Couple spending £10k to get married in The Shire from the Hobbit movies
- 3 months ago
A couple spending £9.6k on a Hobbit-themed wedding to tie the knot on the set of the movie say they live each day as a "main character".
Monique Bryson, 24, and her fiancé, Charles, 29, are both obsessed with The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit and jumped at the chance to get married at Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand - where the films were made.
The couple wanted something "enchanted" and Monique is having a bespoke "Elven gown" made.
Charles, a psychologist, is having a wedding band crafted by the same jeweller who made the rings for the film series – complete with Elvish script.
To finish off the day, they have an evening banquet planned for their guests – a "rustic" and healthy meal fit for a Hobbit.
The Hobbiton movie set was built to be used for scenes filmed in the Shire in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies, and is on a family-run farm about five miles west of Hinuera in New Zealand.
Monique, a director and camera operator, from Sydney, Australia, said: "We always wanted something enchanted and magical.
"We're getting married on a movie set.
"This is just a dream."
The couple - who have been together for more than four years - knew they wanted something "magical" for their big day when Charles proposed in October 2021.
They are both big Lord of the Rings fans and love to dress up and have fantasy inspired adventures.
Monique said: "He's [Charles] a huge Lord of the Rings fan - we bonded over it.
"We love dressing up and playing the part."
The pair had found a fantasy- style venue in Australia but realised they could tie the knot at the Hobbiton movie set when they visited Charles' family in New Zealand.
Monique said: "We said 'why don't we get married in Hobbiton?'
"Our family thought we were joking."
The couple's wedding in November 2024 but they already have everything planned - and say they venue and food is only costing £9.6k.
Monique said: "I'm getting a custom-made Elven gown and we're having Bilbo's ginormous birthday cake made.
"We're getting a Keltic folk band and organising a magician.
"Charles has a wedding band replica made from the jeweller who made them for the movies."
Monique says the couple are not forcing their guests to dress up - but encourage guests to dress "inspired" by the films if they wish.
She said: "It would be nice if they watched The Lord of the Rings before they come, so the experience means more."
The couple have fantasy featured in other aspects of their lives.
Monique said: "We live each day as if you're a main character in a story.
"We can always say we've lived an adventure.
"When we go out sometimes we go out as characters.
"We romanticise our lives."
Monique says when the couple go for a picnic they'll dress up like they are in 'Pride and Prejudice'.
They even made a casual dinner at home into a meal inspired by a fantasy tavern - cooking a ploughman's lunch fit for a Hobbit.
Monique's love of fantasy grew from her grandfather, David, 87, reading her The Hobbit as a young girl.
Now her love of it has even become her job - and Monique takes and edits fantasy style photos.
She said: "Everyone can be their own hero. It's so much fun."
Monique Bryson, 24, and her fiancé, Charles, 29, are both obsessed with The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit and jumped at the chance to get married at Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand - where the films were made.
The couple wanted something "enchanted" and Monique is having a bespoke "Elven gown" made.
Charles, a psychologist, is having a wedding band crafted by the same jeweller who made the rings for the film series – complete with Elvish script.
To finish off the day, they have an evening banquet planned for their guests – a "rustic" and healthy meal fit for a Hobbit.
The Hobbiton movie set was built to be used for scenes filmed in the Shire in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies, and is on a family-run farm about five miles west of Hinuera in New Zealand.
Monique, a director and camera operator, from Sydney, Australia, said: "We always wanted something enchanted and magical.
"We're getting married on a movie set.
"This is just a dream."
The couple - who have been together for more than four years - knew they wanted something "magical" for their big day when Charles proposed in October 2021.
They are both big Lord of the Rings fans and love to dress up and have fantasy inspired adventures.
Monique said: "He's [Charles] a huge Lord of the Rings fan - we bonded over it.
"We love dressing up and playing the part."
The pair had found a fantasy- style venue in Australia but realised they could tie the knot at the Hobbiton movie set when they visited Charles' family in New Zealand.
Monique said: "We said 'why don't we get married in Hobbiton?'
"Our family thought we were joking."
The couple's wedding in November 2024 but they already have everything planned - and say they venue and food is only costing £9.6k.
Monique said: "I'm getting a custom-made Elven gown and we're having Bilbo's ginormous birthday cake made.
"We're getting a Keltic folk band and organising a magician.
"Charles has a wedding band replica made from the jeweller who made them for the movies."
Monique says the couple are not forcing their guests to dress up - but encourage guests to dress "inspired" by the films if they wish.
She said: "It would be nice if they watched The Lord of the Rings before they come, so the experience means more."
The couple have fantasy featured in other aspects of their lives.
Monique said: "We live each day as if you're a main character in a story.
"We can always say we've lived an adventure.
"When we go out sometimes we go out as characters.
"We romanticise our lives."
Monique says when the couple go for a picnic they'll dress up like they are in 'Pride and Prejudice'.
They even made a casual dinner at home into a meal inspired by a fantasy tavern - cooking a ploughman's lunch fit for a Hobbit.
Monique's love of fantasy grew from her grandfather, David, 87, reading her The Hobbit as a young girl.
Now her love of it has even become her job - and Monique takes and edits fantasy style photos.
She said: "Everyone can be their own hero. It's so much fun."