Plymouth couple get engaged at Paramore rock gig

A YOUNG Plymouth couple have spoken of the moment they became engaged on stage with their favourite rock band, Paramore.

Liam Wood proposed to his sweetheart, Leona May, during a Paramore gig in Wembley Arena – thanks to the band's kind guitarist, Josh Farro.

Liam and Leona, who live in Exeter Street, said that if it wasn't for Paramore they would never have met – and if it wasn't for Josh Farro letting them up on stage, they wouldn't have had such a memorable engagement.

Liam, 20, said: "It was an amazing experience."

Paramore is an American rock band that has hit major fame over the past few years. Liam and Leona, 19, met three and a half years ago, after Liam was looking for fellow Paramore fans on www.myspace.com.

He came across Leona and they exchanged Paramore-related messages before 'getting on really well' and eventually meeting up.

Liam then went to college in Guilford, Surrey, for two years – but came back often to see Leona.

Last year, they moved in together in Plymouth before Leona started a business administration degree at the University of Plymouth and Liam embarked upon a live music degree at UCP Marjon.

Liam said: "I'd been thinking about proposing for a while – and I thought the best way to do it would be to propose at a Paramore concert.

"I waited for a long time for them to announce their tour dates – but in September they did, so I got two lots of tickets, one for Cardiff on Monday December 14 and the other for Wembley Arena on Friday December 18.

"I then emailed management but I didn't get much of a reply."

Liam said he and Leona went to the Cardiff gig and, by chance, he spotted Josh Farro in the sound booth.

He decided to write Josh a letter to see if the band could announce his proposal at the Wembley gig.

He just had to somehow get the letter to Josh.

Liam said: "I wrote a letter in case I saw him again in the sound booth in Wembley – and I did. He was in the booth before the band went on, so I gave the letter to him.

"Half way through their set, they said to the audience that they had a letter – and they called us onto the stage, which I wasn't expecting."

Liam said he and Leona went onstage in front of thousands of fans before vocalist Hayley Williams passed him the microphone.

He asked Leona to marry him and gave her a ring.

Liam said: "The band dedicated a song to us and we watched the rest of the set from the side of the stage.

"It was amazing. Because we had been together for so long, I never thought she wouldn't say yes!"

Leona said: "It was just amazing. A video was taken of it and I have seen it on Youtube – and I can't believe it is me. I was so nervous when we went up to the stage but it was an awesome day I will never forget!"

Go to www.thisisplymouth.co.uk to see the video.