Helen Harrowfield is a self-confessed romantic, and she would have to be to last 40 years in the wedding and events industry.
At 77, Harrowfield is retiring from an industry that has brought her joy and plenty of challenges along the way.
She’s seen just about everything there is to see with loved-up couples on their big day. Tears, panic, diva behaviour, absolute catastrophe and more tears, she says.
Harrowfield admits she is a bit of a softy for the thing we call love.
“I have been reduced to tears a couple of times. This one beautiful bride came out on her father’s arm to see me. And she said ‘do you love my gown?’ And I just dissolved, I was just an absolute blubbering mess.”
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Helen Harrowfield has been working in the events and wedding industry for over 40 years. This photo was taken on the job in 1999.
The young woman had handmade embroidery on her bodice of the couple’s initials, and to this day Harrowfield doesn’t know why that moment got her the most.
“The ridiculous thing was, she was comforting me.”
Harrowfield’s career began in catering. In 1977, she began working at a restaurant called Casa del Sol on Norfolk Island as a dishy at first and then as a waitress. She was terrified of interacting with customers, but began to love the conversations and happiness the food brought.
Years later she joined up with White Tie Catering in Christchurch, and it is there she will retire – with what may just be a very unique talent.
While divorced herself, Harrowfield reckons she can predict whether a couple is going to go the distance by picking up on cues during their initial meeting and the wedding day.
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At 77 years old, Helen Harrowfield is retiring after 40 years in the events and wedding industry.
“Sometimes a couple will leave the office and the whole office will stand up and say, ‘Oh wow, they are just so right for each other’. They will just say, ‘Wow that is so meant to be’.”
Has she got the gift to also know if they are setting themselves up for failure?
“I don’t like to say.”
A few questions to members of the events team who work with Harrowfield, and it is evident why they love what she brings to the industry.
White Tie head chef Stuart Morrison said Harrowfield’s sense of humour and stress-free persona keeps the whole office smiling.
“Her laugh. Even when someone tells her they’re adding 300 people at the last minute, she would just laugh and handle it.”
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Helen Harrowfield is stepping down after 40 years in events and weddings.
Director at White Tie, Katie Duncan, has worked with Harrowfield for 27 years and asked her to read at her own wedding as she had become a special friend in the process.
“When she tried to talk about her retirement a few years ago, I crawled under my desk and cried. Then I tried to negotiate a two-year notice period.”
“Helen is just the most genuine, sincere and gentle person. She’s negotiated armistice between brides and mothers, she’s served royals, planned events in the actual middle of nowhere, and nurtured couples down the aisle with rescue remedy and always with the most professional respectful air about her.
“She is truly one in a million.”Harrowfield gets a thrill out of bringing couple’s wishes to the fore and turning their ideas into a beautiful wedding day.
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Harrowfield says over the years weddings have gone from very traditional to much more relaxed. (File photo)
She says nothing is off limits and in the 40 years she has organised events and weddings, times have changed significantly from very traditional to anything goes.
“We’ve kind of become more relaxed about weddings now. We are not in the 1980s where there was a pretty strict protocol on how weddings are to unfold. It is… elegant still, but not as traditional.”
The wackier, the better too.
“We do encourage the odd, we do encourage people to be themselves. We are all for it.”
Yes, sometimes things go wrong, she says. “There are plenty of disasters when there is a human being involved. Most [people] bring their respect and good grace, [but] we need to be on alert for anti-social behaviour.”
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After so many years in the business, Harrowfield says she can always tell when a couple are meant to be.
Times are tougher than ever for the events and wedding industries, she says. Covid-19 restrictions and the rapid spread of Omicron have brought aboutcancellations, postponements, job losses, income decreases, and at times a complete overhaul of wedding protocol from the kitchen to mask-wearing vows.
“Of course Covid has created a lot of stress in the industry. Decisions couples [have] to make, like do they proceed without half of their family [who are not] able to make it from overseas.”
But one thing remains unchanged, and that is her belief in first, second and third chances at romance.
“I am a great believer in romance,” she says.
“I’ve seen it all and the thing that stands out for me, is these beautiful young people that seem to work together as a great team, that seem to have each other’s backs. And that gives them strength and room for love to flourish.”