Felicity Paige Wren was a passenger in a car which hit the rear of a truck-and-trailer unit on Friday afternoon, on State Highway 27 at Patetonga, north of Morrinsville.
She died at the scene.
Her aunt, Julie Addis, told the Otago Daily Times the family was devastated, and "this is beyond comprehension".
The third-year Massey University student, who was studying photographic design at the university's Wellington campus, was fun loving had a great sense of humour and was passionate about fashion and photography.
"She just loved her life."
The family's thoughts were also with Millie McCutcheon, the 20-year-old driver of the vehicle, who was also brought up in Dunedin. She was cut free from the car and discharged from Waikato Hospital with minor injuries.
The pair were travelling to New Zealand Fashion Week and a minute's silence was held in Felicity's memory at the event on Monday night.
"We will just embrace her as part of the family ... she was the last person who Felicity saw," she said.
Miss Wren's parents, Tim and Monica, who were overseas at the time of the crash, were "just heartbroken".
The couple, who were less than a fortnight into a seven-week trip, returned to Auckland on Sunday, before heading to Hamilton.
They were expected to arrive in Dunedin today with her body.
Ms Addis said the funeral, on Monday afternoon, was expected to attract a large number of people, many of whom would be honouring their friend by wearing red lipstick.
"She loved her red lipstick. It would be nice if everyone had it on in honour of Fliss."
St Hilda's Collegiate School deputy principal Geraldine Corkery said Miss Wren finished her seven years' education at the school in 2009, and was known by many present day pupils.
"She was a hardworking and determined student. We have been looking at photos of her over the last two days, and she always had a smile on her face."
On Monday, the school dedicated a chapel service to her memory.
