Hawke’s Bay has shown the world just why it is so renowned as a location for weddings as the region turned on its best weather and behaviour for former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford’s nuptials.
Police say the public was largely respectful regarding the eagerly anticipated wedding, and no arrests were made on the day or night of the ceremony.
A car doing a burnout over the river from the wedding venue was photographed by a Hawke’s Bay Today photographer at the time vows were being exchanged, and a small group of anti-vax protesters were spoken to by police earlier in the day.
But as crowds lined Te Mata Peak’s viewing point to catch a glimpse of the wedding of the year at the exclusive and heavily guarded Craggy Range Winery, the prevailing attitude was positive - that after a tough year, it was nice to have something to smile about.
Ardern and Gayford woke up on Sunday morning as husband and wife – after marrying in front of friends and loved ones.
The former Prime Minister and her TV host partner of almost 10 years began their married life at the winery on the outskirts of Havelock North, where they exchanged vows before a reception full of laughter, cheering and dancing.
The wedding was originally set to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The couple and guests partied the night away with those closest to them in a large marquee that was erected on Wednesday on the plush lawns.
Ardern gave a five-minute wedding speech, including nods to friends, close colleagues and family members, some of whom had twice travelled great distances to be there.
She gave a special shoutout to Craggy Range and head chef Casey McDonald, who was just about to serve up the main course, before spending around a minute talking about her “best friend” and now-husband.
Earlier, the wedding was officiated by the couple’s friend and former Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.
The happy couple’s 5-year-old daughter Neve walked up the aisle with her father, wearing a floral wreath in her hair made by Field of Roses and a white dress made of fabric from her grandmother Laurell Ardern’s wedding dress.
Fashion designer Juliette Hogan, who made Ardern’s dress, and her husband were guests. Official images released by the couple yesterday evening showed a smiling Ardern in an ivory sleeveless, cowl-necked halter gown featuring a high neckline, cinched waist and low back.
The former PM also wore a long tulle veil, which was clipped into a chignon up-do, created by hairdresser Tane Tomoana, who has previously worked on looks for Ardern.
Her shoes were by Mount Maunganui designer Chaos and Harmony and the couple’s wedding rings were designed by New Zealand jewellery designer Zoe and Morgan.
Gayford wore a black Zambesi suit and white shirt, paired with a black tie and a corsage that matched the bridal bouquet on his lapel.
Tomoana revealed on social media that guests dined on paua and snapper sausage rolls after the ceremony.
Two buses – including one transporting Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and partner Toni Grace, former Speaker of the House and veteran MP Sir Trevor Mallard and Megan Woods – took some guests to the wedding.
Musicians Marlon Williams, Hollie Smith - Gayford’s ex-partner - and MC Tali were also spotted among guests.
Other political guests included former Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis, former MP Dame Annette King and fellow former MP Darren Hughes. Ardern’s former press secretary Andrew Campbell also attended.
Celebrity chef Peter Gordon, along with his partner Alastair Carruthers, arrived by taxi.
Throughout the ceremony – which began around 4pm – cheering could be heard from the roadside outside Craggy Range as Ardern made her way up the aisle.
But they were interrupted by the noise of a small helicopter hired by a member of the Australian paparazzi.
As the helicopter flew over the venue – staying in the air for 59 minutes – Ardern’s bridal party stopped and took shelter under large sun umbrellas.
They only emerged after the helicopter flew away.
After the ceremony, Neve was seen playing with a young boy in a tuxedo and entertaining other guests.
From about 9am, several anti-vax protestors also set up a small protest camp on the boundary of Craggy Range.
Members of the group berated members of the media and played a series of rap songs with X-rated lyrics about Ardern, her former Government, the Covid-19 mandates and lockdowns, and the media.
Police arrived at Craggy Range after they had placed more than 30 large billboards on the stone walls at the front of the vineyard featuring photos and case studies of people who allegedly suffered health impacts due to Covid-19 boosters.
The protesters received a mixed reaction from motorists driving past, with one man slowing down near them and yelling, “Get a life, you pack of losers.”
Their antics were the least of Gayford’s concerns in the hours leading up to the ceremony.
He was spotted in the early afternoon casually walking around Craggy Range before he got into his wedding number-ones.
Wearing a hat, sunglasses, shirt and denim shorts, Gayford – who was carrying two bags – looked as relaxed as one could possibly be on their big day.
Tomoana also looked relaxed as he arrived at the venue mid-morning, ahead of styling Ardern’s hair on her wedding day.
Last-minute deliveries started arriving at the venue shortly after 9am.
They included additional security cars from a private company, a generator, and the delivery of non-alcoholic drinks.
A wedding photographer from Felicity Jean Photography entered the venue shortly after 1pm.
Two musicians with accompanying gear, including a bin with the name of Kiwi chart-topping band Fat Freddy’s Drop written on the side of it, arrived after around noon.
And flowers from Field of Roses, a small flower and floral design studio in the Waingake Valley outside Gisborne, were also dropped off.
Ardern and Gayford, 47, began dating in 2014, the year after Gayford, a keen fisherman and host of Fish of the Day and Moving Houses, contacted the then-Labour list MP in 2013 to discuss concerns over legislation going through Parliament.
Ardern, 43, had an internationally respected political career before resigning as Prime Minister early last year.
She gave birth to Neve while serving as Prime Minister in 2018.
Craggy Range’s restaurant has consistently earned two hats in the Cuisine Good Food Awards.
Its current summer menu features eight offerings, including venison tartare, roasted Hōhepa halloumi, pan-fried local fish and glazed lamb shoulder. Wine to match is a further $85.
In the lead-up to their wedding, Ardern and Gayford holidayed at a family bach in Tairua on the Coromandel Peninsula, before travelling to Gisborne, where Ardern was seen last weekend.
The former Prime Minister then arrived in Hawke’s Bay.
On Wednesday, she was spotted with a group of about 12 other women at Hastings Distillers, a boutique bar that offers tastings of its award-winning gins and liqueurs.
The group was seen by an NZME source seated near the back of the venue behind long, navy blue velvet curtains.
It’s understood they then dined at a Hastings restaurant.
Saturday’s wedding was a case of second-time lucky for Ardern and Gayford.
After getting engaged in 2019, the pair were meant to get married in January 2022 at the exclusive farm homestead at Nick’s Head Station, 25km south of Gisborne.
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