Wedding woes for couple after Moana Park Winery goes into voluntary administration

Neil Hayes and Jenny Cade had pre-booked and pre-paid their Moana Park Winery Wedding. Photo / Facebook

Jenny Cade and Neil Hayes had the perfect Hawke's Bay winter wedding planned - but their dreams were shattered after their organised venue went into voluntary administration.

The Puketapu-based, multi-award winning Moana Park Winery, which is officially registered as World's Best Little Wine Company Ltd, chose to take that step itself earlier this year.

Owned by Daniel and Kaylea Barker, the family business made a name for itself with a focus on producing natural, low allergen wines.

A Wellington couple booked their dream wedding at Moana Park Winery a year ago - only to discover it had gone into voluntary administration. Photo / File.

Cade and Hayes, from Wellington, shared their wedding woes on a Hawke's Bay Facebook page last week.

"We were feeling on top of the world.

"We paid upfront full cost, we had it sorted for once, we did this on our own, we saved every penny and we sorted our dream wedding.

"Life was the best," wrote Cade.

Then they heard about Moana Park Winery's woes, he wrote.

"We met with the administrator to be told it is the worst possible outcome - the company owes money to a lot of people; we are just one of many.

"The fate of the winery is uncertain, we won't be able to be married there and we have lost our money.

"Our only hope is we could get it back, but that could take along time with the bank being first in line! We have lost everything with our wedding date being only three months away."

Palliser Insolvency director Heath Gair said Moana Park Winery's administrators had been working with the winery staff, creditors and suppliers to continue to trade the business as usual to ensure the best possible outcome for creditors.

"The couple concerned understandably do not wish to hold their wedding at the winery considering the uncertainty," Gair said.

"We are not in a legal position to refund their deposit currently. However, we continue to work with the support of the great employees and suppliers to repay creditors eventually, if possible," he said.

"Due to the Administration, the company has to date not been in a position to confirm it can host the couple's wedding in late July.

The Administrator has the utmost sympathy for the couple and the uncertain position brought about by the Administration and will continue to work with them to try to reach a good result."

Valley D Vine manger Greg Miller responded to Cade and Hayes on social media - coming to the couple's rescue.

"My venue is yours and my time free of charge - I'm working hard on all my suppliers to jump on board," he wrote.

Neither Miller nor the couple would comment to Hawke's Bay Today. Miller confirmed he was working his hardest to help the couple "in this very emotional time".