Richard Little and Shona Ellis got married at the Taupō Summer Concert last Saturday just as the concert began. Photo / Supplied
Richard Little and Shona Ellis got married at the Taupō Summer Concert last Saturday just as the concert began. Photo / Supplied
Richard Little and Shona Ellis joke that they're "aged rockers" - in fact, their passion is going to lots of rock concerts together.
So when the 50-something pair decided to tie the knot after six years and six Taupō Summer Concerts together, this year's Taupō Summer Concert seemed like the right place.
Not only would they be enjoying music they love with their friends and children, they would be able to celebrate getting hitched at the same time.
As the second wedding for both, the couple wanted something low key and enjoyable. So they invited a celebrant along and quietly made their vows to each other in a shaded area surrounded by rocks at Taupō's Riverside Park, off to the side of the main concert area. After that, they were able to get back to the serious business of enjoying the music.
The pair first attended a Taupō Summer Concert together after Shona emigrated to New Zealand from Fort William in Scotland to be with Richard. They were listening to a Foreigner song and googled the band, only to discover it was playing in Taupō in a fortnight's time. They bought tickets, had a blast, and haven't missed a show since. They even got engaged in Taupō four years ago just after one of the concerts.
While they've been an item for six years, the couple's relationship goes right back to Fort William on the shores of Loch Ness where they were neighbours and a primary school couple at age six.
"We were sort of boyfriend and girlfriend," says Richard. "Well, I didn't realise we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but I knew she made me Angel Delight [instant pudding] and I loved her for it."
Time passed, Shona and Richard grew up, and in 1992 he relocated to New Zealand. Years later they reconnected on Facebook and when Richard, who frequently travels overseas for his work, was coming to Fort William to visit his father, they exchanged "cheeky" messages.
Then they met for lunch, both with their respective daughters in tow.
Richard says there was no real romantic intention, but when he left the next day he kept thinking he had forgotten something. A friend suggested he send Shona flowers, which he did, from Australia.
They began corresponding, and clicked with each other. When Richard was next in London for work, he invited Shona down for the weekend. They had a fantastic time together and the rest is history, with Shona and daughter Jasmine moving to New Zealand within the year.
Richard Little and Shona Ellis relaxing in Taupō the day before their wedding at the summer concert. Photo / Laurilee McMichael
Shona says they actually intended to get married at last year's concert, but Richard, who is an engineer and works on brain-computer interfaces to help people with stroke or other neurological injury, was too busy.
"It was about four weeks ago we decided 'let's do it because we've meant to do it for years and we've never made the time'."
"We didn't want anything big," says Richard, adding that the concert seemed like the right spot for their wedding.
"This is us. Everybody who knows us says 'this is so you guys'."
Richard said the pair planned to do the bare minimum they could on the day because "we've got a concert to be getting on with, not that we're not pleased to be doing it or anything" - and in the end, he says it was a "lovely, moving, three-minute ceremony".
They tied the knot in front of their daughters Jasmine and Ruby and a group of around 15 friends.
The couple say they enjoy coming to Taupō, partly because the town reminds them of Fort William and they love the summer concert with its family atmosphere.
While they especially enjoy 80s rock, their tastes are diverse and they'll listen to anything from Scottish folk music to Whitesnake.
