Elijah Wood crashes 'Lord of the Rings'-themed wedding at the Shire
Elijah Wood unexpectedly crashed a couple's wedding at the Hobbiton set in New Zealand, making the couple's day instantly legendary.
On Oct. 30, the Lord of the Rings star popped up, unannounced, at the ceremony on the Shire set.
Speaking to New Zealand media outlet Waikato Herald, newlyweds Sharik and Jessica Burgess-Stride from Rotorua, New Zealand, recalled, "We were just finishing the signing of the paperwork when all of a sudden, Elijah Wood started to walk down the aisle."
At first, the couple didn't recognize the actor. But as he came closer, it became clear the wedding had a hobbit gatecrasher.
Wood, 44, was with his family visiting the Shire set when they chanced upon the wedding.
In an Instagram post, the couple's wedding photographer, Cath Ullyet, narrated how it unfolded.
"Jess and Sharik had the most welcome surprise guest at their Hobbiton wedding yesterday. While they were signing their wedding documents, Elijah and his family were escorted past the ceremony garden, and had stopped to watch," Ullyet wrote.
It was just Ullyet who had seen the actor at that point, and she rushed over to meet him and invite him to take some photos with the couple.
"Being the gentleman he is, he didn’t want to interfere, however, with some friendly encouragement he stepped in and was welcomed by all," Ullyet added.
Wood's presence made the wedding even more special, especially for the groom, who was a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings franchise. Even his vows carried some references to the Middle-earth lore.
The Shire location is part of The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton set in Matamata, New Zealand, which was built to preserve the fantasy world brought to life by J.R.R. Tolkien's series of novels, including The Hobbit. It has since become a popular tourist and wedding destination.
The films, directed by Peter Jackson, were famously shot entirely in New Zealand.
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Wood played the hobbit Frodo, who was the story's main hero. The series began with The Fellowship of the Ring, which came out in December 2001, The Two Towers, in December 2002, and finally The Return of the King, in December 2003.
