Kiwi Multi National rocked by Fifth Column Attack!

Weddingmoon Vacations are shocked by a story that broke in the news this week, as well as angered and saddened. 

Yesterday, Stuff News published an article saying that a lesbian couple headed to New Zealand from Australia to get married next year were refused the services of a cake baker, based on her belief's.    

In an email that was sent to the couple by the owner of Kath's Devine Cakes, based in Warkworth, stated the following, "I do not wish to offend either of you and I thank you for letting me now that it is a same-sex wedding". The email went on to say, "Even though as individuals you are both fabulous and amazing people, I must follow the integrity of my heart and beliefs. Our government has legalised same-sex marriages, but it is not my belief that it is correct, therefore I will not support it and cannot make your wedding cake for you".  

The Human Rights Act 1993 states it is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief, colour, race, ethnicity, disability, age, political opinion, employment status, family status or sexual orientation. A lawyer from the Superdiversity Centre, Mai Chen, has said that the business owner above is breaking the law with regards to the Human Rights Act, where section 44 of the act says that 'to refuse or fail on demand to provide any other person' with goods, facilities, or services by reason of any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination is unlawful'.    

The Human Rights Commission has pointed out, that under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, refusing to provide facilities, goods or services to a same-sex couple, could be a violation of this act too. This would have to be raised in a Court of Law to be fully examined as such. 

As a multi-national wedding with honeymoon business that specialises in elopements for the LGBTQI+ communities, we are extremely appalled to read that these bigoted attitudes are still being used as justification for discrimination. Can Weddingmoon Vacations politely refuse service to people because they're straight? How about because they're Israeli? Or because they're Christian? Of course not! We bring money from Australia. China, and the United States to New Zealand businesses. Our efforts support the local tourism and hospitality industries throughout Aotearoa. This will definitely have a negative impact on where LGBTQI+ couples decide to have their nuptials and as a consequence take revenue away from New Zealand's Wedding industry as well as the tourism and hospitality industries. 

This is a terrible message to send the rest of the world about New Zealand. Do we really want to align ourselves with the American stance on this issue? Of the one hundred and ninety-five countries in the world, New Zealand was number thirteen to recognise that LGBTQI+ people are human beings and deserve the same love and marital rights as everyone else. Aotearoa is one of a small, elite group of nations who offer these profound social and economic benefits to our citizens. It's a Kiwi gift to the world. Let's not blow it!

The Do's and Don'ts of a Destination Wedding.

You and your fiancé have always dreamed of travelling to an exotic location for your wedding and honeymoon, however, you are unsure of what is involved or how to go about arranging this.

Well worry no more. Corinna and Leron Gittens-Arnold from Weddingmoon Vacations Ltd are experienced wedding and honeymoon planners, located in Auckland, New Zealand, and they are here to share with you their valuable knowledge and insights for those couples seeking to embark on a journey of love abroad.

Do hire a wedding and event planner.

This is an important time in your life and one that should be as memorable as possible. Planning a wedding can be very stressful, let alone the honeymoon.  By hiring an experienced local wedding and event planner you will be almost eliminating this from your venture. The wedding planners have local knowledge of the best vendors and suppliers and will vet all of them to make sure they fit in with your needs and desires.

Corinna and Leron at Weddingmoon Vacations cater to a wide range of people and are particular proud of their connections to the LGBT communities. “It is highly important that our couples get treated well and equally across the board, if a vendor does not meet our strict guidelines then we do not even consider using them in the first place”. They also know the countries legalities regarding marriage certificates and timing involved and local events and holidays that could impact the booking stage of securing venues and hotels.

Do think about why you both chose a destination wedding.

• Is it because you want to elope?
• The romance of the location
• You want to streamline your costs
• You can share a locale you love with your guests
• Your honeymoon is guaranteed
• No hassle planning through a coordinator
• You can control the guest list
• An intimate way to share a special moment in your lives

Whatever your reasons are it is important that you are able to share this with those people in your lives that are close to you. This will enable them to be on the same page as you and to help you to make your dreams a reality.

Do think about your guests.

The first thing you want to figure out is if you are going to have a few people going along with you, lots of people, or none at all.  Remember that if you do have guests attending that they will need to know at least six months in advance in order to plan their own vacations.

Use your wedding planner wisely in this case, allowing them to coordinate a group rate for accommodation, activities and transportation.  If you do want to have your friends and family travel with you, remember not to pressure them into attending. For some people it may be cost prohibitive or the timing may be difficult for them with obligations that they already have.  Whatever you decided, be flexible and allow a lot of lead time for the planning.

Don’t pay for your guests airfares.

It is not customary for the couple getting married at their ultimate dream location to pay for your guests airfares, unless of course you want to.  This needs to be factored in when sending out your invites, letting your guests know either way.  Then all parties attending can make the necessary arrangements and decisions when deciding whether they will attend or not.

Don’t mail your wedding dress and or wedding items to the venue or wedding planner.

While transporting a wedding dress, wedding attire or special items you want to include in your ceremony, can be a challenge, it is never recommended that you mail them to your destination. Things could go missing or get damaged. Your items may get held up in mail inspection at the official customs of the country, or, even worse, get returned to your address without ever being delivered. 

It is your responsibility to transport any items and clothing that you wish to have at your ceremony.  Airlines will work with you to make sure that everything arrives in a safe manner, including using the on board large lockers that they have to stow your dress or wedding attire while travelling.

Don’t hold back on celebrating and having fun.

The most important aspect of your nuptials, the celebration!  It is time to pull out the party hats and enjoy your moment!  Dance the night away after a delectable dinner, savoring the local wine and taking all that your dream location has to offer, because the celebration does not stop after the ceremony, it continues with the honeymoon.  You are in the part of the world you always wanted to be in for the most important time in your life, take in the sights, relax and most of all have fun.

Why New Zealand for our Destination Wedding?

Louisa Wall (Labour MP) and Prue Kapua on their wedding day.

Here at Weddingmoon Vacations we pride ourselves in showcasing our beautiful country New Zealand. From Auckland down to the most southern region of Stewart Island.

But you may be asking yourself, why would my fiancé and I want to travel all the way to such an isolated area of the world for our nuptials and honeymoon?

There are some wonderful reasons to consider Aotearoa (New Zealand in Maori) for your special moment in history:

1) As mentioned above, the isolation that New Zealand has from the rest of the world will bring you to a unique area of planet Earth. Here you'll find unique flora and fauna. Bird, reptilian, aquatic life and countryside that you will not see in other parts of the world.

2) New Zealand’s marriage laws are equal for all, becoming one of only sixteen countries in the world to amend its marriage laws.

3) The people of Aotearoa are down to Earth and friendly, accepting all people with open arm hospitality.

4) The New Zealand Government works with the indigenous people of our land, the Maori, by honouring the Treaty signed by the Crown of England and the Maori Chiefs in 1840. They are ensuring that the Maori people are gaining back all their lands and rights that were stolen from them so many years ago.

5) The beauty of New Zealand, while on par with other parts of the world, is breathtaking and peaceful.  In one day you can move from the rolling hills to dense rain forest, on to the mountains and then the ocean.

6) The Lord of the Rings showcased New Zealand and you can visit a working Hobbiton village.

7) Get married in the middle of a wondrous Redwood Forest and then fly to an idyllic island for your honeymoon, all in the same country.

8) Having a destination wedding, with all the whistle and bells taken care of, is virtually stress free and allows you more time to spend with the love of your life.

9) A destination wedding is cost effective, getting your wedding and honeymoon in one package deal.

10) Apart from all the above, having a wedding in New Zealand is super romantic, either with just yourselves or a small select group of friends and family.

We would love to be part of your big day and make your dreams come true, We are here to provide you with the best and most memorable occasion in your life, with this once in a lifetime event. Contact us today at love@weddingmoonvacations.com