Jacinda Ardern stuns in secret wedding to Clarke Gayford

Former NZ prime minister Jacinda Ardern married in a secret ceremony on Saturday and her dress carried a touching message.

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has married her TV presenter partner Clarke Gayford in a secret ceremony surrounded by family and friends.

Ardern, 43, and Gayford, 47, tied the knot at the Craggy Range vineyard in New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay region — famous for its world class wines.

The first pictures from the lavish ceremony have been shared, showing Ms Ardern wearing a white halterneck gown. In official photographs she held a bouquet of white flowers as she smiled beside her husband.

The wedding comes after almost five years of engagement, with the former first couple originally planning to hold the ceremony in 2022 before COVID forced the plans into disarray.

Their five-year-old daughter, Neve, accompanied her father down the aisle, wearing a dress made from her grandmother’s wedding dress.

Official photos from Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford's wedding. Picture: Felicity Jean Photography.

Ardern and Gayford on their special day. Picture: Felicity Jean Photography

The former PM stunned in official photographs: Picture: Felicity Jean Photography.

Security vehicles and a marked police car were earlier seen patrolling the country roads around Craggy Range, hoping to stave off any potential threat to the couple’s special day.

The venue has been described as the “most Instagrammable vineyard in the world”, and sits in the shadow of Mata Peak.

Aside from the picturesque vineyard, a two hatted restaurant also sits on the property as well as several garden cottages and luxury lodges.

The happy couple have booked out the entire venue from Friday, which includes exclusive use of the accommodation and award-winning restaurant.

Protesters earlier tried to create a scene. The anti-vaccination protesters gathered outside the vineryard in Havelock North on Saturday, hoping to make a statement hours before the pair are arrived.

A lone male protester was the first to arrive at the elite venue, seen holding a sign reading: “Lest we forget jab mandates”.

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern mingles with guests at her wedding to Clrake Gayford. Picture: New Zealand Herald/George Heard

The man was seen walking up and down the road in front of the extensive property on New Zealand’s north island earlier on Saturday.

A group of four women were then seen in the area ahead of the wedding, one carrying a sign that read “This s--- is bananas” while another carried a boombox spouting anti-vaccination material.

One of the women was then seen carrying the earlier “lest we forget” banner next to the country road, showing drivers passing by.

The group then set up outside the gates with dozens of corflute signs containing anti-vaccination material.

They raised their signs as attendees began to stream through the gates, video posted on social media by one protester shows.

“All the Jacinda lovers, madness,” she is heard saying.

The video also shows a police officer speaking to two men who were standing outside the gates.

— with NCA Newswire