown sits in an alpine climate, 45° south of the equator — which means our weather has personality!
Hot, dry summers with fierce sunshine can flip over into breezy afternoons, and winters are properly cold (think snow-capped peaks and frosty mornings).
A few tips from me:
• Summer weddings & elopements → Don’t forget sunscreen (the New Zealand sun is strong), and always pack a jacket just in case the mountain breeze picks up.
• Winter ceremonies → Layers are your best friend. A wrap, fur, scarf, or cosy blanket will keep you warm between photos. Gloves and even little hand warmers can make all the difference. (I usually come armed with a hot water bottle and hot chocolate to share!)
• Footwear → Sensible shoes are a must for Queenstown adventure weddings. If you’re dreaming of heels or fancier shoes, you can absolutely bring them along to slip on for the ceremony, then change back into something sturdy for moving around.
Bottom line: dress for comfort, warmth, and safety first — then add your style on top. That way you’ll be free to focus on your vows and the view, not whether your toes are frozen or your heels are sinking into the tussock.

Absolutely, I am well known in the area and have worked here for years so I know all the best vendors to have involved in your day. Check out my vendors page or ask me for recommendations.

The answer is as much as you want to. I like you to have lots — it’s your ceremony, and it should feel like you.
From the moment you book me as your Queenstown wedding celebrant, we work together to shape the style, tone, and flow. Whether you’re after something relaxed and fun, sophisticated and elegant, or woven with cultural or family traditions, I’ll guide you through options and support your choices.
My job is to guide (but not dominate). I ensure all legal bits are included, that the structure works, that your vows flow naturally — while always honouring your input.
Between booking and your wedding day, we’ll have conversations that help me get to know you both, so by the time the big day arrives, you can feel confident that your ceremony will reflect your personalities, your love story, and everything you hoped for.

Yes! You don’t have to be a poet to write heartfelt vows. I’ll send through prompts, examples, and tips to get you started — and if you’d like, I can help edit or shape them so they flow beautifully.
Your ceremony will feel natural, inclusive, and completely yours.

Exchanging rings is not a mandatory part of your ceremony, they are not legally required, so they are exchanged if it’s meaningful to you … or you want some nice bling.

On your wedding day, my job is to keep things calm, organised, and meaningful — so you can simply be present and enjoy every moment.
I’ll usually arrive about 20–30 minutes before the ceremony to check in with you both and make sure you’re feeling settled and ready.
Behind the scenes, I’ll take care of the practical bits — setting up the microphone and sound levels, coordinating with your photographer and any other vendors so everything’s ready to go.
When it’s time, I’ll guide you through the ceremony step by step, we’ll sign the marriage documents together, and I’ll make sure all the official paperwork is all submitted and your marriage registered.
In short: you get to focus on each other and the incredible backdrop; I’ll handle the rest.

I will do my best to find you an experienced celebrant to step into my shoes (I’m part of networks and friends with other amazing celebrants up and down the country) and to deliver the ceremony that I will have written for you at no extra cost to you. If you are sick on your wedding day we will work together and with your other vendors to find a back up date.

Yes, for larger weddings. I do recommend them for weddings with others involved in your ceremony. This can be at the venue, elsewhere or just a meet up at a cafe depending on your availability and wishes.
For smaller elopement style weddings we don’t usually require one in person. We can of course meet to talk through the plans or do that via a call.

Some locations that are on Department of Conservation land don’t allow dogs, some areas close to flight paths and power lines don’t allow drones, and some places don’t allow confetti. In all cases I suggest that confetti is biodegradable, petals preferably, as in our dry climate items that are biodegradable can take months or years to break down.

Most Queenstown elopements and intimate weddings run around 20–25 minutes — long enough to be meaningful, but short enough to keep the focus on your vows and connection. If you’d like to include readings, rituals, or family involvement, we can extend things to suit.

Yes of course! There are so many ways to include them… let’s chat about what you have in mind and make it happen.

Your marriage licence is the main thing – I legally require this in order to marry you. The rest I can provide you with tailored advice on.

I’ll lodge your signed marriage paperwork with the New Zealand Registry Office, so it’s all official. You can also order a marriage certificate directly through them, including an option to make name changes.

You apply online through The Department of Internal Affairs. I will send you the link and guidance on how to apply. It’s straightforward and easy, you just need details on hand such as full names, dates of birth, and dates of divorce if you have been previously married.
You can only apply a maximum of 90 days before your wedding and a minimum of 3 working days. Your marriage licence is only valid for 3 months.

No, it can all be done quickly and easily online.

You need two witnesses. These people do not need to know you. They do need to understand what they are signing to witness. There is no minimum legal age but again they must understand what they are witnessing. I generally recommend 10 years old and up as a rule. Witnesses do not need to be living in New Zealand. I can arrange witnesses for you if you are eloping.

You must use your full names, during the ceremony and you must state that you take each other to be husband and husband, wife and wife or husband and wife. I will give you guidance on this and writing your personal vows. 

No special requirements at all, love is love and is the same for everyone who wants to be married here in New Zealand, no matter where you come from, or your orientation.

Your marriage is registered in New Zealand but recognised worldwide.

You can use the signed copy of the Copy or Particulars (Licence) that you take away on the day of your marriage, and you can use the Certificate sent from Births, Deaths and Marriages that arrives to you within 3 weeks showing that your marriage has been registered. 
That extra certificate from them costs NZ$33.00 and can be ordered before your wedding or at any point after you wedding when the marriage has been registered.

Some locations will require permission from either the private land owners, the Department of Conservation or a local Council to hold your wedding. This is usually to ensure that the space is yours and not double booked. I can provide guidance on this when you have chosen a shortlist of locations.

My 2025 fees will vary from NZ$450.00 to $1200.00, or more if long distance travel is required. Your marriage licence costs you NZ$150.00.
My fees include preparation and getting to know you, writing a personal ceremony, travel to the ceremony location, officiating the ceremony on the day, legal requirements after the ceremony.

I require a NZ$200.00 non refundable deposit to secure your date. This books me as your celebrant for your wedding.

Under some exceptional circumstances a deposit can be carried forward to use towards an alternative date if you were unable to travel due to illness or bereavement. The future date must be mutually agreed.