Waiheke island wedding in New Zealand

When our London friends invited us to attend their wedding in New Zealand it was the perfect excuse to visit a country that has long been on our dream travel wish list. It was too good an opportunity to pass up so we booked straight away.

The wedding was held on Waiheke, an island in Auckland's famous Hauraki Gulf, and only a 35 minute ferry ride from the historic downtown ferry building.

There was just enough time for a beer on the sun deck as the bustling city dissolved behind us, before the tranquillity of the islands drew us in.

Waiheke Island is roughly the size of Isle of Wight, with a resident population of just 7,500 souls and just as lushly green and sparsely inhabited.

The forests are punctuated by small traditional Kiwi holiday homes - which the locals call a bach (pronounced batch) - and in recent times increasing numbers of larger homes as the wealth of the islanders increases.

Better transport links to the city for commuters and the lure of the laid-back lifestyle have been attracting city folk to live here for years.

The volcanic activity that created these islands means there are many pockets of secluded sandy beaches to explore. Beautiful, rolling hills covered in dense native trees and lush grass add wild contrasts.

It is famous for its rich volcanic soil and the perfect climate for growing Sauvignon wine grapes. Several of New Zealand's best vineyards are on Waiheke Island and most double as wedding and conference venues.

We were heading to the most well-known of these - Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant.

We stayed in very nice beach-front apartments with stunning sunsets across the bay. Onetangi Beach, with its squeaky white sands, was just across the road.

Arriving at the vineyard by private coach, all eyes were turned towards the view as we ascended the winding gravel drive to the summit of the hill.

From the elevated garden where the ceremony took place we could see the wild tree-drenched land flowing away from us down into the sheltered bay below and on further to the rounded spines of more tree-shrouded islands.

The sun was dipping below the horizon, drenching the sky a lusty rose - an auspicious sign for the blessed union to follow.

The ultimate backdrop was the city of Auckland itself, with all its climbing buildings like stalagmites in a soft pink cave and the bright lights like glow worms illuminating the dusk. The city seemed so close yet another world away.

The ceremony was very heartfelt and followed by celebratory drinks in the gardens with what was left of the natural light, before moving inside for dinner.

Mudbrick Restaurant is internationally renowned for its innovative menu and the unsurpassed quality of its organic ingredients.

After a starter of giant scallops, we enjoyed melt-in-the-mouth rib-eye steak and seafood so fresh you could have caught it yourself that afternoon.

Award-winning wines perfectly complimented the menu and new flavours assaulted the taste-buds throughout the evening. Home made ice-creams and kiwi-flavoured sorbet rounded out an incredible supper.

The speeches, like any other wedding, were in parts congratulatory from friends, tearful from mothers, thankful from fathers and cringe-worthy from over-imbibed brothers.

The cake was cut and the night progressed into dancing and the movements some others called dancing. As the last songs were played the coach arrived to take us home.

We arrived back at our apartments in a contented mood, enjoying the warm and clear night air after an amazing day out with good friends.

With so much to do and such a relaxed atmosphere on this beautiful island, a side trip to Waiheke for anyone holidaying in New Zealand is unmissable.

How to get there:
Fullers Ferries operates regular trips to Waiheke from downtown Auckland every day of the year. The trip takes 35 minutes one way. Tickets are NZ$28.50 (£ ) return for adults and NZ$14.30 for children.

Where to stay:
We stayed at the Onetangi Beach-front Apartments, which are self-contained with spa pools and sauna. They also have sea views, room service and good transport links.
$150NZD night 1 bed apartment (peak season)
$120NZD night 1 bed apartment (low season)

Where to eat:
The Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant is in Church Bay on Waiheke island.

The Lazy Lounge is a child-friendly fully-licensed cafe in Oneroa Village.

Patrick Hannan