Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Big day for couples is also big business

By Amy Shanks
Hawkes Bay Today·
17 Jan, 2014 11:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

BUSY: Rhonda Claypole and Tanya Koens, of Flowers by Tanya, have been flat out filling orders for weddings during Hawke's Bay's peak season.

BUSY: Rhonda Claypole and Tanya Koens, of Flowers by Tanya, have been flat out filling orders for weddings during Hawke's Bay's peak season.

Hawke's Bay's wedding season is in full swing, with at least five couples getting hitched throughout the region yesterday and another cluster today.

It's good news for those working behind the scenes - from photographers to make-up artists, caterers, florists and marriage celebrants.

The region's climate, stunning scenery and a range of venue options attracted up to 700 couples, most of whom choose the typically busy period from October to April.

"It's been flat out with weddings ... I have had one a week for the past three weeks, there are loads, and still a huge amount of enquiry about Hawke's Bay," Hawke's Bay Weddings and Events manager Barb Jenkinson said.

"We have about 600 to 700 weddings here a year - that's 26 weekends with an average of four a weekend - it's pretty full on."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ms Jenkinson recently signed two new venues to her website, including Mana Lodge, the late Sir Paul Holmes' treasured Hawke's Bay estate, which wife Lady Deborah now runs as a bed and breakfast, with facilities for special events.

"Already she's fully booked for 2014 and into 2015," Ms Jenkinson said.

Greenhill Lodge was another addition gaining plenty of attention since advertising wedding services about three months ago.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"People have been enquiring very heavily, we took over Greenhill about 18 months ago ... there are bookings for next January as people tend to book about 14 months ahead," owner John Dick said.

Millhills Lodge was steady, catering to a more boutique market. "We also have accommodation and like the idea of a small family wedding, then having them to stay so we can really take care of everyone."

Mission Estate Winery, The Old Church, Craggy Range, Black Barn Vineyards and the War Memorial were also popular options.

Florists too had seen a huge boost in brides sending enquiries in preparation for their big day and are keeping busy with continuous bookings this month.

"It's a constant thing, we have been very busy with enquiries now and also looking ahead into April, there's a lot more activity this year," Richie Davies said.

Zinnia Floral design noticed a change in trend from structured bouquets to a more "picked from the garden" look and were filling wedding orders most weekends during summer, reflecting an overall rise in people choosing Hawke's Bay as a destination.

"More people are coming here in general I think," Zinnia co-owner Natalie McKenzie said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Business

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

'Bringing the community together': Young new owner's plans for Hastings cinema

Hawkes Bay Today

Regional airline grounded for 10 days by Civil Aviation Authority

Hawkes Bay Today

New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Premium
Premium
'Bringing the community together': Young new owner's plans for Hastings cinema
Hawkes Bay Today

'Bringing the community together': Young new owner's plans for Hastings cinema

'I believe if there’s fair prices, people would love to come back to the movies.'

14 Jul 04:29 AM
Regional airline grounded for 10 days by Civil Aviation Authority
Hawkes Bay Today

Regional airline grounded for 10 days by Civil Aviation Authority

14 Jul 03:12 AM
New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre
Hawkes Bay Today

New Four Square and shops planned for Taradale town centre

12 Jul 06:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP