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New Zealand

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Central Southern Island of New Zealand

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New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country about 1250 miles / 2000 kilometers southeast of Australia. Due to its geographic isolation New Zealand has developed a distinctive fauna and culture. The country is known for its breathtaking landscape including abundant native forests, glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers, boiling mud and long deserted beaches. The “Kiwis” are known for their enthusiasm for enjoying their great outdoors by going “tramping” (hiking), skiing, rafting, and bungee jumping. Visitors can also go swimming with dolphins, gamboling with newborn lambs, whale-watching or fishing in pristine streams and rivers. Those looking for an adventurous honeymoon with amazing scenery should have New Zealand at the top of their list.

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Highlights
New Zealand is not famous for white sand beaches and all-inclusive resorts, but rather natural environments and scenery as seen in movies such as "The Lord of the Rings" and "Chronicles of Narinia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe." If your honeymoon dream is to see the great outdoors, then a "kiwi" you should be. New Zealand is known best for being one of the best outdoor playgrounds in the world and if you're a climber, hiker, skier, or sailor, you will have the trip of a lifetime. Rumor has it that bungee jumping actually originated in New Zealand as well, which would be a great honeymoon story to tell.
Geography/Environment
New Zealand is actually two large islands named North Island and South Island. It also includes many smaller islands, such as Stewart Island to the south of South Island. Natural beauty is the story with everything from active volcanoes to the Southern Alps including New Zealand's highest peak, Mount Cook, at over 12,000 feet. Along with these spectacles comes amazing plant life serving as food and shelter for over 1,500 species found nowhere else in the world.
Activities
If you're into sports of any kind, New Zealanders will welcome you. Some of their games may confuse you a little if you're a "yank," but in the winter you can play along in rugby, soccer, and netball (like basketball, played by women). In the summer you can try to understand cricket, or stick with tennis, swimming, sailing, and hiking, which they call "tramping." I suppose you could also just sit by and relax but if you want to do that, maybe you should just find a beach instead.
Climate and Weather
New Zealand has a mild climate and very little seasonal differences. The north end of the Auckland Peninsula has the warmest climate because it's closer to the Equator. This contrasts with the colder climate on the southwestern slopes of the Southern Alps, which are closer to Antarctica. Rainfall is common but not a problem. The seasons are opposite ours in the U.S. and Canada; and average temperatures at Wellington are 68ºF in January and 42ºF in July. In Auckland, the average January temp is around 74ºF and around 45ºF in July.

Other Important Information
For more detailed information, pick up a copy of Fodor's New Zealand.
Destination Wedding Information

Marrying in New Zealand can be very easy to arrange. There is no residency period. It takes approx. three days to issue a marriage license after application to the Births Deaths and Marriages Registrar (BDM). The license is valid for 3 months. You can be married by the local Registrar of Marriages or by a civil marriage celebrant.

To start the process contact the BDM office nearest where you wish to marry for a "Notice of Intended Marriage" form.

  • Where neither party is a resident of New Zealand, you need to complete the BDM 58 form. A statutory declaration needs to be made either before a commonwealth representative (in your country) or before the Registrar of Marriages when you arrive in New Zealand.
  • If either party is a resident of New Zealand then you use a BDM 60 form and the statutory declaration must be completed before the Registrar of Marriages in New Zealand.
  • Documents needed:
    • Notice of Intended Marriage form if previously married, evidence of its dissolution with either final divorce decree or death certificate
    • If under 20, written parental or guardian consent
  • Obtaining a marriage certificate
  • Following the marriage ceremony, the celebrant or registrar will give you a copy of the marriage registration form. The celebrant or registrar will register the marriage at the BDM. You can then obtain a marriage certificate from the BDM that issued the marriage license or at the central registry, which is at Lower Hutt.
New Zealand Reviews
Disclaimer
The Best of New Zealand ....
by Carmen Patricola last updated on 07/25/2008
I've obtained a complete and thorough knowledge of both the North and South Islands and from personal experience can help you fulfill your honeymoon dreams. Here is a sampling of my knowledge: Milford and Doubtful Sound - Climbing Franz Josef Glacier...
New Zealand
by Donna Evans last updated on 07/25/2008
The north island of New Zealand offers rolling hills, bays, islands, sheep and hot springs. The hobbits lived here in the trilogy of Lord of the Rings and the scenery is even more wondrous in person. Honeymooners will enjoy the kind, warm Kiwis who welcome...