Patoka dairying couple, Jeffrin Harty and Claire Douglas, are the lucky winners of a free wedding promotion 'Married at Market Street' on The Hits Hawkes Bay. Photo / Rochelle Street
Jeffrin Harty and Claire Douglas were married today - in Napier's CBD.
In true wedding tradition, the bride was slightly late. About 8.15am, the ceremony - conducted by Hawke's Bay The Hits breakfast show co-host Megan Banks - was under way.
The cows had been milked early, and family and friends of the couple gathered in Market St.
With just one week to prepare their dream wedding, the Patoka dairy farming couple were still determined to make their day a memorable one.
Jeffrin Harty and Claire Douglas found out last Friday that they were the lucky winners of a free wedding promotion' - "Married at Market Street" on The Hits Hawke's Bay.
They applied when their workmate Brittany heard an ad on the radio.
First, she accidentally called The Hits Auckland but, a couple of days later, Harty heard it again on the radio and sent in the story of their first date.
The couple met at the Tikokino pub, but Harty almost missed his chance.
"The first night he never actually made it he got stuck on the beach, him and his late cousin were sitting there trying to push the truck out.
"There's no service out at Pourerere and no service at the Tikokino pub so I thought I'd wait there till closing time.
"Then he messaged me at 10.30 that night and was like, 'Oh my god I'm so sorry', and I was like, one more shot, one more shot, I'm not doing anything this weekend."
They then went on a second date and have been together ever since.
Harty describes the whole process as "a whirlwind".
Douglas said they didn't tell anyone that they had applied, not even her bridesmaids, so it was amazing that so many friends and family from throughout the North Island made the effort for the big day.
"I called my Mum in Auckland and said you might need to sit down," Douglas said.
"She automatically thought she was getting a grandchild and never expected me to say we're actually getting married next week.
"Once Mum knew that this was actually going to be a beautiful legitimate wedding and not some radio stunt, she started to get really excited."
Douglas said she "couldn't have done it without the emotional support" of her bridesmaids.
With support from Napier City Business Inc, everything from the dress to the rings was organised for the couple.
Napier City Business Inc general manager Pip Thompson said the excitement and buzz around planning a wedding was just what Napier needed.
"We all know 2020 was rough and many potential weddings were called off due to the restrictions Covid-19 brought.
"Then along came the devastating floods in November.
"So, we thought it was time to show the love in Napier."
"Jeff and Claire are one of life's great couples," she said.
The couple said the wedding was "amazing", the Country Calendar theme tune even played, and now that they're married "the nerves have finally worn off," Douglas said.
There are several people and serious injuries involved, police say.