Wedding day rocks after long cancer struggle

WHEN rock chick Erika Pittuck was looking for a date and venue for her wedding, the decision was never a hard one.

Erika was born on the 14th of June 1971, the same day as the first Hard Rock Cafe opened in London. She is marrying her long term partner, Robert, at the special venue.

Not only does she celebrate every birthday at Edinburgh’s Hard Rock cafe, she was born on the day the first franchise opened 46 years ago.

So having come through a two-year cancer battle, Erika celebrated the momentous day with husband Robert, family and friends at the George Street venue.

“I just love this place,” said nurse Erika, a Bon Jovi fanatic. “We come here for special occasions and have had so many fun times here.”

Retail assistant Robert, 57, added: “We’ve been to Hard Rock cafes around the world and Edinburgh is our favourite.”

The couple have been together for 18 years and decided to get married after Erika finally got the all-clear last week.

Robert proposed at home in Fife and the couple followed up a simple ceremony at Edinburgh Register Office, George IV Bridge, with the “main event” at Hard Rock.

“The first holiday we went on together was to Thailand in 2001 and we went to the Hard Rock there,” said Robert.

“It’s just really important to us because of that holiday – and I share my birthday with them too,” added Erika.

The happy couple were celebrating their nuptials and Erika’s birthday yesterday, as well as news they had to wait two tough years for.

“I was diagnosed in 2015,” said Erika. “I wasn’t feeling well for a while and then I found out I had ovarian cancer.

“It was a really difficult time. There was a lot of surgery and thankfully the surgeons were just brilliant. I got the all-clear last week.

“It was definitely the reason we decided to get married. We’d been together 18 years but going through all that made us realise what we meant to each other.”

There were 15 family and friends helping the couple celebrate at an intimate reception, with a couple of rock-themed surprises thrown in.

West Main Road Harley-Davidson dealer Kirk Hale loaned a bike for the wedding photos – while the Hard Rock gave the couple a gift of a signed acoustic 
guitar.

Guests were then set to face-off in a cocktail making competition, before a three-course meal with Prosecco and cup cakes.

“Today is all about the 
people who have supported us through it all,” said an emotional Erika.

“What we went through was terrible but these friends were there, not just for Erika but for me as well. It’s great to have them here today,” added Robert.

Once the celebrations and first dance are done, the couple are jetting off on honeymoon to Berlin – and another Hard Rock.

“I’m just happy to see her happy,” said Erika’s son, Matthew Casey, 23. “It’s nice to see her planning for the future and moving on.”

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