We're getting married
Dylan & Caroline
We’re so excited to be getting married and even more excited that you are traveling around the world to celebrate with us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We’re so looking forward to spending a few warm days with you on the Hauraki Gulf. We chose Waiheke in January to bring you some of the things we love: summer sun, good wine – we’re both from wine regions – and spending time with our favorite people.
We put this site together to make your trip as easy as possible. Have a look around, and if anything is missing or unclear, just message one of us.
Dylan & Caroline x
A chance to say hello before the big day. With so many of you flying in from all corners of the world — UK, US, Europe, Australia, and beyond — we wanted somewhere relaxed to meet, mingle, and put faces to names before the wedding.
Saint Alice is a sun-drenched bar perched above the Viaduct Harbour — sea views, sharing plates, cold drinks. Drinks and nibbles on us. Just bring yourself.
Come and go as you please — if you've just landed, drop in for an hour and a glass of wine. It's a 2-minute walk from the ferry terminal, so if you're staying on Waiheke that night, you can easily hop over after (or grab dinner in Auckland first). Dress: smart casual. Kids welcome.
Dress: formal. Adults only.
Auckland (AKL) is the airport you want. It's well connected from the UK, US, Asia, and Australia.
January is peak summer here, so book early — fares climb fast and seats fill up.
Most of you will need an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before you fly. It's not a visa — it's a quick online pre-authorisation linked to your passport.
If you're on a passport from a country that's not on the visa-waiver list, you'll need a Visitor Visa instead. Let us know early and we'll help where we can. Turkish passport holders, this means you — and if you need a formal letter of invitation to support your application, just reach out to Dylan or Caroline and we'll get one sorted.
Waiheke is a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland — a stunning trip across the Gulf, and a great way to start the day.
Departs from the Auckland Ferry Terminal, 99 Quay Street. Runs roughly every 30–60 minutes through the day, arriving at Matiatia Wharf. 40-minute crossing. Mudbrick is a 2-minute drive from Matiatia. This is the easiest option for most guests.
If you're bringing a rental car. Departs from Wynyard Wharf (city) or Half Moon Bay (east Auckland), arrives at Kennedy Point. Around 60 minutes. Book in advance for vehicles.
We'll be sorting transport at both ends of the night, so you don't need to think about it:
Let us know on your RSVP which bus you'll need so we can plan the right capacity.
Driving is on the left in NZ. International licences are accepted.
If you're exploring the rest of NZ (or want a car for your time in Auckland too), pick one up from Auckland Airport or downtown Auckland — every major rental company is at the airport. You can take it on the SeaLink car ferry to Waiheke if you want it on the island as well. Easier than swapping cars partway through the trip.
If you only need a car on Waiheke, hire one at Matiatia when you arrive:
Our pick: Dede Cool Taxi — our go-to driver on Waiheke. WhatsApp or text and he'll pick you up and drop you off anywhere on the island. Lovely guy.
We're going to try and book him for our exclusive use on the afternoon and evening of the wedding, so all our guests can use him to get around — more on that closer to the date.
You don't need to book anything for the wedding night — we're laying on a bus to the last ferry and another to drop guests back to their Waiheke accommodation. See After the wedding for details. Taxis are mainly worth knowing about for the rest of your stay.
The 501 bus runs between Matiatia, Oneroa, Surfdale, Ostend, and Onetangi — pay with an AT HOP card or contactless. Cheap, but limited after dark. E-bikes and scooters are fun on a sunny day; less fun in formalwear.
If you can stay on the island, do — even just one night. The morning after the wedding is so much nicer over a long breakfast than rushing for an early ferry.
A list passed to us by Mudbrick — they know the island best. Most of these are walking distance from the venue or a short drive across the island.
If you're rallying friends or family, these can take a bigger crowd.
If nothing above suits, Airbnb and Bookabach (the NZ equivalent — bookabach.co.nz) have huge selections of baches, cottages, and whole houses. Bookabach often has the better range for 6+ people. Group houses usually work out cheaper per head than hotels — and more fun.
For the welcome party, or if you're flying in/out of Auckland and want a city night.
Anything around Britomart, the Viaduct, or Wynyard Quarter puts you within a 10-minute walk of both Saint Alice and the Fullers ferry terminal. Book early — January is peak season in Auckland too.
For the welcome party: smart casual. Dress for an afternoon of drinks in the city.
You're flying across oceans to be with us, and that's more than we could ever ask for.
We don't have a registry, and we'd much rather you spent that money on a great meal in Auckland or an extra night on Waiheke. If you really, truly insist — a card with a note we can keep is more than enough.
If you're staying a few days (and you should), here's how we'd spend them.
The island is famous for wine — 25+ vineyards. A few favourites:
You're spoiled — Oneroa, Palm Beach, and Onetangi are the most popular.
There are gorgeous coastal and bush walks all over the island. Whakanewha Regional Park is a great spot for bush trails and a quiet beach. Pick up a track map at the Oneroa info centre, or check waihekeislandtourism.co.nz for routes.
If you'd rather not drive, book a guided tour — they'll pick you up, drive between vineyards, and pour all day.
For more, the official island guide is at waihekeislandtourism.co.nz.
If you've come this far, stay a while. NZ is small but slow to drive — give yourself more time than you think.
You'll already be here. A few easy adds from Auckland:
Worth the extra flight if you've got the days. It's the dramatic one — fjords, glaciers, mountains.
Summer. Highs around 23–25°C / 73–77°F, sunny most days, occasional shower. Evenings can cool to 16–18°C / 60–64°F, so bring a light layer.
The wedding day itself is adults-only — we want everyone on the dance floor without one eye on bedtime.
That said, we know some of you are travelling with little ones, so we're organising a shared babysitter at a central location on Waiheke for the evening. Families chip in to split the cost. Let us know when you RSVP if you'd like to use it and we'll loop you in on the details closer to the date.
Kids are very welcome at the welcome party in Auckland the day before.
New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Cards are accepted almost everywhere — contactless is the norm. ATMs are widely available. You'll rarely need cash.
NZDT (UTC+13) in January. That's 13 hours ahead of London, 18 ahead of New York, 21 ahead of LA. The jet lag is real — give yourself a day or two to adjust.
Yes — strongly recommended. Healthcare for visitors isn't free, and flights and accommodation are non-trivial to lose.
Most international phones work fine on roaming. For longer trips, grab a local SIM (Spark, One NZ, or 2degrees) at the airport — they're cheap and easy.
Type I (the same as Australia). Bring an adapter if you're coming from the UK, US, or EU.
The communal areas are wheelchair accessible. If you have specific access needs, let us know and we'll work it out.
The Hauraki Gulf is usually calm in summer. The Fullers ferries are big and stable. Take a sea-sickness tablet 30 mins before if you're worried.
Waiheke has a medical centre and pharmacy in Ostend. Auckland City Hospital is in the central city. For emergencies, dial 111.
The Matiatia ferry terminal has lockers. Most accommodation will hold luggage before check-in or after check-out.
RSVP details to follow — we'll update this page once everything's set up.
When you RSVP, please let us know about any dietary requirements or allergies, and whether you'd like to use the shared babysitter on the wedding evening.
Suggested RSVP deadline: end of September 2026