TV

Our favourite Shortland Street weddings

Here come the brides! We look back over a quarter-century of memorable matches made in telly heaven.

Shortland Street celebrates a very special milestone this Thursday with its 25th anniversary – and over the years, New Zealand’s favourite soap has certainly given viewers plenty to talk about with dastardly villains, handsome doctors and epic cliffhangers galore.

In the lead up to Thursday night’s special feature-length episode, we’re reliving all our favourite Shorty memories.

Keep reading below to see our picks for the most memorable weddings from the show.

Lionel & Kirsty: December 23, 1994

Blonde bombshell Kirsty Knight (Angela Dotchin) set lovable Lionel Skeggins’ (John Leigh) heart racing as she wafted up the aisle. Then Stuart Neilson (Martin Henderson) ruined everything by getting up and declaring his undying love for her! Lionel stomped off in a huff, but the couple made up later that evening and exchanged vows on their houseboat.

Alison & Chris: May 31, 1993

It was a rocky road to the altar for Dr Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) and nurse Alison Raynor (Danielle Cormack). The biggest hurdle of all, though, was the mercenary Darryl Neilson (Mark Ferguson), who drugged Chris and locked him in a barn the night before the nuptials. Thinking she’d been jilted, Alison left the country in disgust.

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Shortland Street Favourite Moments

Gina & Leonard: November 10, 1993

Gina Rossi (Josephine Davison) and Dr Leonard Dodds (Marton Csokas) remain one of the soap’s craziest couples. Eccentric Leonard finally got over his annoyance at clinic café owner Gina’s endless flirting with Dr Hone Ropata (Temuera Morrison) and they tied the knot in the Shortland Street wedding of the year. They later moved overseas and Gina became a soap star!

TP & Sam: December 8, 1993

Paramedic Sam Aleni (Rene Naufahu) could have done with some mouth-to-mouth resuscitation himself in the lead-up to his wedding with Talita “TP” Palele (Elizabeth Skeen). He was Samoan, she was Tongan and their families weren’t keen on the union at all! When the besotted couple went through with their wedding, TP’s dad turned his back on her.

Marj & Laurie: September 14, 1994

Marj (Elizabeth McRae) was bereft when her hubby Tom (Adrian Keeling) went for a pint of cream and didn’t come back. When Laurie Brasch (Chic Littlewood) came along, she had seven years to wait before Tom could be pronounced dead. Eventually, Tom, who’d been living with a cult, returned – and promptly died. Marj and Laurie wasted no time in tying the knot.

Tiffany & Chris: February 14, 1996

After his first wedding day ended in tears, Chris Warner hit the jackpot with Tiffany Pratt (Alison James). But it all went haywire during the honeymoon. Tiffany gave her air ticket to Chris’ brother Guy (Craig Parker), whose daughter needed an operation. By the time she joined her new husband overseas, he was getting friendly with his ex Alison.

David & Ellen: May 28, 1997

Ellen Crozier (Robyn Malcolm) and David Kearney (Peter Elliott) were getting on famously – until David’s wife arrived back on the scene. Misinterpreting the situation, Ellen fled to Fiji. When David tracked her down, she had some surprising news – she was pregnant! Soon after, the pair threw a birthday party and sprang a surprise wedding on their guests.

Jenny & Ian: July 24, 1997

While Jenny (Maggie Harper) was recovering from breast cancer, Dr Ian Seymour (David Press) swept her away with romance. Behind the scenes, however, he had cold-heartedly let his mother die of a heart attack and his subsequent marriage to Jenny was nothing more than a stepping stone to fulfil his evil plan for the clinic.

Johnny & Tiffany: February 20, 1998

After divorcing cheater Chris Warner a couple of years earlier, Tiffany fell in love with handsome Dr Johnny Marinovich (Stelios Yiakmis). Their wedding was a grand affair at Johnny’s family vineyard, but the happiness didn’t last. Tiffany died in a tragic fall and bereft Johnny became a single dad to their daughter Maria.

Nick & Rachel: July 24, 1995

This one was a marriage made inside a cheque book! Rachel McKenna (Angela Bloomfield) and Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett) were university students trying to scratch out a living. There was no romance, but realising that they’d be eligible for student allowances if they were married, they didn’t think twice about putting rings on each other’s fingers.

Lionel & MACkenzie: March 11, 1999

Hapless Lionel Skeggins was dazzled by Dr Mackenzie Choat (Ingrid Park). The pair eloped, but soon after, Lionel discovered his wife was the person responsible for a violent attack on another character. Lionel swiftly disappeared, presumed to have been swept off some rocks at a beach, but his body was never found.

Luke & Josie: June 18, 1999

Young tearaway Luke Billingham (Greg Freeman) shocked the hell out of Lionel when he revealed he was, in fact, his biological son – conceived when Lionel was 16. When Luke’s love Josie (Karamia Muller) fell pregnant, the teens wed and moved to Bulls to be closer to his mum.

Moira & Dean: April 7, 2000

Talk about a couple with history … Decades before they married, Dean Cochrane (Greg Johnson) landed Moira Crombie (Geraldine Brophy) in jail for armed robbery! But Dean turned over a new leaf and the colourful couple made it down the aisle without too many hitches – although the honeymoon

was cancelled when Dean’s daughter Erin (Emma Lahana) was expelled from school.

Rangi & Donna: June 9, 2000

Paramedics Rangi Heremaia (Blair Strang) and Donna Heka (Stephanie Tauevihi) had a bumpy start to romance when told they were siblings. Later, they were thrilled to discover they weren’t and they wed beside a waterfall – but marital bliss didn’t follow. It turned out Rangi was a rotten cheat and he was murdered by his mistress!

Tamsin & Alan: October 9, 2000

Kind-hearted Tamsin Yates (Jay Saussey) decided to marry Dr Alan Dubrovsky (Malcolm Murray), not because she loved him, but because he’d become a substitute father to a young boy and he needed to be married in order to adopt him. Tamsin’s true boyfriend wasn’t amused and in the end, she and Alan fell in love for real.

Anne & Victor: September 4, 2002

When nurse Anne Greenlaw (Emmeline Hawthorne) fell for older man Victor Kahu (Calvin Tuteao), she found herself in a pickle – she was also attracted to his son! Anne and Victor’s romantic wedding day was wrecked when the police arrived to arrest Victor on a trumped-up murder charge. Later, Anne ended the marriage by sleeping with Victor’s son.

Nick & Waverley: October 3, 2002

The road to love was pocked with disaster for daffy Waverley Wilson (Claire Chitham) and Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett), starting with him marrying her cousin. But after three engagements (including one that came to an end when Waverley gave Nick a haircut while he was asleep), the pair said “I do”.

Toni & Matt April 15, 2003

Wedded life was bliss but brief for this duo, who hit the skids after the groom jumped into bed with someone else. Having suspected – wrongly – that Toni Thompson (Laura Hill) was seeing an old flame, nurse Matt McAllister (Roy Snow) slept with Li Mei Chen (Li Ming Hu). His bride was willing to move on, but Matt could never forgive himself and fled the country.

Max & Judy: June 27, 2003

Certain she was destined for a life alone, uptight nurse Judy Brownlee (Donogh Rees) found love with Max Henley (Peter Hambleton). But in a cruel twist of fate, Max was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. The couple married in a moving hospital ceremony, but Max fell unconscious and died moments later.

Shannon & Tama: December 25, 2004

The Christmas nuptials of Tama Hudson (David Wikaira-Paul) and Shannon Te Ngaru (Amber Cureen) were spared the drama that usually plagues Shorty weddings. The childhood sweethearts tied the knot on Auckland’s Cheltenham Beach in a ceremony with contemporary Maori elements.

Emily & Dominic: September 1, 2003

Dominic Thompson’s one true love Delphi (Anna Hutchison) tried desperately to stop the nuptials between Chris Warner’s half-brother and heiress Emily Bredican (Sarah Somerville). She failed, but the marriage ended soon after and Delphi later learnt Dom (Shane Cortese) murdered her brother.

Sarah & Andrew: August 24, 2005

Mere minutes after Sarah Potts (Amanda Billing) and Andrew Solomon (Paolo Rotondo) tied the knot, their marriage crumbled. Just as they had finished reciting their vows, bad girl Robyn Stokes (Kirstie O’Sullivan) waltzed in and announced she was pregnant with the groom’s twins following an affair.

Maia & Jay:February 14, 2006

Even Serenity Church protesters couldn’t ruin Maia Jeffries (Anna Jullienne) and Jay Copeland’s (Jaime Passier-Armstrong) civil union in 2006. The couple celebrated Shorty’s first same-sex marriage with a romantic – very pink – ceremony in Auckland’s Parnell Rose Gardens.

TK & Sarah: May 14, 2007

After months of feeling he came second best to Craig Valentine (Renato Bartolomei), TK Samuels (Ben Mitchell) won the race for Sarah Potts’ heart. There was a tense moment at their moving waterfront ceremony when the groom thought his bride was a no-show, but Sarah arrived in the nick of time.

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Shortland Street stars wish the show a happy 25th anniversary

Shanti & Scotty: July 21, 2008

The in-laws fought, the punch was spiked at the alcohol-free reception and Kip Denton (Will Hall) slept with the bride’s sister, but nothing could take the shine off James “Scotty” Scott (Kiel McNaughton) and Shanti Kumari’s (Nisha Madhan) traditional four-day Indian wedding.

Toni & Chris: March 17, 2005

Lauded as the TV wedding of the year, Toni and Chris said “I do” at Auckland’s Wintergarden. But the sparks that flew on a working holiday in Fiji burnt out just one year after the nuptials, when Chris strayed with Rachel.

Morgan & Gerald: April 29, 2009

While pregnant with another couple’s triplets, Morgan Braithwaite (Bonnie Soper) and asexual Gerald Tippett (Harry McNaughton) got engaged. They hoped their marriage of convenience would strengthen her case for keeping the babies, but soon after tying the knot, they split.

Sophie & Kieran: February 10, 2010

On the day of their controversial nuptials, Sophie McKay (Kimberley Crossman) and Kieran Mitchell (Adam Rickitt) had some unwanted guests – the police! They rightfully suspected the groom had been driving the car that killed Morgan, but Kieran’s brother took the rap.

Libby & Gerald: September 23, 2010

Always there to help a friend in need, this time, Gerald married best buddy Libby Jeffries (Fleur Saville) to make her eligible to live and work in the US. The pair enjoyed a spring wedding, with Libby’s sisters Tania (Faye Smythe) and Maia as her bridesmaids.

Brooke & boyd: May 8, 2013

Destined to take over the family farm, Boyd Rolleston (Sam Bunkall) married Brooke (Beth Allen) to compel his father to write him out of the will. His plan worked and surprisingly, so did his marriage of convenience. After the pair’s 12-month contract was up, they celebrated their newfound love with

a commitment ceremony.

Chris & Rachel: February 26, 2014

After years together and apart, almost all of Ferndale turned out to watch Chris and Rachel finally tie the knot. Shockingly, there was no heartache or hijinks at the gorgeous garden ceremony, where the bride – who designed her own dress – and groom enjoyed their first dance to Kiwi alternative rock band The Chills.

Tracey & Scotty: February 14, 2011

After losing his pregnant wife to kidney failure, Scotty found happiness with Tracey Morrison (Sarah Thomson). But before they made it down the aisle on Valentine’s Day, Scotty – who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder – tried to strangle his bride with her wedding dress, thinking she was an imposter!

Vinnie & Nicole: September 2, 2015

Guests got more than they bargained for when Vinnie Kruse’s (Pua Magasiva) birthday party turned out to be a surprise wedding! The mischievous nurse and Nicole Miller (Sally Martin) sealed the deal in an intimate ceremony officiated by Vinnie’s cousin Maxwell Avia (Robbie Magasiva), whose return to Ferndale topped off a perfect day.

Dayna & George: December 14, 2015

Things were looking rosy for Boyd and Harper Whitley (Ria Vandervis) on their big day, until an armed gunman stormed the hospital, taking Boyd and many others hostage. Blissfully unaware of the siege, lovebirds Dayna (Lucy Elliott) and George (Arlo Gibson) arrived at the wedding to find it lacking both a bride and groom. Making the most of the available venue, they threw caution to the wind and said “I do”, with musical trio Sol3 Mio as their witnesses.

Lucy & Ali: October 4, 2016

Ali Karim (Tane Williams-Accra) dashed his Muslim parents’ hopes of an arranged marriage when he fell for Lucy Rickman (Grace Palmer). The friction between the families appeared to have thawed – until the day of their wedding, when Ali was disowned by his family.

Leanne & Harold: September 16, 2016

Leanne (Jennifer Ludlam) and Harold (Michael Saccente) got hitched in a no-frills affair at Ferndale’s local watering hole, The IV. Their happiness was only fleeting, however, as Howard vanished from a cruise ship they were on and was later discovered washed up on shore.

Sass & Mason: April 17, 2017

Chris struggled to be happy for his daughter when she announced she was marrying Ferndale’s sinister mayor Mason Coutts (Colin Moy). But stubborn Sarah “Sass” Connelly (Lucy Lovegrove) refused to let people’s opinions stand in the way of love.

Roimata & TK: July 18, 2011

These lovebirds eloped a week later than scheduled, after drama well and truly thwarted their big day. While Roimata Ngatai (Shavaughn Ruakere) was dealing with a last-minute venue change, TK happened across a crashed car with his colleagues inside and that same day, his ex-wife went into labour – causing him to leave his bride at the altar.

Bella & Luke December 14, 2012

She wanted a lavish affair and he wanted an intimate ceremony, but this turned out to be the least of

their problems when Luke Durville (Gerald Urquhart) was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour the night before the wedding. However, nothing could stop Bella (Amelia Reid-Meredith) from marrying her man.

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