Bridal beauties all a-blush again

Masterton barista Alice Henderson was so chuffed to win the 2009 Bride of the Year pageant on Friday that she wore her winning sash to work the next day.
Mrs Henderson, who works at Dish in Lansdowne and married in February, decided to enter the 40th annual pageant so she could wear her elegant gown again.
She had been searching for a dress for six months when she found an "amazing" feature in a magazine, and to her fortune the designers - Louise Anderson in Christchurch - happened to be based in New Zealand.
Four visits and six months later, she'd designed an exquisite garment complete with fingerless gloves embroidered with crystals, crystal earrings, a bracelet and a flower at the back of her bodice embedded with a broach that had been in her family for four generations.
Her February 28 wedding to Quentin Henderson at Toads Landing near Masterton was just as lavish, and all seven of her bridesmaids were among the party cheering her on at Friday's ceremony at the Copthorne Resort and Hotel.
Mrs Henderson, nee Hall, said she was "stoked" just to be able to show off her dress again and to take out the top prize was icing on the wedding cake.
"It was a very cool feeling - my whole family and all my bridesmaids were there yahooing," she said on Saturday.
Her prize pack included the Clarke's Fabric Centre Silver Rosebowl for a year, a $2000 mattress and base, a night's accommodation for two in a deluxe theme suite at Greytown's White Swan Hotel, a piece of ruby jewellery from Clark's Jewellers and a list of other items.
"I thought the sash was the coolest part of it all and I was wearing at work this morning."
Other place-getters were Rea Carleton, who won the Rochelle Burnard Cup, Claire Smith, who received the Highly Commended award and Darlya Redfern-Walker, who won the Commended award.
"I thought the other brides all looked beautiful in their own individual ways," Mrs Henderson said.
The event, organised by the Lansdowne sub-branch of the Plunket Society, added to a wedding-themed weekend at the Copthorne, where the 2009 Wedding Expo was also staged.
Expo organiser Pip Campbell described the event as "very successful", with 100 more visitors than 2008's expo.
The event showcased 30 different exhibitors, who specialised in venues, catering, gowns, transport, health and beauty, hens parties options and more.
"It really shows the increase in the number of people choosing to get married in Wairarapa. It's a beautiful place to have a wedding."