Wedding question...

I know this is nothing to do with babies and stuff but once again I am after your opinions... (Geez! some would think I don't have opinions of my own!? ) I did post this on the only wedding site I could find but it doesn't seem as active or helpful as this forum!    

Anyway, All our family and friends are back in Australia. Now that I am FINALLY planning my wedding (had to reschedule... I ended up due when my wedding date was set) I am thinking of locations and at first I really wanted it in Sydney because our older family members are there and would be easier for them and it is a beautiful city. But now I am starting to think of having my wedding here in Auckland (so much easier for me to check out potential venues and organise everything else specially with my one yr old in tow) which would mean that all our guests would have to travel. Would it be selfish if I was to have it here? I'm guessing it would end up being a small wedding because not everyone will be able to travel, I will organise accommodation but I would not be able to afford to pay for everyone's accomodation. So I am basically asking should I stick to the original idea of Sydney, so it would be me, my 'husband to be' and my baby who have to do all the travelling (plus pay a fortune for a cattery for my 2 furry babies) or make everyone travel and have it here in Auckland? Any ideas/opinions would be great! Thanks! OH! I just thought about the currency conversion aswell!

My biggest piece of advice - do what you want to do. If you want it in Auckland have it there, the only consideration would be if somone you really wanted to attend couldn't make it.

If you do decide to do it in Sydney, try and find an all inclusive venue will will remove some of the stress of not being there.

Do what you want to do, Dh and I got married in Palmerston North as that's closest to where we live. Everyone came to us apart from maybe 10 of our friends everyone came from out of town.
I organised a discount rate on the closest Motel and everyone paid their own accommodation.

If you give people enough notice they will come, we sent invites out 4 months in advance (mostly to avoid the christmas mail) and we had guests from as far away as England and Northern Island, and from all over NZ. In the end the celebration lasted all weekend and everyone had a great time.

I think all the relatives and friends that stayed in the same Motel complex had more fun than us.

If your looking for an awesome wedding forum, try NZ Wedding Planner.

Edited by caliandjack

I guess it also depends on your budget. If it was in Auckland, I expect it would cost less as no travel for you, less people at the wedding etc. If you had it in Auckland could you plan a party over there at some stage to include everyone who couldn't make it over? ie on 1st anniversary or something?

As the others have said, do what you want to do. As long as the most important people to you can make it thats all that matters.

It's a hard decision. I think you have to weigh up what is important to you and take your finances into consideration - ie. what you can afford.

I mean, trips to Sydney or to Auckland for that matter are cheap if just using carry-on baggage. It's like flying down to Wellington or something for a wedding. You also have to consider all the to-ing and fro-ing you are going to have to do to look at venues etc. - even if you shop online and arrange one trip prior to the wedding, how stressful and the extra expense of several trips over there. If you already have some places in mind, that makes it easier for you - but you're still going to have to book a lot of your vendors over there such as florists etc. online which could just give added stress - and arranging a wedding can be stressful.

On the other hand - consider who may not attend your wedding in Auckland if you had it here and if you really want them to be there, then maybe the stress and finances are worth it?

Only you can really figure that out!

are you doing a honeymoon/holiday afterwards? what about wedding in aucks, then holiday in sydney where you can have kinda a 2nd reception for anyone who couldnt make it?



i think the send out the invites WAY in advance is a great idea and if you talked to a top10 motel they are always pretty good about big booking from what i hear. personally i would sort out a d/c rate for travellers and they pay themselves.


and i would make people come to me lol. mostly because i prolly cbf trying to organise a wedding somewhere that isnt just a trip down the road, and 2ndly... its your day! you dont have to cater to anyone except yourselves

good luck hun! hope to see some pics pop up lol.

also for photographers..... are you on FB? there are heaps of NZ photographers on there at very reasonable prices. might pay to talk to them?

Do what you feel is best for you! Dh and I live in Aus and all our family (well the better part of them) live back in NZ so we decided to travel back home to get married. We also wanted to get married at 'home' were it has sentimental value to us etc.
Were pleased we did it that way, it was much easier to organise logistically and financially, and we didnt have to worry about accommodating 70 odd people in a different country.

I dont think its selfish, people get married in Rarotonga etc all the time.

Just let everyone know well in advance so they can save to come over

good luck planning it all!