Kidman family leave no room for country cousins

The New Zealand cousins of country singer Keith Urban missed out seeing him marry Nicole Kidman because "too many Kidman cousins" were invited to the wedding.

Keri Urbahn, of Whangarei, told the Herald yesterday that her parents and all her aunts and uncles had been invited, but not the next generation.

"The reason the cousins were not invited is apparently because there are too many from the Kidman side."

Whangarei-born Urban, who dropped the "h" from his name for commercial reasons, had seven New Zealand first cousins.

Ms Urbahn was a little disappointed not to get an invitation but was too diplomatic to cause a transtasman rift and criticise the decision.

"I just feel quite stoked for my olds."

Her parents, Peter and Libby, who now live on the Sunshine Coast, were invited, as were Keith's other two uncles, and their wives, on his father's side. They are Paul and Julie Urbahn from Whangarei and Brian and Pat Urbahn from Helensville.

The three men are the only siblings of the singer's father, Bob, who is married to Marienne and lives in Australia and the United States.

Another cousin, Tania Urbahn-Hill, of Kerikeri, said she never expected to be invited, but sounded a little miffed that the Kidman cousins had been.

"It is totally understandable ... but it would have been nice to be there."

Ms Urbahn said she found out only yesterday that her parents were going.

"It has all been very cloak and dagger. They had known for three months, but not the how and when."

She said her parents flew to Sydney from Brisbane on Saturday night and were instructed to stay at the Inter-continental Hotel.

"They were told to be ready at 3.45pm and board the number-three bus."