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A romantic alternative to petrol-powered wedding transport is proving increasingly popular for a Matakana-based business.
Instead of classic cars and limousines, Patrick and Christine Monaghan employ ex-dressage horse Jazz and an antique open carriage to provide a more elegant mode of travel for the bride and groom.
Matakana Carriages is based at the Matakana Country Park and is regularly used for on-site weddings, but more often the team travels to venues further afield, from Point Wells and Ascension Vineyard locally, to as far as Villa Maria at Mangere and the Formosa Golf Resort in Beachlands. Jazz and, occasionally, ex-racehorse Max are taken in the horse transporter, while Warkworth Towing takes the carriage, which Patrick and Christine dress with garlands of fresh flowers and fabric.
The couple are both film editors by trade, which means they can also help out with finding the ideal spots and conditions for photography.
“It’s a lot of work getting everything looking good,” Patrick says. “But it’s a labour of love for us. The horses are our pets and our friends.”
Jazz and Max have been trained to stay calm and cope with anything a wedding might throw at them – from noisy crowds and unexpected drones to fussy photographers and firework displays.
“They’re pretty bombproof,” Patrick says.
