New Zealand’s former prime minister Jacinda Ardern married her longtime partner in a private ceremony on Saturday, finally tying the knot after cancelling ceremonies during strict Covid measures she imposed on the country.

Ms Ardern, 43, and Clarke Gayford, 47, got engaged in May 2019 and were meant to be married in early 2022, but the ceremony was cancelled due to her “go hard, go early” approach to the pandemic.

The wedding took place in Hawke’s Bay at Craggy Range Winery on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, about 190 miles north of the capital Wellington.

Official photos showed a smiling Ms Ardern wearing a white halter neck dress, while Mr Gayford wore a black suit. 

They tied the knot in front of some 50 to 75 guests, news site Stuff reported.

Among the guests was Ms Ardern’s successor as prime minister Chris Hipkins, the current opposition leader, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Hawke’s Bay is home to a number of internationally known wineries and is an important horticultural area.