Muddy start to wedded bliss

Abigail Hartevelt | 17th March 2010

Who knew that getting married could be so good for your skin?

British couple Neil McLean and Tabitha Luke found out just how good it was when they tied the knot in a mud pool at Hell's Gate and Waiora Spa in front of about 10 people yesterday.

The couple, who live in Worcester and have been together for 16 months, had been planning a trip to New Zealand and had talked about getting married.

Neil said when the couple first met he recalled telling Tabitha about how he studied mud at university.

However, he was quick to add that he did not think that was the motivation for their choice of wedding venue.

"It was just a process of elimination ... I'm not a traditionalist.

"We saw Hell's Gate [online] and we just thought getting married in the mud made a lot of sense," he said.

And finding that perfect wedding gown wasn't too much of a drama either for Tabitha who wore a black singlet and a wrap-around skirt with a Maori design. "I just picked up this sarong in Rotorua 10 minutes ago as well as the rings," she said.

Their six-minute wedding ended with Tauranga-based wedding celebrant Wayne Mortensen telling the couple they were now married with the exchange of rings and the "smothering of mud".

So what was it like getting married in a mud pool? "Absolutely great. It's like a hot bath," Tabitha said.

Their wedding was witnessed by several friends who live in New Zealand and Tabitha's 11-year-old daughter Tiana who described the wedding as "different".

Guests joined the happy couple in the mud after the formalities and toasted them with a glass of bubbly and some chocolates.

Wai Ora Group chief executive Bryan Hughes said there had been weddings there before but yesterday's was the first one in a mud pool.