Ana takes out our top bride award

VISIONS IN WHITE: Bride of the Year 2015 Ana Whiteacre-Burt nee Whiteacre (left), Highly Commended Zane McCreary nee Miltona, Commended Emma McKinstry nee Williams, Special Award for gown Mikyla Hull nee Thompson. PHOTO/JUDE NIKOLAISON

Friday's Bride of the Year event has seen Ana Whiteacre-Burt (nee Whiteacre) crowned as this year's top bride.

Other award winners included Highly Commended Zane McCreary (nee Miltona) and Commended Emma McKinstry (nee Williams).

The Rochelle Burnard Cup for the most original or innovative gown was awarded to Mikyla Hull (nee Thompson).

The event, which was judged by Carterton mayor John Booth, Alice Hutchison, and Carissa Fairbrother, was held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park and featured 29 brides vying for a prize pack of 16 items, including a $5200 Sleepyhead chiropractic mattress.

The Lansdowne sub-branch of the Plunket Society has been organising the competition for 45 years and Mr Booth said it was a great tradition that made for a well-organised and fun evening.

"I think the highlight was that it was a very friendly and happy occasion and everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves," he said.

"And the brides had great family support which was wonderful and I think everybody was happy with the results in the end.

"It was really interesting for me because I had two lady judges and myself, and basically when we went back into the room to make our decision, we all put down how we judged them and the order of our points, and I couldn't believe it - I virtually had the same as the ladies!

"So the consensus was very easily arrived at and we all felt very happy about the result.

"I love the natural young lady that won, Mrs Whiteacre-Burt, and the bride who was second, Zane McCreary, she was lovely too. It could have gone either way.

"We were looking at the dress, how it fitted, the poise they had and you know, personality, and also looked at the originality of the dress."

Mr Booth said it was the first time he had attended the Bride of the Year event and he was amazed by the standard of competition.

"There were three judges and I was the one sitting in the middle, being the only male, and I was looking straight down the runway, and as they walk towards you, you just sort of see how their personality stood out, their dress, the way they showed off the attributes of it.

"They're all very lovely young ladies."

The competition was open to brides married between August 1, 2014 and July 31, 2015 who were married in Wairarapa or live in Wairarapa.

Last year Stephanie Sim (nee Meredith) took top honours.