Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern will today marry partner Clarke Gayford in a ceremony in Hawke’s Bay. The wedding was originally set to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Two years on, several celebrities and political figures are joining the Arderns and Gayfords to celebrate the nuptials.

Here comes the bride! Dame Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford are currently tying the knot in a ceremony in a Hawke’s Bay vineyard, under the watchful eye of daughter Neve, their family and friends.

The ceremony began just before 4pm.

Ardern was sighted walking towards the site of her wedding ceremony, in the stunning Hawke’s Bay, where she was due to tie the knot with partner Clarke Gayford after a decade together.

Ardern could be seen wearing a sleeveless white gown, with a veil. The dress is believed to have been custom made by New Zealand fashion designer Juliette Hogan. The bride was holding a large bouquet of flowers and arrived at the ceremony flanked by several people holding umbrellas under the warm Hawke’s Bay sun.

At 4pm, Ardern began her walk down to the aisle, which was about 30 metres long. The sound of the music coming from the secluded spot inside the vineyard could be heard from the roadside.

The ceremony was thought to have wrapped up just after 4:30pm, as cheers could be heard and guests could be seen sipping wine under the big umbrellas.

Guests started to arrive at the venue of Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford’s wedding early in the afternoon, as police met with a small group of protesters who have plastered a wall with dozens of anti-vax posters outside the luxury Hawke’s Bay vineyard.

The former Prime Minister and her fiance are tying the knot today almost a decade on from their first date – and two years on from an earlier planned wedding which was scuttled by Covid-19.

The pair will exchange vows in front of family and close friends near Havelock North, in Hawke’s Bay.

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Clarke Gayford at the Hawke's Bay venue where he is getting married to former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today. Photo / George Heard

At about 3:15pm, wedding guests could be seen walking towards a tree lined circular spot in the vineyard ahead of the ceremony.

Several police cars, including mufti cars, have also been driving circuits around the venue.

Gayford was spotted around midday, looking relaxed as he walked through the venue wearing a hat, sunglasses, and jandals while carrying two bags.

Around him, contractors, wedding suppliers and some guests have been arriving since early this morning for the wedding at the venue described as the “most Instagramable vineyard in the world”.

Just after 3pm, former Prime Minister and current leader of the opposition Chris Hipkins and his partner Toni Grace arrived at the venue in one of the buses that had earlier departed from central Napier.

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and partner Toni Grace arriving at the venue. Photo / George Heard

Former Parliamentary speaker and ex-senior Labour MP Sir Trevor Mallard arrived on the same bus.

Former Deputy Prime Minster Grant Robertson and Ardern’s former press secretary Andrew Campbell were some of the first guests to arrive ahead of the ceremony. Fashion designer Juliette Hogan, who has created the dress Ardern is set to wear down the aisle, has also arrived at the venue.

Juliette Hogan arrives at the vineyard for Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford's wedding. Photo / George Heard

Shortly after, Annette King, Darren Hughes, and Kelvin Davis were also spotted.

Dame Annette King, New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia, arrives at the venue. Photo / George Heard

Kelvin Davis arrives at the venue to attend the wedding of Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford. Photo / George Heard

Meanwhile, just after 2pm, a chartered bus left central Napier headed to the vineyard. An wye witness on Marine Parade said there were currently about a dozen of “very sharp dressed” people walking towards the bus.

Celebrity chef Peter Gordon has also arrived at the vineyard, with partner Alistair Carruthers.

Chef Peter Gordon with partner Alistair Carruthers. Photo / George Heard

Earlier today, Gordon had been spotted at Hawke’s Bay Airport. Asked if he was in the area for the nuptials, he replied with: “I’m not saying”. Gordon was initially booked to be the chef at the first wedding attempt.

Chef Peter Gordon spotted at Hawke's Bay Airport ahead of Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford's wedding. Photo / Caron Copek

A wedding photographer from Felicity Jean Photography entered the venue shortly after 1 pm, with some of the band gear dropped off around midday had the name of Kiwi chart-topping band Fat Freddy’s Drop written on the side of it.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson arrived shortly after 1pm. Photo / George Heard

Earlier, hairdresser Tane Tomoana, who is doing Ardern’s hair, also arrived along with renowned Kiwi fashion designer Juliette Hogan.

Hogan, who is believed to have designed Ardern’s wedding dress and is a close friend of hers, drove out of the venue at around 11.30am.

Musicians arrived at the venue just after midday. Photo / George Heard

Meanwhile, two police officers have stood down after talking with members of a small protest group set up outside the wedding location after they covered a nearby rock wall with 30 large posters featuring the faces of people they claim suffered side effects from Covid-19 boosters.

Police talk to protesters outside the Hawke's Bay venue. Photo / Neil Reid

One of the protestors was earlier holding a placard stating “Lest we forget, jab mandates”.

Another protester was carrying a large black portable speaker and rap with anti-vax lyrics can be heard for the last few hours. A four-wheel drive vehicle with several anti-Ardern and anti-vax slogans has also been parked on the grass area just outside the venue.

The protesters’ antics are now earning the ire of several passing motorists, slowing down and telling them to “get a life”.

The first contractors and wedding suppliers arrived just before 9am. Photo / George Heard 

 

Wedding suppliers and stylists have started arriving at the venue where former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is getting married today. Photo / George Heard

Media covering the pending wedding includes an overseas tabloid publication that plan to fly a helicopter over the venue in a bid to gain wedding photos, the Herald understands.

Shortly before 9am, a generator on the back of a trailer was delivered to the site.

Other delivery vehicles including a trailer load of white wedding chairs, several private security vehicles, and a waste management truck have also been coming and going this morning - with all vehicles going into the location having to pass through tight security.

A marked police car has also been driving up and down the country road on which the vineyard is located, while local residents have been driving slowly past the venue and taking photos and videos of the set-up, which includes a large white marquee where the post-wedding dinner and fine wines will be served.

Florist and flowers arrived at Jacinda Ardern's wedding venue around 10am today. Photo / George Heard

The electric gates of the vineyard are closed, with a security guard standing nearby letting suppliers and staff in.

A lone protester near the wedding venue shortly after 9am. Photo / George Heard 

As the countdown ticks down and Ross Ardern prepares to welcome a new son-in-law to his family, the former Prime Minister’s happy father told the Herald he was “excited” about the big day.

“We’re all sorted, kind of, but I haven’t got anything to say to the media,” Ross Ardern said.

A trailer load of white wedding chairs has been towed to the location in the vineyard where the ceremony will take place later today. Photo / George Heard

The Herald understands Jacinda Ardern will be wearing a design created by Kiwi fashion guru Juliette Hogan; a personal friend of the former PM, and someone whose designs Ardern has regularly worn before.

Throughout her time in politics, Ardern was a strong supporter of several Kiwi fashion designers.

The couple began dating in 2014, the year after Gayford, 47, 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.

Clarke Gayford after a dress rehearsal on the eve of his wedding with former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern. Photo / George Heard 

The venue was block-booked by the happy couple from Friday, including exclusive use of the accommodation and award-winning restaurant.

Ardern, 43, made global headlines when she became the country’s youngest leader and then gave birth to the couple’s now 5-year-old daughter, Neve, while PM.

She was internationally applauded for her empathy during the Christchurch terrorist attack in 2019, the White Island volcano eruption and the Covid-19 pandemic.

But in the days leading up to her wedding to Gayford, she, her partner and close friends and family have remained tight-lipped.

The Herald was told by someone close to the couple the former Prime Minister and her longtime partner had been determined to keep it that way.

“They won’t be doing any media [before the wedding],” a source said.

“They don’t really want to make any comment in the week leading up to their special wedding.”

The New Zealand Woman’s Weekly has previously published glossy spreads on Ardern and Gayford. Editor Marilynn McLachlan declined to say if the magazine had purchased rights for the wedding.

Another person who previously worked with Ardern in Parliament said the former PM wanted to keep the build-up to her nuptials as “private” as possible.

But the date and location of the wedding venue has been the worst-kept secret in the area.

Several people who live on the winding country road where the vineyard is sited told the Herald they had been visited by security people in the weeks leading up to the wedding, who warned them to be wary of anyone who might try to disrupt the ceremony and the later celebrations.

It is understood security had also been checking venues, including the vineyard that was chosen, in mid-2023.

Some nearby residents had also decided to leave the area on the weekend of the wedding, with one saying he wanted to avoid “the circus”.

Preparations at the vineyard for the Ardern/Gayford wedding ramped up on Wednesday, with workers starting to erect a large marquee on a section of the location’s well-maintained gardens.

By Thursday morning, the white marquee – which was visible from the road, and from the summit of Te Mata Peak - had been completed.

A staff member from the venue told the Herald Friday was set to be a “big day” as grounds staff worked to ensure the setting was perfect.

Private accommodation at the venue can cater for up to 30 people.

A local claimed the vineyard was the obvious choice for the nuptials and that Ardern may be holed up at an exclusive retreat near the wedding venue.

“The winery is fully contained; it’s got gates and it’s easy to patrol and hard to access. If they are putting a marquee up, they will have more than 80 guests, they can’t fit any more. If it’s under 80 they put you in the restaurant, anything over you must be in a marquee,” the woman said.

Guests are expected to include numerous politicians Ardern previously worked with, plus people from the entertainment industry whom Gayford knows well.

The Herald has contacted former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, former Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, David Parker, Dame Annette King, Darren Hughes, Helen Clark, Kiri Allen and Sir Trevor Mallard.

Some declined to comment, and others didn’t respond.

Inside the marquee, multiple large tables had been set up for diners to enjoy the top-notch food and wine the vineyard is known for.

The vineyard’s restaurant has consistently earned two hats in the Cuisine Good Food Awards.

Its current summer menu features eight offerings, including venison tartare, roasted Hohepa 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.