Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown Elopement Packages
For Every Vision.
Nomad Weddings NZ offers ground ceremonies, single heli landings, and multi-location charters across Queenstown and the South Island. Every package includes planning, a licensed celebrant, and photography. One local team coordinates every part of the process.
Ground ceremonies
Heli-weddings
Why couples choose
Queenstown to elope.
Queenstown sits at the edge of a glacial lake, surrounded by ranges that rise sharply from the valley floor. It is one of the few places in the world where a helicopter can take you from a working town to a mountain summit in under ten minutes. That access is what makes it such a compelling destination for elopements. The locations are genuinely extraordinary, and most of them are empty.
Nomad Weddings NZ has been running elopements here since 2012. We are a local team. We know the permit requirements, the seasonal window for each location, and the operators worth working with. Every package covers the planning, a licensed celebrant, and photography. You handle the flights and the hotel. We coordinate everything within the package.
Ground ceremonies suit couples who want an intimate, accessible day at a scenic Queenstown location without the logistics of a helicopter. Heli-weddings open up a different category of location entirely: alpine lakes, glaciers, remote ridgelines. Places accessible only by air, where the solitude is part of the experience. Both are complete packages. The difference is altitude and access.
Not sure which package fits? Use this as a starting point.
| Type | Guests | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | Up to 2 (larger groups on request) | NZ$4,690 | Accessible scenic locations, lower cost, less weather risk |
| Single heli | Up to 2 (up to 6 on request) | NZ$6,960 | One remote alpine location, privacy, dramatic landscape |
| Multi-landing | Up to 2 (up to 4 on request) | On application | Two or more locations in a single day, maximum variety |
| Best of NZ | Up to 2 (up to 4 on request) | On application | Four landings, full day, flowers and hair included as standard |
Choose a ground package if you want an easier, lower-cost ceremony at a scenic Queenstown location. Choose a heli package if you want privacy, altitude, and access to locations most couples never see.
- Elopement planning and coordination
- Licensed marriage celebrant
- Wedding photography
- Ground transport for two
- GST inclusive
- Up to 2 guests
Ground Level Packages.
No helicopter. No less beautiful.
Queenstown is extraordinary from the ground. Both packages include full planning, celebrant, photography, and transport. No aircraft required and generally less weather-sensitive than helicopter packages.
Essentials
Coronet Peak, Moke Lake, or Lake Johnson. Three stunning locations without the helicopter. The most intimate and unhurried way to elope in Queenstown. Up to 2 guests.
Deer Park Heights
Private permit access to Deer Park Heights, the Lord of the Rings filming location. Mountain-top views, reflective lakes, and roaming animals. Less time-restricted than a helicopter landing.
Single Landing Heli-Weddings.
One location. Extraordinary access.
AS350 helicopter, 60-minute mountain landing, licensed celebrant and photography. Select a departure region below to explore available locations.
The Remarkables
A jagged alpine ridge above Queenstown with panoramic views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding ranges. One of the most dramatic skylines in the South Island.
Cecil Peak
A classic Queenstown summit landing with a sweeping 360-degree view over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables. Wide open terrain, golden in autumn.
Bayonet Peak
A narrow ridgeline with one of the most exposed and dramatic outlooks in the region. Snow-capped in winter, rocky and windswept in summer.
Lake Hope
A remote glacial lake tucked into the ranges above Queenstown. Still water, mountain reflections, and complete quiet. Rarely visited by anyone without a helicopter.
Coromandel Peak
New Zealand’s most iconic view. A private fenced summit above Mt Roy with Lake Wānaka below. Requires a private landing permit.
Twin Peaks
Two symmetrical summits above the Wānaka basin with unobstructed views in every direction. Wide, open, and strikingly photogenic.
Lake Lochnagar
An alpine lake cradled by sheer mountain walls above the Wānaka valley. Dramatic, remote, and rarely visited.
Tyndall Glacier
A vast snowfield at altitude above the Southern Alps. Otherworldly in every season. Part of the Best of NZ flagship package.
Fog Peak
A quiet summit above the Wānaka ranges with long views south toward Fiordland. Good in all seasons and genuinely off the usual circuit.
Earnslaw Burn
A hanging glacier melting into waterfalls at the head of a remote Glenorchy valley. A Lord of the Rings filming location. Raw, powerful, and unlike anywhere else.
The Humboldts
A remote mountain range above Glenorchy with sweeping views into the valleys below. Rugged, unvisited terrain with a genuinely wild feel.
Mt Creighton / Big Geordie
A broad mountain plateau above the Dart Valley with long sight lines and reflective tarns. Outstanding in winter with snow cover.
Lake Isobel
A high-altitude glacial lake above the Rees Valley in the Mt Aspiring National Park. Clear water, total solitude, and dramatic surrounding peaks.
Lake Erskine
A glacial lake in the remote mountains of Northern Fiordland. Frozen over winter, shimmering baby blue in summer. One of the most otherworldly locations we offer.
Madagascar Beach
A hidden black-sand beach inside Fiordland, accessible only by helicopter. Dark cliffs, dense forest, and complete seclusion. Unlike anywhere else in New Zealand.
Milford Sound
The most recognised landscape in New Zealand. Towering waterfalls, sheer cliff faces, and still dark water. A ceremony here is genuinely unforgettable.
Double Landing Heli-Weddings.
Two locations. One extraordinary day.
Each combination package includes two helicopter landings, typically one mountain summit and one alpine lake or glacier. Detail pages for these packages are in progress.
Coromandel Peak + Glacier
New Zealand’s most popular two-landing combination. Iconic summit views paired with a glacier landing.
Lake Lochnagar + Glacier
A dramatic alpine lake paired with a glacier landing. Two of the most remote locations we access.
Coromandel Peak + Lake Lochnagar
Summit views over Lake Wānaka combined with a remote alpine lake in Northern Fiordland.
Coromandel Peak + Lake Erskine
Two of the most photographed locations in New Zealand combined into a single extraordinary day.
Best of NZ
The most complete heli-wedding experience we offer. A full-day helicopter charter across four of the South Island’s most extraordinary locations. Hair and makeup, flowers, and six hours of photography included as standard.
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01
Glacial LakeIce-blue water surrounded by snowfields. Your ceremony location.
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02
Earnslaw BurnHanging glacier and cascading waterfalls in a remote Glenorchy valley.
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03
Tyndall GlacierA vast snowfield above the Southern Alps. Otherworldly in any season.
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04
Coromandel PeakNew Zealand’s most iconic view. Private permit access, Lake Wānaka below.
Add-ons available
across all packages.
Every package can be tailored. Add-on pricing is provided with your package quote when you enquire.
| Add-on | Details |
|---|---|
| Videography | Full ceremony video, 3–5 min 4K highlight film, drone shots where permissible |
| Bridal Hair and Makeup | Makeup artist comes to your accommodation on the morning of the wedding |
| Full Day Bridal Hair and Makeup | Extended coverage for multi-location days |
| Groom Hair and Makeup | Grooming and makeup at your accommodation on the morning of the wedding |
| Seasonal Bouquet and Buttonhole | One set, flowers sourced from Christchurch growers |
| Luxe Bouquet and Buttonhole | Premium blooms, one set. Included as standard in the Best of NZ package |
| Portable Arch and Florals | Three floral arrangements, transportable to mountain-top ceremonies |
| Helicopter Fly-by | Helicopter hovers in the background during your ceremony or photoshoot |
| Additional Helicopter for Guests | Separate aircraft for guests attending the ceremony. Price on application |
| Additional Photography Hour | Extended coverage beyond your package’s included hours |
What you’ll
arrange yourself.
These sit outside the scope of your package. Most of them are the parts you will enjoy planning. Most of them are the parts you will enjoy planning.
- Marriage licence (we guide you through it)
- Your flights to Queenstown
- Your accommodation in Queenstown
- Meals and dining
- Wedding rings
- Your outfits
- Honeymoon activities
- Your vows to each other
Once your booking is confirmed, we’ll send personalised recommendations for accommodation, restaurants, and activities in Queenstown. We work with couples from all over the world and know the area well.
From first message
to your wedding day.
Enquire
Tell us your date, preferred package, and any questions. We respond within 48 hours. Video calls available.
Planning
We confirm vendor availability, draft your day schedule, and provide a full quotation.
Confirmation
Invoice, service agreement, and 30% deposit to lock in your date. Balance due 7 days before the wedding.
Pre-wedding checks
Vendor communication, accommodation and travel detail checks, and a weather call 2 days before your day.
Your wedding day
We pick you up from your accommodation. Get ready, first look if you want it, ceremony, photoshoot. We handle everything.
Questions worth
answering up front.
Most couples planning from overseas have the same questions. Here are the straightforward answers. If something isn’t covered, ask us directly.
Our elopement packages are designed for the couple plus up to two guests. If you have a larger group in mind, we can arrange a custom quote. Additional helicopters for guests are available on the heli-wedding packages at an additional cost.
Helicopter pricing depends on several variables: departure airport (Queenstown or Wānaka), number of landings, private landing permit requirements, guest count, and any weather flexibility add-ons. Once we know what you have in mind, we can give you an accurate figure. Ground packages are straightforward and start from NZ$4,690.
We make the weather call two days before your wedding and, subject to vendor availability, can shift the date if conditions are unsuitable. Because our team is based in Queenstown year-round, date changes involve far less disruption than they would if your photographer were travelling in from overseas. Weather flexibility is available as an optional add-on on all packages.
Yes. New Zealand allows international couples to marry without residency requirements. You need to arrange your marriage licence at least three working days before the ceremony. We guide you through the process and your celebrant handles the paperwork on the day. The marriage licence is arranged by you directly and is not included in our packages.
We require a 30% non-refundable deposit to confirm your booking, along with a signed service agreement. The remaining balance is due seven days before your wedding date.
We pick you up from your accommodation. If you have hair and makeup booked, that happens first at your hotel. From there we drive to the ceremony location, or to the helicopter hangar if you are doing a heli package. The ceremony runs about 10 to 15 minutes, followed by a photoshoot at the same location. On most packages we then head to a second ground location for more photos before dropping you back at your accommodation. The whole day is typically 4 to 6 hours depending on your package. You do not need to worry about a single logistical detail on the day. That is our job.
Yes. Our standard elopement packages are designed for the couple plus up to two guests. If you have a larger group in mind (say, 10 to 25 people), we can put together a custom quote. Heli packages can include additional helicopters for guests at an extra cost. Just let us know your numbers when you enquire and we will work out the best option.
James has been shooting weddings in Queenstown since 2012. Tomomi has been guiding couples through the planning process since 2008 and moved into full-time elopement planning in 2021. Ayaka, our lead photographer and videographer, has shot over 500 weddings in Japan and more than 300 in Queenstown. Together the team has worked with over 1,000 couples from more than 15 countries. We were also named finalists at the Sony Alpha Awards in 2021. This is not a side project. It is all we do.
Peak season runs October to April. December and January dates often book 6 to 12 months ahead. If you have a specific date in mind, check availability as early as you can. We also take off-season bookings. Winter elopements in Queenstown are quieter, less expensive for flights, and genuinely beautiful.
Yes, and it’s one of the most common things we do. A legal ceremony in New Zealand requires two witnesses. If you don’t have any with you, our team can usually cover that. Most of our elopements are just the couple, a celebrant, and our camera crew. It’s a good day.
Check availability
for your date.
Tell us your preferred date, the package you have in mind, and any questions. We’ll confirm availability and send a tailored overview within 48 hours. All enquiries go directly to our Queenstown team.
December and January dates often book 6 to 12 months ahead.
- Tell us your date, location, and vision
- We confirm availability and send package options
- You choose what fits, no pressure, no obligation
Tell us your date to check availability and get a tailored quote. No pressure, no obligation.