{"id":166428,"date":"2025-12-03T18:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T18:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/166428\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T18:10:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T18:10:08","slug":"society-insider-summer-weddings-special-the-couples-the-venues-the-dresses-the-guest-lists-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/166428\/","title":{"rendered":"Society Insider: Summer weddings special \u2013 the couples, the venues, the dresses, the guest lists, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shrimpton and O\u2019Keeffe<\/a>, who are based in Auckland\u2019s beachside suburb of Milford, have been together for more than two years. They announced their engagement in October last year in South Africa. <\/p>\n

\"BenBen O\u2019Keeffe and Wilhelmina Shrimpton at their engagement party.<\/p>\n

Shrimpton celebrated her bachelorette party last week with 20 girlfriends. <\/p>\n

The troop started with a cocktail-making class at St Alice at Viaduct Harbour and ended the night in the private dining room at Otto on K Rd for dinner and a drag show, which the bachelorette starred in. <\/p>\n

\"WilhelminaWilhelmina Shrimpton with her friends at her bachelorette party.\"WilhelminaWilhelmina Shrimpton performing at her bachelorette party.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wore two mini dresses by Trish Peng<\/a> and jewels from the Diamond Shop, which is a nod to what I\u2019ll be wearing on the big day,\u201d Shrimpton told Society Insider. <\/p>\n

The night before the nuptials, wedding guests will gather at various locations in Arrowtown. <\/p>\n

The big day will take place at three locations at Ayrburn<\/a>, which has become a favourite hospitality venue for New Zealand\u2019s rich and famous since it opened in December 2023. Zuru billionaire Nick Mowbray celebrated his 40th birthday there in March and Rich List property mogul Steve Owen\u2019s son Matt married professional golfer Laura Hoskin in a black-tie bash in May. <\/p>\n

Shrimpton knows Ayrburn well, having worked on PR activations for the hospitality haven, and is currently assisting with the communications for Ayrburn Residences, luxury new-build properties on freehold private sections, which are selling for up to $40 million. <\/p>\n

The wedding will take place around the picturesque Mill Creek, and in and around Ayrburn\u2019s restored farm buildings. <\/p>\n

The bride is set to wear three different gowns by Trish Peng for the ceremony, reception and afterparty. O\u2019Keeffe will ear an ensemble from Peng\u2019s husband\u2019s label, T. Begg Tailoring<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Peng and Begg will be among the guests, along with a range of Shrimpton\u2019s colleagues from the broadcasting world, including Brooke Dobson, Rachel Smalley, Lloyd Burr and Aziz Al Sa\u2019afin. Also expected are influencer Simone Anderson and her husband Trent Forsyth, jeweller Sera Cruickshank and her fianc\u00e9 Jamie Foster, and beauty entrepreneur Edna Swart and her husband Reid Stephen. <\/p>\n

After the wedding, the newlyweds will spend a few days with their friends Geoff and Justine Ross at Lake Hawea Station. <\/p>\n

\"WilhelminaWilhelmina Shrimpton and Ben O\u2019Keefe.<\/p>\n

Society Insider is told some time will be spent with O\u2019Keefe\u2019s family in Blenheim in the lead-up to Christmas. <\/p>\n

Their actual honeymoon kicks off again from January 6 when the couple attend American folk-rockers The Lumineers\u2019 concert at Spark Arena. The first song O\u2019Keefe shared with Shrimpton was by the band. <\/p>\n

They will then head to Fiji for some romantic time in the tropics. <\/p>\n

In early January, Mikayla Haycock<\/a>, the talent manager of motor racing superstar Liam Lawson, will marry robotics engineer and Rich List son, Toby Baker. The couple got engaged at the Melbourne Grand Prix<\/a> in 2024. The wedding will be an intimate event, taking place in Baker\u2019s parents\u2019 backyard with fewer than 100 guests.<\/p>\n

\"TobyToby Baker and Mikayla Haycock.<\/p>\n

Toby\u2019s parents are motoring Rich Listers Grant and Donna Baker<\/a>. Grant is the executive chairman of Turners Automotive Group and has a reported wealth of more than $130 million. <\/p>\n

Famous for having one of the biggest collections of supercars in the country, you can be sure a few will be positioned in the grounds of the Baker Estate, a sprawling palm tree-lined oasis in St Heliers, with expansive views of the Waitemat\u0101. <\/p>\n

The couple are celebrating their stag and hens\u2019 parties before Christmas, with Baker going go-karting and Haycock planning a refined lunch with her girlfriends. <\/p>\n

Liam Lawson is expected to attend the wedding, along with his American partner Hannah St John<\/a>, who Haycock represents through her agency The Talent Bakery. <\/p>\n

\"HannahHannah St John and Mikayla Haycock. Photo \/ Supplied <\/p>\n

Fellow motoring Rich Lister Wayne Leach, from Winger Group, and his wife Amanda are also expected to attend. <\/p>\n

Haycock\u2019s business is based in Los Angeles, while Baker works out of Silicon Valley. <\/p>\n

The pair recently purchased their first house together in Scottsdale, Arizona and have been travelling back and forth for work in California. <\/p>\n

The bride will wear two dresses on her big day, the first a custom couture Vivienne Westwood creation and the second a party dress custom-made in Los Angeles. Both of her bridesmaids will wear dresses by NZ designer Caitlin Crisp. <\/p>\n

Later in January, multimillionaire businessman and former Black Cap Adam Parore<\/a> will marry property management director Libby Price<\/a>, a year after they welcomed their twins Heidi and Elliott. <\/p>\n

\"AdamAdam Parore and Libby Price and their twins Heidi and Elliott in Bali earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Parore\u2019s adult children with his former partner Sally Ridge, Astin and Mclane, are expected to attend. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s Parore\u2019s second marriage \u2013 11 years ago, he married Miller Rose MacLeod-McGhie, and their wedding graced the cover of a woman\u2019s magazine. The couple split in 2016. <\/p>\n

Price tells Society Insider their wedding will be a three-day celebration at their compound in Koutu in the Hokianga. <\/p>\n

\"LibbyLibby Price and Adam Parore.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are super excited about having our friends to see the Hokianga and be at our property, it\u2019s very unique and special,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

Her recent bachelorette party in a private dining room at the Hilton\u2019s Fish restaurant had a White Lotus theme, with guests dressed in their most colourful outfits. It\u2019s expected the wedding will also be a resort-themed affair. <\/p>\n

\"LibbyLibby Price, pictured in white at her bachelorette party at Fish.<\/p>\n

Price was in Melbourne last week to pick up her wedding dress but wouldn\u2019t share with Society Insider who the designer is, preferring to keep the reveal for the big day. <\/p>\n

Multimillionaire Pals co-founder Mat Croad<\/a> and his fianc\u00e9e, creative director Rachel Needham are also set to marry in January, although Needham is keeping tight-lipped about their plans. <\/p>\n

\"MatMat Croad and Rachel Needham.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I\u2019ll say about the wedding is that it\u2019s coming up soon,\u201d she tells Society Insider. \u201cI\u2019ve been working closely with Trish Peng on custom looks for the day. Stay tuned.\u201d <\/p>\n

Society Insider reported the couple, who have been dating for more than four years, got engaged in March, with Croad turning his 40th birthday aboard a superyacht into a surprise proposal for Needham. <\/p>\n

Needham and 12 of her girlfriends last week took a large limousine to an Airbnb tucked away on a quiet countryside property in Hunua for a stylish seashells and wedding bells themed bachelorette garden party. <\/p>\n

\"RachelRachel Needham in the limousine at her bachelorette party.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wore two looks,\u201d says Needham. \u201cMy day look was a sheer lace maxi dress from Lovers & Friends, paired with a white bodysuit, Alias Mae heels, pearl cluster earrings and a lace Juliet cap style veil.\u201d <\/p>\n

Her night look was a satin corset mini dress from Leau with a plain tulle mini veil and a five-layer pearl choker necklace, paired with some opera length lace gloves and sling back satin pumps. <\/p>\n

\"RachelRachel Needham in her night outfit at her bachelorette party.<\/p>\n

Needham\u2019s little sister Grace, who is her maid of honour, and her two bridesmaids, Sarah and Louise, arranged the entire event for her as a surprise. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey thought of every detail, and it couldn\u2019t have been more perfect,\u201d Needham says. <\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing everyone all dressed up and looking gorgeous, getting to spend quality time with everyone and of course getting to dress up as a bride to be, was very special.\u201d <\/p>\n

Wedding guests are expected to include Croads\u2019 fellow Mount Maunganui friends and Pals co-founders Nick Marshall and Jay and Anna Reeve. One of Croad\u2019s best friends, Stolen Girlfriend\u2019s Club founder and creative director Marc Moore, is expected to play a role in proceedings. Moore was the ring bearer at Croad\u2019s surprise engagement. <\/p>\n

Former Victoria\u2019s Secret model, London-based Kiwi, Jessica Clarke, the co-founder of wellness brand Mother Made, is also expected to attend. <\/p>\n

In September, Clarke and her long-term partner, sports agent David Garender, the best friend of David Beckham, announced their engagement<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Clarke recently told her Instagram followers she was bringing Gardner to New Zealand for the first time this summer. <\/p>\n

\"DavidDavid Seymour and Alexandra Vincent Martelli. Photo \/ @Radlab<\/p>\n

Despite speculation he\u2019ll marry ahead of next year\u2019s election, Deputy Prime Minister and Act Party Leader David Seymour says he has no immediate wedding plans. <\/p>\n

Society Insider revealed in February that Seymour and his partner, property dynamo Alexandra Vincent Martelli, had got engaged in California. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re aiming for next summer,\u201d Seymour says of their wedding. \u201cWe don\u2019t feel any pressure to marry quickly, we have all the time in the world together.\u201d <\/p>\n

Seymour\u2019s Labour leader counterpart, Chris Hipkins, will marry his fianc\u00e9e, MBIE policy strategist Toni Grace, next summer too, after next year\u2019s election. <\/p>\n

\"HarryHarry Hart and Cartier Lee.<\/p>\n

Could a multibillionaire\u2019s wedding round off the summer season this year? <\/p>\n

Society Insider has confirmed Nick Mowbray and his fianc\u00e9e, business entrepreneur Jaimee Lupton, will not marry this summer. That puts the spotlight on billionaire Graham Hart\u2019s son Harry, who became engaged to his Australian heiress partner of more than six years, Cartier Lee, last year on the French Riviera. <\/p>\n

The Harts are well set up to host an extravagant wedding, with their superyachts, the family compounds on Waiheke Island and Tara Iti Golf Club, where Harry is a shareholder, as well as the Hart family\u2019s Glendowie clifftop estate, valued at more than $50m. Watch this space. <\/p>\n

Party People of the Week <\/p>\n

The ASB Classic Countdown <\/p>\n

An exclusive group of celebrities, sponsors and media guests gathered at The Mezzanine at The Cloud on Thursday for First Serve, a party to kick off the countdown to the ASB Classic. <\/p>\n

The event was hosted by Jordan Vandermade, who is returning to the ASB Classic as on-court MC in 2026. Speeches came from Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, tournament director Nicolas Lamperin and Tennis Auckland CEO Rohan West. <\/p>\n

The evening featured a series of exciting announcements, including the news that Swiss great Stan Wawrinka will play in the men\u2019s tournament, and a number of improvements to the facilities at the Stanley St arena. <\/p>\n

Guests included actor Vinnie Bennett, former Breakfast host Jenny-May Clarkson, 1News reporter Jenny Suo, The Hits hosts Matty McLean and Ben Boyce, Flava\u2019s Azura Lane, influencers Hannah Koumakis, Elise Mari\u0107, and Kennedy Anderson, and man-about-town Colin Mathura-Jeffree. <\/p>\n

\"Libby-JaneLibby-Jane and Jenny-May Clarkson, and Jordan Vandermade at First Serve at The Mezzanine at The Cloud. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"ZionZion Dayal, Vinnie Bennett and Te Waiarangi Ratana. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"KennedyKennedy Anderson and Oliver Tyack. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"TracyTracy Magan and Kristy Austin. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"MyaraMyara Flint and Sonia Brodrick. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"ColinColin Mathura-Jeffree. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"EliseElise and Lianne Mari\u0107. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"JasmineJasmine Kim. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"KateKate Jones and Antonia Aimer. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"MollyMolly Littlejohn and Christopher Connolly. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"RohanRohan West. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"MatthewMatthew and Imogen Gibbs and Ryan Teece. Photo \/ Tim Marshall \"DamianDamian Alexander, Laura Haden and Reuben Wiremu. Photo \/ Tim Marshall<\/p>\n

Two Dudes Mochella Party <\/p>\n

Men\u2019s Skincare brand Two Dudes and activewear label LSKD have officially made Movember history, celebrating an extraordinary month of fundraising with a high-energy Mochella party in Auckland last Saturday night at Kenko Studios in Eden Terrace. <\/p>\n

The campaign brought together thousands of New Zealanders who moved, donated, ran, shaved, or grew a mo in support of mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. <\/p>\n

Two Dudes co-founders Tomas Tappin and Michael McRae took the stage to present a $125,000 cheque to Movember Aotearoa Indigenous Partnerships Manager, Chris Graham. By the end of November, their fundraising was more than $145,000, the biggest donation to the charity in New Zealand history. <\/p>\n

Headlining the celebration was Jupiter Project\u2019s Gavin Correia and Marty Rich, who brought the crowd to life with a full-energy DJ set, supported by DJ Ben Parkes. <\/p>\n

Guests included Two Dudes head of charity, Allesha Arrowsmith; influencer Rebekah Banks; property developer Michael Bartlett; Atlas Studios managing director, Omer Hazer and P\u0100MU jewellery founder Alicia Haszard. <\/p>\n

\"TomasTomas Tappin, Chris Graham, Alesha Arrowsmith and Michael McRae. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"JustinJustin Powell, Vicky Taiaroa and Michael Bartlett. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"KrysanaKrysana Hanley and Omer Hazer. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"JupiterJupiter Project\u2019s Gavin Correia and Marty Rich. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"BenBen Parkes and Tess Woolcock. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"AliciaAlicia Haszard and Chelsea Kawana. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"BrittaneeBrittanee Foliaki and Rebekah Banks. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"AniAni Joshi, Badhan Mali and Elijah Tremain. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"JoashJoash Fahitua and Tauvaga Siolo. Photo \/ Trent Hall\"JamieJamie McDowell, Chelsea Hoskin and Cameron Boot. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"JoshJosh Torres and Jake Finlayson. Photo \/ Trent Hall \"MariaMaria Walsh and Matthew O\u2019Keeffe. Photo \/ Trent Hall <\/p>\n

Ricardo Simich<\/a> has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Shrimpton and O\u2019Keeffe, who are based in Auckland\u2019s beachside suburb of Milford, have been together for more than…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":166429,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[1443,95,1038,4915,12448,55508,156,1964,108630,2936,3331,1953,10882,108629,130,108631,111,139,69,4762,26108,34293,3333,23277,2952,108628,2953,2935,1962,14625,223,165,1961,2951,11744,6493,160,686,108627],"class_list":["post-166428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-about","tag-and","tag-brings","tag-classic","tag-couples","tag-dresses","tag-entertainment","tag-guest","tag-haycock","tag-insider","tag-launch","tag-libby","tag-lists","tag-mikayla","tag-more","tag-needham","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-party","tag-plus","tag-preparing","tag-price","tag-rachel","tag-ricardo","tag-shrimpton","tag-simich","tag-society","tag-special","tag-summer","tag-the","tag-their","tag-this","tag-town","tag-upcoming","tag-venues","tag-weddings","tag-week","tag-wilhelmina"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166428"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166428\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}