DURBAN - A BEAUTIFUL bride, a dashing groom and an entourage of critics - this was not a typical Indian wedding, but it was certainly one to remember.
Hermish and Nicollette Ramlall married on June 18 and their wedding featured on M-Net’s Wedding Bashers, which ended last week. The show featured 22 weddings across the country over 12 episodes and the Ramlalls were in the top five.
The judges were former Miss South Africa Cindy Nell, Vuzu’s Denise Zimba, celebrity chef Siba Mtongana and wedding planner Zavion Kotze.
The winning couple, Taryn and Franco Habib walked away with prizes worth R800 000.
High school sweethearts Nicollette, a 28-year-old administrator, and Hermish, 30, an electrician, were married at the Breakers Resort in uMhlanga, Their reception was held at the Pesco Hall in their home town of Phoenix.
High school sweethearts Hermish and Nicollette Ramlall’s wedding featured on M-Net’s Wedding Bashers.
Ramlall said she entered the show without her groom’s knowledge.
“Having the Wedding Bashers at our wedding was exciting and nerve-racking,” she said. “We put a lot of effort into making it a memorable day. But having our special day critiqued by the judges and viewers was stressful.
“The crew and judges were good to us and blended well with our family and friends. They made our day all the more special.”
Ramlall looked gorgeous in a non-traditional white bridal lengha for their North Indian Hindu wedding, while Hermish looked dapper in a white and blue bridal sherwani.
On the wedding menu were vegetarian canapés, wraps, mushroom and cheese tarts, cheese and tomato skewers and bruschetta with peppers.
The reception menu featured samoosas, patha spring rolls, vegetarian breyani and soji.
Their bridal cake was embellished with edible pictures of the couple taken during their 12 years together.
Ramlall said Hermish caught her off guard when he popped the question while they were on holiday in Thailand.
“When we’d finally saved up enough money to go to Thailand, Hermish thought it was the perfect opportunity to propose,” said Ramlall. “After a day of sightseeing, we reached our final stop, Phi Phi islands. We were taking pictures on the shore and suddenly Hermish got down on one knee, pulled out a ring and asked me to be his forever. I was swept off my feet.”
Ramlall said even though they did not win, they were glad to have been chosen to be a part of Wedding Bashers.
High school sweethearts Hermish and Nicollette Ramlall’s wedding featured on M-Net’s Wedding Bashers.
The judges enjoyed themselves in Indian dress and even got to experience a traditional after-wedding boot party (where alcohol is served from the boot of the car).
M-Net’s head of publicity, Lani Lombard, said the show was unlike any other wedding show.
“It was great fun seeing the bashers in action and speaking their minds. We also got to experience a diverse range of weddings and sometimes were challenged to rethink our perceptions of what a perfect wedding day should look like.”