Who will dress Jacinda for her wedding today?

Former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern is said to be marrying her long-term fiancé Clarke Gayford today. And the question on everyone's lips is – what will she be wearing?

Dame Jacinda Ardern has a long and loyal history with a handful of Kiwi designers, so we can safely assume it will be a New Zealand label dressing the former PM on her special day.

We take a look at some of the front runners for what must be one of the most hotly contested designer gigs of the year.

Ardern is a long-standing fan of the Auckland-born dressmaker, wearing Juliette Hogan pieces on a number of noteworthy occasions.

Most memorably, Ardern wore a black fitted dress by Hogan when attending Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in September 2022.

She also wore a mustard Juliette Hogan gown when meeting the Queen in 2018, and a coat and dress by the designer when she met the US president and vice president Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2022.

Juliette Hogan isn't particularly known for wedding dresses but did introduce bridalwear to her label late last year.

"For the bride seeking refinement, not reinvention, Juliette Hogan Bridal delivers bespoke creations crafted as an intimate and elevated expression of individuality.

"Embracing classic elegance with modern allure, and a reflection of the timeless simplicity and luxury synonymous with the Juliette Hogan brand, our bespoke bridal service offers an exclusive and personalised experience perfect for the bride looking for a dress to resonate with her everyday luxe aesthetic," says Hogan's site.

Maaike, another Kiwi label, has dressed Ardern on several notable occasions. She wore Maaike pieces on election night in both 2017 and 2020.

In 2017, when she was first elected prime minister, she wore a burgundy shirt and draped jacket. In 2020, keeping with the burgundy theme, Ardern wore custom-designed two-piece outfit by the label.

"We are lucky enough to have had a relationship with Jacinda for years, being a keen NZ design supporter she used to come and shop with us back when we had our store on Karangahape Road," the company's website says.

While Maaike doesn't advertise bridalwear, they've made a number of custom pieces for Ardern over the years so they definitely aren't ruled out.

Ardern made headlines when she flaunted a beautiful white Emilia Wickstead dress when meeting UK Prime minister Boris Johnson. Wickstead is a sloane-ish London-based New Zealand-born designer.

The $3027 dress was strikingly similar to an outfit worn by Kate Middleton in 2016.

Emilia Wickstead has dressed a lot of brides.

In 2016, Lady Charlotte Wellesley wore one of her dresses when she married Alejandro Santo Domingo in Grenada.

Wickstead has also dressed the likes of Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Kate Middleton, Lady Gaga, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Air New Zealand also recently announced the Kiwi designer will be creating its new uniform.

It would come as no surprise if Ardern chose an Emilia Wickstead dress for her wedding, with a large following and close ties to Aotearoa, Wickstead could be the perfect option.

Ingrid Starnes is a highly respected if niche New Zealand label, first established in 2009.

In 2020, Ardern wore a round-necked silk top by the label when she featured on the cover of Time Magazine.

The top was clearly a trusted favourite – three years earlier, she wore it under a custom Ingrid Starnes pant suit at a leaders debate during the 2017 election campaign.

The brand also offers a custom bridalwear collection called Ceremony.

"The result of 5 years of development, Ingrid Starnes CEREMONY is a considered collection of romantic and elegant silhouettes that have been tested and thoughtfully refined through our custom order bridal process.

"Beautifully constructed and made from a stunning cloth selection featuring liquid silks, cotton silk broderie, drapey chiffon, luxurious lace and soft suiting," the website says.

Having already showcased some of Ingrid Starnes' beautiful white silk, a custom wedding dress for the former PM could well be on the cards.

Ardern has long-standing relationships with a number of other Kiwi designers, including two of our best known: Karen Walker and Kate Sylvester.

When being sworn in as prime minister in 2017, Ardern wore a red and blue floral Kate Sylvester dress. "So proud of our new Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sworn in today and looking beautiful in Kate Sylvester," the label said at the time.

Sylvester has described Ardern as "a loyal customer" in previous media interviews.

Ardern has also been captured in Karen Walker pieces over the years, including when she featured in Vogue magazine. Karen Walker has a small bridal collection noted in bridal magazine Together Journal for "a certain nonchalance that is unusual in bridalwear, although thoroughly characteristic of Karen Walker, who has referenced the jauntiness of the 1920s and the free spiritedness of the 60s in previous collections."

Given her relationship with both labels, Ardern could well be stepping out in a Karen Walker or Kate Sylvester frock this weekend.

The pair are believed to be tying the knot at an "elite venue" in Hawke’s Bay tomorrow – and all will be revealed.