A Rotorua-based couple tying the knot at the Hobbiton Movie Set were left stunned after Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood unexpectedly appeared at their ceremony.
Wood, who was in New Zealand for the Armageddon Expo, visited the famous filming location on Monday when he spotted the wedding in progress – and decided to walk over and congratulate the bride and groom.
“Oh my God,” newlyweds Sharik and Jessica Burgess-Stride gasped as they recognised the Hollywood star.
Guests erupted in cheers and laughter as Wood made his way over to greet them and pose for photos.
“At first I thought ‘nah that’s not him’ – then ‘oh sh**, it IS him!’,” Sharik told the Waikato Herald.
“He shook our hands and said ‘congratulations’ and stuck around for a few photos before he left on a tour – he was there with a group of people.”
Wood also joked with the pair, originally from Australia, saying: “This is amazing, and everyone’s dressed as hobbits.”
One guest couldn’t resist adding: “He’s smaller than I thought!”
The couple and their guests were fully dressed in theme.
@hobbitontours An unforgettable wedding in The Shire… #hobbiton ♬ original sound – Hobbiton Movie Set
Sharik, a dedicated Lord of the Rings fan who has visited the set five times and built a collection of memorabilia, said he once jokingly suggested Hobbiton as a wedding location – and Jessica went along with it. Their vows even included nods to the films.
They were signing their wedding paperwork when Wood suddenly appeared and walked down the aisle between guests.
“You know the saying that when it rains on your wedding day, it’s a sign of good luck? After this … we felt like it was definitely true,” Sharik said.
Hobbiton Movie Set general manager Shayne Forrest said it was the first time a cast member had ever interrupted a wedding at the iconic location.
“Elijah was back enjoying some time in Hobbiton but wasn’t aware there was a wedding happening until he saw it,” he told the Waikato Herald.
“When he saw the couple and their guests dressed as Hobbits, he knew it was a celebration he couldn’t miss.”
Footage of the moment shared by Hobbiton Tours on TikTok has already been viewed over 20 million times, with users joking the couple now have the ultimate proof their marriage is meant to last.
“I’d be like ‘you can never divorce me!!! Elijah Wood crashed our wedding!!!’” one person wrote.
Another commented: “Why are they marrying in front of his house though?”
Many were also surprised weddings can be booked at the site. “We do more than a hundred weddings each year,” Hobbiton Tours replied.
Images: TikTok
