Despite hosting weddings for Daily Bread co-founder Tom Hishon, comedian Laura Daniels, model Maia Cotton and designer Trish Peng, Queenstown has been ranked the worst destination in the world for wedding weather.
US-based destination wedding travel agency Destify analysed data from 40 popular wedding locations around the globe, noting that weather was a major concern for those organising a wedding.
“While many dream of perfectly clear skies and a light breeze, reality can sometimes hold surprises: sudden rain, strong winds or stifling temperatures can turn an idyllic ceremony into a nightmare.”
After running the numbers against an ideal wedding temperature of 22C Destify ranked Queenstown the worst destination for a wedding.
“Queenstown combines chilly mountain air and unpredictable skies. With temperatures averaging 9.3C below the ideal and over 112mm of rain monthly, it has the heaviest rainfall of all ranked destinations,
“Cloud coverage of 52% further reduces the chance of sunshine, making an outdoor ceremony especially risky. Couples drawn to the dramatic alpine backdrop may need to plan for indoor contingencies.”
Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods was unfazed by the ranking.
“Queenstown is a hugely popular wedding destination, attracting thousands of couples annually, keen to tie the knot in a world-class destination, with epic landscapes and awesome experiences. Most couples recognise that with this alpine environment comes alpine weather, which is part of the region’s appeal.”
While the survey judged the southern town’s climate during the December - February season, Woods points out Queenstown’s weather is defined by four distinct seasons.
“While summer is the region’s most popular wedding season, autumn traditionally has very settled weather and remarkable displays of autumn colours. Queenstown’s monthly rainfall is generally under 80ml, and the weather can range from hot sunny 30C summer days through to chilly winter days which often don’t reach 10C,
“Couples wanting a guaranteed balmy warm wedding destination may be best to consider some of the other amazing destinations in NZ or the Pacific Islands.”
Icelandic capital Reykjavik ranked second worst, described as “beautiful but highly impractical.” The Maldives ranked third, with experts warning frequent storms and overcast skies can disrupt beachside ceremonies.
At the other end of the scale, Yosemite Lakes in the US state of California took top spot. Experts said the location offered near-perfect wedding conditions from May to September, with virtually no rainfall and exceptionally clear skies.
Oman’s capital Muscat was deemed second best, praised as “a desert destination where couples can count on sunshine without oppressive heat.”
Associated with luxury and glamour, Dubai took third spot, with the travel agency saying it “also delivers the kind of steady weather couples can plan around with confidence.”
Top 10 least favourable destinations for a wedding according to the weather:
1) Queenstown, New Zealand
2) Reykjavik, Iceland
3) Malé, Maldives
4) Tokyo, Japan
5) Paris, France
6) Phuket, Thailand
7) Buenos Aires, Argentina
8) London, United Kingdom
9) Castries, Saint Lucia
10) Cartagena, Colombia