This was published 12 years ago
Dan Carter wedding fever builds in New Zealand town
By Rachel Young
In one of Marlborough's worst-kept secrets, All Black Dan Carter and former Black Sticks striker Honor Dillon will tie the knot in a private ceremony in the South Island of Blenheim on Friday.
Rumours about where Dillon - whose family are long-term Marlborough residents - and her boyfriend of nine years will marry have been circulating since they announced their engagement last year.
Honor Dillon and Dan Carter.Credit: Getty Images
Working on the six degrees of separation theory – and in Marlborough it's more like two degrees – it took only a few calls to substantiate the rumours.
Several people - who did not want to be named - shared the opinion that the wedding would be at Timara Lodge. However, a lodge employee flatly denied the possibility.
Built in 1924, Timara Lodge is set on 240 hectares including 10ha of English gardens and a large man-made lake. The secluded setting would also be the perfect place to avoid nosy media types.
Reinforcing the speculation about the location was a successful road closure application from a Jeremy Jones "for the purpose of a private function at Timara Lodge" on Friday. Former lodge operators include a Jeremy Jones.
The intersections surrounding the property, including Lake Timara Rd, Dog Point Rd and Waihopai Valley Rd, will all be closed from 2pm on Friday until 1am on Saturday and again from 9am to 10pm on Saturday.
So with staff at various other Marlborough venues, including Brancott Estate and Marlborough Vintner's Hotel, all denying they were hosting the wedding, we're putting our money on the lodge.
Location sorted then. But there are a lot of different elements which all need to come together to pull off a wedding and apparently Dolce Bar and Restaurant has been the planning HQ.
That's where Dillon's relatives have been spotted nutting out the finer points.
A Blenheim florist said Dillon's relatives David and Sue Dillon, from The Throne farmstead, would be doing the flowers. Meanwhile, Sustain Hair and Well Being Spa are apparently booked with guests getting ready for the day - not that they'd tell you, though.
Also not talking are the helicopter companies who no doubt will be busy this weekend, given media newsrooms were also abuzz with news of the vows-to-be and were likely to be hovering for a sneak peek at the happy couple.
Word is the All Black No. 10 and his hockey playing, fellow underwear model fiancee have signed a deal with Australian Women's Weekly for about $50,000 for exclusive coverage of the wedding.
No representative for either Carter or Dillon could be reached for comment.
If you are looking to join the wedding-spotters on Friday, a word of advice; it is an offence to drive on closed roads without authority.
We may all have to wish the pair the very best from afar.
The Marlborough Express