Peer pressure pushes Bunny to bride award

OVER THE MOON: Jasmine Bunny (nee Chambers) says she is "still buzzing" after winning the title of 2013 Wairarapa Bride of the Year last Friday.

Newlywed Jasmine Bunny was not overly impressed when her friends suggested she put her name down for Wairarapa's most popular bridal contest.

In fact, the shy teacher aide was "so nervous" leading up to the competition, that one of the only things keeping her going was the prospect of wearing her wedding dress again.

But, thanks to those nudges from her mates, Mrs Bunny (nee Chambers) is now the proud owner of a brand new queen-sized bed and the title of Wairarapa Bride of the Year 2013.

In her grecian-inspired gown, Mrs Bunny, 26, who wed farmer Simon Bunny in February, beat 32 other brides to claim the title last Friday evening at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park. "Basically, my friends peer-pressured me into entering," she said.

"They had entered before and, after I got married, they said, 'you should go for it.' And I was like, 'I don't know about that.'

"The night before, I was thinking, 'I can't do this.' But then I thought, 'well, at least I get to wear my dress again, and get all dressed up."'

Entrants in the competition, organised every year by the Lansdowne Sub-Branch of the Plunket Society, had to walk down a runway, first individually and then in pairs, modelling their wedding gowns.

The brides were judged on their walk, posture, dress and general appearance.

"It was a really long catwalk - much bigger than I expected," said Mrs Bunny, whose wedding was held at her in-laws' Abbotsford Rd farm.

"I'm quite shy, and I was so nervous. But apparently no-one could tell.

"The first walk was pretty nerve-racking, but I was sweet as for the second one."

When Mrs Bunny was announced as the winner at the end of the night, she confesses she was so shocked that she "had a delayed reaction".

"My friends and family had a bit of a delayed reaction as well. They were like, 'wow, is that Jasmine?' Then, they started screaming, and my mum cried.

"My husband said, 'I knew you would win,' and I said, 'you have to say that."'

Also impressed with her win was daughter Charlotte, aged 5.

"When I showed her the trophy, she thought it was great. But then she said, 'but Mum, shouldn't it be a gold trophy?"'

As well as her trophy, Mrs Bunny's prize package included a queen-sized bed worth $5000, a stay at the White Swan, a variety of vouchers, cosmetics and a mohair rug.

Despite her nerves, Mrs Bunny said she enjoyed her Bride of the Year experience - and is "stoked" to have won.

"Being backstage with 32 other brides on the night was really cool," she said.

"I'm really happy to have won. I've never won anything like that before. It was such a cool, buzzy feeling - and I'm still buzzing now."