New Parliamentary Speaker Lockwood Smith and his partner Alexandra Lang plan to marry in Parliament's Legislative Chamber later this year.
He confirmed yesterday that he had proposed to Ms Lang on Christmas Day and they would marry "in the middle of the year".
As for having the ceremony in Parliament, Dr Smith
said the venue "seems kind of fitting for the Speaker".
A formal announcement of the wedding plans is expected next week, when Dr Smith said he would reveal details of his and Ms Lang's romance - "a love story going back 40 years".
Ms Lang has been a student guidance counsellor at Otamatea High School for two years.
Dr Smith said she had previously worked as a counsellor at Wanganui Collegiate and Kings College and had moved to the Maungaturoto school to be closer to him. They live on his family beef farm at Matakohe.
Dr Smith, 60, has been a National Party MP since 1984, first representing Kaipara and now the Rodney electorate. Ministerial portfolios he has held in the past include education, agriculture and trade.
Before entering politics he was a senior Dairy Board marketing manager, university lecturer and hosted educational children's television shows in New Zealand and Australia.
