We recommend flying into Auckland Airport (AKL), New Zealand's largest international airport.

If you're travelling from North America, Australia or Asia, there are plenty of direct and one-stop flight options available. Air New Zealand is our top recommendation and is consistently rated as one of the world's best long-haul airlines. Other great options include Qantas, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, depending on where you're traveling from.

From the airport, we highly recommend renting a car. Auckland is a very spread-out city (think Los Angeles rather than New York), and having your own car is by far the easiest way to explore. Driving is straightforward- just remember that we drive on the left-hand side of the road.

We recommend staying in central Auckland rather than near the wedding venue. The venue is located outside the city, so staying centrally will give you a much better experience and easy access to restaurants, cafés, beaches and day trips.

Hotel Britomart is perfect if you'd like to stay in the heart of the city. A short walk from the waterfront and surrounded by some of Auckland's best restaurants and bars.

Hotel Fitzroy is one of our favourite boutique hotels in Auckland. Located in Ponsonby, it's within walking distance of fantastic cafés, restaurants and boutique shopping, and offers a quieter neighbourhood feel.

The Convent Hotel is a beautifully restored historic hotel in Grey Lynn. Full of character, it has a wonderful café and wine bar downstairs and is close to both Ponsonby and Karangahape Road.

If you'd prefer an Airbnb, we'd recommend staying in Ponsonby, Herne Bay, Westmere, Saint Marys Bay, Freemans Bay or Grey Lynn. These are some of our favourite neighbourhoods and offer the perfect balance of cafés, restaurants, parks and easy access to the city.

We don't recommend staying near the wedding venue, as it's a little outside Auckland and there isn't much nearby for visitors.

We recommend taking an Uber to and from the wedding. It's the easiest and most relaxed option, allowing everyone to enjoy the celebrations without worrying about driving.

If you're staying in Auckland for a few days, there are plenty of fantastic places to explore. Waiheke Island is one of our favourite day trips, just a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. It's home to beautiful vineyards, beaches, olive groves and some incredible restaurants.

Piha Beach, on Auckland's west coast, is famous for its dramatic black sand, Lion Rock and rugged scenery, making it one of the most iconic beaches in New Zealand. Nearby Muriwai Beach is equally spectacular, with its black sand coastline and seasonal gannet colony.

If you're looking for wineries and local food, Matakana is a wonderful day trip about an hour north of the city. For nature lovers, Tiritiri Matangi Island is one of New Zealand's most successful wildlife sanctuaries and offers the chance to see many of our native birds in their natural habitat.

If you're travelling all this way, we'd highly recommend extending your trip and seeing a little more of New Zealand. Although it's a relatively small country, each region has its own unique landscape and personality.

Northland, just a few hours north of Auckland, is one of our favourite parts of the country. Home to the Bay of Islands, Russell, Mangōnui, Matauri Bay and Cape Reinga, it's known for its crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches and relaxed coastal towns.

The Coromandel Peninsula, around three hours from Auckland, is famous for Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and Hahei. It's one of the best places in the country for beach hopping, kayaking, hiking and enjoying New Zealand's coastline. We recommend checking out Whangapooua, New Chums Beach, or Opito Bay. 

If you have a little more time, we'd absolutely recommend flying to New Zealand's South Island. Queenstown and Wānaka are surrounded by spectacular mountains and lakes and are home to some of the country's most breathtaking scenery. Whether you're interested in hiking, wineries, lake days, great food or simply taking in the views, they're destinations that truly showcase the beauty of New Zealand.

We've put together a Google Map of many of our favourite cafés, restaurants, bakeries, wineries and local spots around Auckland.

NZ SPOTS https://maps.app.goo.gl/aDehUZHvM4HTK1Cj8?g_st=i

Whether you're looking for an excellent flat white, fresh seafood, a long lunch or somewhere for dinner, you'll find plenty of our favourites here.

New Zealand uses the New Zealand Dollar (NZD), and contactless card payments are accepted almost everywhere. Tipping isn't expected, although it's always appreciated for exceptional service. American Express is not as widely accepted here, so make sure you also bring a Visa or Mastercard. 

March is one of our favourite times of year, with warm days and comfortable evenings, but it's still worth bringing a light jacket as it can get a little cold later on in the day. The New Zealand sun is incredibly strong- even on cloudy days- so we highly recommend wearing sunscreen whenever you're outdoors.

We can't wait to celebrate with you and hope you have the chance to explore a little more of New Zealand while you're here. It really is a special corner of the world, and we're so excited to share it with you.