Wedding photos of Czech drug-smuggler Karel Sroubek masquerading under the identity he adopted to fraudulently start over in New Zealand have emerged.

Sroubek was once the winner of a Fashion Week experience with New Zealand Weddingsand suit makers Crane Brothers, which entitled him to a custom made Italian wool suit for his big day.

"What better time than your wedding to have a bespoke suit made?" he told New Zealand Weddings.

"The fact that I could wear something of such excellence – and then keep it for occasions beyond 'I do' – was an exciting prospect."

The photos were used by New Zealand Weddings in April 2016.

Sroubek, speaking under his alias Jan Antolik, told the magazine he choose copper buttons for his suit because he wanted to add a point of difference.

"I found shoes in a matching tone, then spent an hour at the shop choosing the bow tie and pocket square – the options are endless," he told New Zealand Weddings.

"But in the end, the idea was to keep it simple. We chose a classic navy bow tie and a white pocket square with navy polka dots."

Sroubek entered the country under the name Jan Antolik in September 2003.

He was just 22 when he immigrated and did not speak English but went on to find success as a businessman and kickboxer.

In 2011, a jury found him guilty of having a false passport and lying to immigration officials but he was later discharged without conviction and ordered to undertake community work.

Sroubek claimed he fled his homeland because his family was threatened by corrupt police officers who wanted him to give false witness testimony in a murder trial.

Judge Roy Wade said if Sroubek was deported he would be in danger from corrupt Czech authorities.

In 2016, Sroubek was sentenced to five years and nine months' imprisonment after being convicted of smuggling 5kg of MDMA with a street value of $375,000 into New Zealand.

He appealed that conviction last year, claiming the drugs were planted to frame him, but it was rejected by the Court of Appeal.

Sroubek was previously acquitted of committing an aggravated robbery with two members of the Hells Angels.

This week it emerged Sroubek was going to be deported until Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway granted him residency.

Lees-Galloway's decision allows Sroubek to stay in country under his real name on the conditions that he can not be convicted of any offence or provide false information to a Government agency for the next five years.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern defended the decision on the grounds Sroubek's life was at risk.