Planning Your Adventure Wedding: A Safety Guide

Amidst the excitement of choosing the perfect spot for your “I do’s” and capturing Insta-worthy moments, let’s delve into a crucial aspect of planning your adventure wedding — ensuring the safety and serenity of your big day.

In this comprehensive safety guide, we’re not just about rain checks and sunscreen; we’re about crafting a wedding day filled with joy, minus the mishaps.

Weather Check: Don’t Let It Rain On Your Parade

• • Queenstown weather is like that one friend who changes plans every hour. Check the forecast before venturing out; a sunny start could turn into a downpour faster than you can say “happily ever after”  and it’s best to be prepared with umbrellas, warm jackets, or proper footwear.
  • • A couple of great websites to check the local weather conditions on the lead up to your big day are: Windy.com or Metservice
• • See some rain in the forecast? No worries! Check out our Blog on 5 Tips for Embracing the Rain on your Wedding Day.
• • Don’t forget to bring extra sunscreen. Rain or shine, New Zealand’s sun is extra strong, and if you’re outside for any length of time, you’ll want to re-apply consistently throughout the day to avoid a burn.

Dress To Impress, But More Importantly: To Survive

• • Look stunning, but don’t sacrifice safety for style.  You’re not conquering Everest, but a chilly wind can be surprisingly unforgiving.  For the best of both worlds; hire a fur jacket and you’ll look great while keeping warm.
• • Winter weddings can be especially cold, so don’t forget to layer up. Thermals under your dress are a perfect hack for keeping the chill at bay.  If it’s snowing or you’re going for a mountain-top landing, make sure to keep your feet warm and dry with waterproof boots (you can hire these too!).  
• • No matter the season, always bring comfortable shoes and a warm coat.  Even in mid-summer, Queenstown gets chilly as soon as the sun sets.  Pack a bag that has some of these extra warm layers and comfy shoes, and ask one of your wedding party or your wedding coordinator to keep in charge of it through the day. We promise that by the end of your big day you’ll be thanking us. 
• • Insisting on wearing those heels for your photos? No worries – simply wear sensible footwear at least to get to and from your photo site, then quickly change for the photos.

Fuel Up: No Empty Stomachs Allowed

• • A long day, a late meal, and then alcohol? That’s a recipe for disaster, and nobody likes a Hangry Bridezilla! Eat as much as you can stomach before the festivities kick off, and do your best to carve out time in your day’s schedule to sit down with your new hubby/wifey to at least eat the meal you’re serving your guests.
  • • Pro tip: Order a pre-made breakfast platter to be delivered to your bridal suite, or a cheese & nibbles platter to nibble on while you’re getting your makeup and hair done. 
    
    (Photos by Rosie’s Plate)
• • Remember to stay hydrated with lots of water to avoid any headaches and to stay energised throughout the day – your future self will thank you!  We suggest assigning one of your friends or family to be your official ‘water person’, who can keep an eye on you and your H20 consumption throughout the day. 

Mind the Terrain: Slips, Trips, Falls, and Dramatic Cliff Exposure

• • Keep your eyes peeled for uneven terrain, and watch out for those unexpected slips, trips, and falls. Trust us, a twisted ankle is not the kind of wedding dance you had in mind.
• • You don’t need to be scaling a mountain to encounter risks. Even the places you can stroll or drive to may throw some challenges your way. Be sure to always pay attention to your surroundings, because hazards don’t discriminate between a casual walk and a daredevil helicopter entrance.

Having a Heli-Wedding? Listen Up!

• • If your grand entrance involves a helicopter, or your photo shoot is on a mountain top, listen up during that heli safety briefing. It might not be as riveting as your love story, but it is important and may keep you from stuffing up your big day. 
• • Pay close attention to the safety instructions, and ensure you understand how to operate the safety equipment. And most importantly, anytime you’re outside of the chopper, stay aware of your surroundings (such as moving rotors) and any potential nearby hazards. 

Photography: Don’t Risk It for the ‘Gram

• • Picture-perfect moments are the goal, but not at the risk of becoming the next viral blooper. Watch out for cliff edges & falling rocks, and please don’t stop in the middle of the road to take a photo. Your followers can wait; your safety can’t.
• • Stay mindful of your surroundings, especially when your mind is more on the camera lense than on where your feet are stepping.  

Hiking Essentials: Drinks, Snacks, and the Cozy Essentials

• • If you’re hiking to your wedding spot, or simply going for a romantic hike with your lover during your Queenstown visit; pack the essentials. Water, layers for warmth, protein-rich snacks, and even a heat blanket for emergencies. 
• • Prepare for the unexpected, because you never know when a romantic hike turns into an unplanned camping trip. Let’s make sure your ‘Just Married’ status doesn’t turn into ‘Just Stranded’.

Wedding Guest 101: Follow the Leader

• • If you’re a guest, remember you’re not just there for the free cake & booze.  As a treasured guest, you’ve got a responsibility to follow any instructions that are given to you.  It can be tempting to go hard on the open-bar, but always know your limits and don’t push them just because the drinks are flowing and ‘free’.  
• • You must also stay conscious of your surroundings and ultimately ensure that you’re not the one causing a wedding day fiasco for the newlyweds.  No one wants to be remembered as the guest who ruined someone’s wedding. 

And there you have it, a crash course in making your adventure wedding in Queenstown both thrilling and safe. From being aware of the forecast, to staying fueled and simply staying conscious of your surroundings, we’ve covered everything you need to know to plan a Queenstown Wedding that will be remembered for years to come, and not because of the ways it went wrong. Happy (safe) planning, lovebirds!