NZ's clean, green wedding scene

New Zealand's landscape plays a big part in luring Asian couples for their wedding photographs. Photo / John Lim

New Zealand's lush green pastures, snowy mountain peaks and clear lakes are turning the country into a "wedding photo tourism" hotspot.

Wedding photographers from Asian cities such as Singapore and Taipei are bringing couples, who spend upwards of $10,000 each, to have their wedding photographs shot in New Zealand.

They get married at home but usually have their photos done in New Zealand in advance so they can show them off at the ceremony.

Singaporean IT consultant Jeffrey Ong, 32, and bank executive Jaslyn Tay, 28, had their wedding photos shot at Lake Tekapo in August and described their Kiwi experience as "a dream come true".

"We made up our minds that we wanted to have our wedding photos taken in New Zealand after watching The Lord of the Rings," Mr Ong said yesterday.

A slide show featuring the couple's New Zealand shoot was one of the highlights of their wedding dinner in Singapore last night.

Mr Ong said he spent nearly $15,000 on their shoot, and they intend to return to New Zealand for their honeymoon.

Taipei-based photographer Ricardo Tsai, who travelled with three Taiwanese and Chinese couples to the Bay of Islands in September, said the "rising affluence" of newlyweds in Asia who wanted "something different" for their wedding photograph is fuelling the trend.

Mr Tsai has photographed seven couples in three trips to New Zealand since April, and says his clients would have "easily spent more than $100,000" here.

"They want good hotels, good rental cars. In their minds, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture their special moment in time, and they are willing to spend good money to make it memorable."

Mr Tsai said popular locations include the Bay of Islands, Lake Taupo, Lake Tekapo and Queenstown.

Besides air tickets, accommodation and vehicle rental for a minimum of five days, the couples also pay between $5000 and $9000 in fees and airfares for their photographer and stylist.

In Singapore, the Straits Times reported that the number of couples there who travelled overseas for their wedding photo shoot may have jumped by up to 80 per cent in the last two years.

It said lower airfares and the lack of unusual locations in Singapore contributed to the trend.

"The mountains, sea and lakes of New Zealand makes it a natural choice for photographers. The scenery turns each picture into a work of art," said Singaporean photographer John Lim, who photographed Mr and Mrs Ong.

"Couples feel less inhibited there, and we are also able to do a lot more with our outdoor shoots because of New Zealand's less-humid climate," he said.

Mr Lim has received confirmed bookings from couples for an "autumn shoot" in April.