Everyone talks about Queenstown. Everyone knows Wanaka. But travel further south — into Southland and across to the Catlins, or west towards the edge of Fiordland — and you discover a New Zealand that most wedding couples never see. Rawer, wilder, less travelled, and in many ways more extraordinary than anywhere else in the country.
Invercargill and Southland don’t have the marketing machine that Queenstown does. But for couples who want something genuinely unique — images that no one else has, locations that will make their guests ask “where is that?” — this is the region worth making the effort to reach. We travel to Southland regularly, and every time we return with photographs that stand apart from everything else in our portfolio.
Curio Bay in the Catlins — home to a 180-million-year-old fossilised forest and one of the most otherworldly coastal settings in New Zealand.
The Catlins stretches along the south-eastern tip of the South Island — a wild, largely unspoiled coastline of native forest, waterfalls, sea cliffs, and remote beaches. Curio Bay, with its 180-million-year-old fossilised forest and resident Hector’s dolphins, is one of the most extraordinary natural settings in New Zealand. McLean Falls, Purakaunui Falls, and the Cathedral Caves all offer dramatic, deeply atmospheric backdrops.
The Catlins is approximately two hours east of Invercargill, and the journey itself — through native forest and farmland rolling to the sea — is a photographic opportunity in its own right.
The southernmost point of the South Island has a powerful symbolic quality that resonates with many couples — the sense of standing at the edge of something, at the end of the road, with nothing between you and Antarctica but open ocean. The Stirling Point signpost, the harbour views, and the rugged windswept landscape all make for images that are genuinely raw and meaningful.
Invercargill’s 80-hectare Queens Park is one of the finest urban parks in New Zealand. The rose garden, the rhododendron dell, the duck pond, and the heritage buildings scattered through the grounds offer a variety of settings within walking distance. Spring brings extraordinary colour to the garden — azaleas, rhododendrons, and flowering cherries making the park genuinely spectacular from September through November.
The gateway to Fiordland, Te Anau sits on the shores of New Zealand’s second-largest lake — Lake Te Anau — with the snow-capped peaks of Fiordland rising directly behind. The town itself is small and relaxed, but the landscape is monumental. Lake Te Anau in the early morning — mirror-calm, mountain reflections, not a soul around — is one of the most peaceful and beautiful settings we’ve ever worked in.
Key Locations
Catlins Highlights
• Purakaunui Falls: Iconic tiered waterfall in native bush — 45 min from Invercargill
• Slope Point: Southernmost tip of the South Island — raw, windswept, completely singular
• Curio Bay: Petrified forest and yellow-eyed penguins at the sea’s edge
• Cathedral Caves: Sea caves accessible at low tide — dramatic and cavernous
• Best season: Summer for weather; dramatic coastal light year-round
Oreti Beach stretches for 30 kilometres west of Invercargill — one of the longest beaches in New Zealand, and one of the most wild. The wide, flat sand, the huge Southland sky, and the uninterrupted sense of space make it a completely unique setting for wedding portraits. At sunset, the light over the Foveaux Strait is extraordinary — warm, low, and stretching for miles.
Invercargill’s city centre contains some of the finest Victorian and Edwardian commercial architecture in New Zealand — much of it preserved in better condition than in larger cities. The Water Tower, the Civic Theatre, and the heritage streetscapes of Tay and Dee Streets all provide genuine architectural character for couples who want urban drama alongside the surrounding landscapes.
The Abbey Church & Wedding Venue: https://www.theabbey.org.nz/
We love shooting in the deep south. Get in touch and let’s talk about what’s possible.
Authentic wedding photography and cinematic film across Queenstown, Wanaka, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Available South Island-wide.
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