Elopement
The Full Price List
Just the two of you
Kia ora! Kamusta? The complete elopement list — every inclusion, every add-on, nothing held back. It isn’t linked anywhere on the site, so read it at your own pace.
GST is not included in the prices shown.
These are not photography packages with extras bolted on. The celebrant, your two witnesses, hair and make-up, the styled ceremony and the picnic are inside the price. For most couples that is the whole wedding, organised and paid for in one line — which is worth holding in mind when you compare the number to a photographer’s day rate.
Castaways — Karioitahi
A clifftop ceremony above the black sand at Karioitahi, or indoors by the fire if the coast turns on you. Accommodation and a restaurant are on site, so there is no drive at the end of the day.
Up to 5 hours · one photographer.
Included
Karioitahi clifftop
The black sandUp to 5 hours · one photographer, one videographer.
Included
West coast ceremony
CastawaysWhat the picnic actually is
Up to three hours at a Castaways location, fully set up and packed down by us.
Add-ons
| Add-on | Detail | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding film | Added to a photo-only booking | from $1,500 |
| Extra hour | Per additional hour of coverage | $400 |
| Second photographer | Per hour, minimum 5 hours | $100 |
Albums & printsAlbums from $200 to $2,200 — what you can order after the wedding.
| Item | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Album | 14″ × 10″ | $2,200 |
| Album | 10″ × 10″ | $1,200 |
| Parent album | 7″ × 5″ | $500 |
| Additional pages | Per page | $200 |
Travel. No travel charge anywhere in the Auckland region. Outside Auckland, travel is $0.80 per kilometre and itemised on your quote before you book — never added afterwards.
Worth knowingLicence, weather, timings and the practical bits.
Karioitahi is a west coast beach, which means it is a sunset location.
The light everyone comes for arrives in the last hour of the day. If you want the clifftop at its best, we build the ceremony time around that rather than the other way round.
There is always a Plan B, and it is a good one.
Indoors by the fire is not the consolation version — it photographs beautifully, and knowing it exists means nobody spends the morning watching the forecast.
Two witnesses are a legal requirement in New Zealand, not a formality.
If it is genuinely just the two of you, ours are included. Most couples do not realise this is something they would otherwise have to solve.
Why couples choose usAwards, reviews and how we work.
Recognised work
NZ Wedding Photographer of the Year 2023.
We know your traditions
Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Middle Eastern, Pasifika & Māori weddings — photographed regularly, planned around the moments that happen once.
Storytelling
Photographers, videographers, content creators, photobooth attendants and livestream operators — one team, one style: storytelling.
“Gibo absolutely captured every single moment, from the engagement shoot to our wedding day. We felt like we were being looked after by a family.”
— Dom + Jinky
“You made us feel so comfortable on the day and we really appreciate it. We got so many compliments about the pictures — they’re perfect!”
— Rishi + Payal
See the work
Common questionsThe ones we answer most weeks.
Which option should we pick — Just Us or Just Us + film?
If you only want photographs, Just Us already covers the whole wedding — celebrant, witnesses, hair and make-up, the styled ceremony and the picnic, with one photographer. Just Us + film adds a videographer, a 2–5 minute highlight film and your full ceremony and vows on film. If you are unsure whether you will want the film later, it can be added to a photo-only booking from $1,500 — but filming on the day is the only way to have the vows themselves.
What if we want to elope somewhere other than Castaways?
We do. Auckland elopement packages covers other locations around the region, and Queenstown elopements and destination & heli weddings are their own pages — ask and we will point you at the right one.
Do we really not need to organise anything?
Close to it. The celebrant, your two witnesses, hair and make-up, the styled ceremony and the picnic are all inside the price. You bring what you are wearing and each other.
Are two witnesses actually required?
Yes — it is a legal requirement in New Zealand, not a formality. If it is genuinely just the two of you, ours are included. Most couples do not realise this is something they would otherwise have to solve.
What happens if the weather turns?
Indoors by the fire, and it is not the consolation version — it photographs beautifully. Knowing the alternative exists means nobody spends the morning watching the forecast.
Can we bring a few guests?
Yes. Tell us how many when you enquire so the picnic and the ceremony setup are sized for it. Beyond a small group it usually makes more sense to look at a short wedding package instead — ask and we will say so honestly.
Why is the ceremony late in the day?
Karioitahi faces west. The light everyone comes for arrives in the last hour, so we build the ceremony time around it rather than the other way round.
How payment worksDeposit, balance, and when each is due.
Three instalments. Nothing is due in a lump sum, and nothing is due on the day. A deposit holds your date, and payment plans are available — ask us.
On signing — this is what secures your date
Date agreed with you in writing when you book
At least one month before your wedding
If that timing doesn’t work for you, say so.
We would rather spread the payments differently than have you stretched in the month before your wedding. Ask before you book and we will set a schedule that fits — it is a conversation, not a policy.
Your date is not held until the deposit is paid and the agreement is signed. Until then it stays open to other enquiries, which is worth knowing if you are deciding between dates.
Dates are held on a signed agreement and a 20% deposit.