Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 43, married her long-term partner Clarke Gayford, 47, in a private ceremony on Jan. 13, 2024.

The couple have been together since 2014 and share a five-year-old daughter together.

They got engaged in May 2019 and originally intended to tie the knot in 2022, but their wedding was cancelled due to strict Covid-19 restrictions imposed in New Zealand.

In her final speech in parliament, she emotionally told Gayford: "To Clarke, let's finally get married".

Wedding details

The wedding took place in Hawke's Bay at Craggy Range Winery on New Zealand's North Island, Ardern's spokesperson confirmed to Reuters.

She wore a custom fitted ivory dress by Juliette Hogan gown and carried a cascading all-white bouquet while Gayford wore a black suit.

The ceremony had around 50 to 75 guests, including current New Zealand prime minister and opposition leader Chris Hipkins.

Ardern and Gayford's daughter, Neve, wore a white dress made of fabric from her grandmother's wedding dress, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Protestors outside the wedding venue

A small number of protestors gathered outside the wedding venue on the morning of the wedding to voice their discontent over Covid-19 vaccine mandates that were enacted by Ardern's government, The Guardian reported.

Videos on social media showed several protest signs outside the gates to the wedding venue.

Outside Craggy Range winery, Hastings, where Jacinda Ardern is getting married today. Eye-catching display of Covid vax injured signs, to remind the bride that New Zealand has not forgotten.

h/t Kylie Wire, Facebook. pic.twitter.com/aeu92tX44I

— Coronavirus Plushie (@c_plushie) January 13, 2024

Life post-parliament

Since her premiership, Ardern has largely kept out of the spotlight, and rarely posts on social media.

A trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize since April 2023, Ardern attended the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony in Singapore on Nov. 7, 2023.

Top photo via Jacinda Ardern's Instagram