M-NET has launched its new wedding reality show called The Wedding Bashers where judges assess various South African weddings. It began its broadcast in September this year.
Many couples are chosen to feature and the COURIER introduces its very own star couple from Robertsham, Yusuf Kara and Lutfiyya Variawa who were married on July 30 at the Turkish Mosque and featured on the show on November 12.
Bio Block Yusuf:
- Born in Lenasia.
- Described as a sincere, warm and loving person who is down-to-earth and loves the simple things in life.
- Close-knit family with a mischievous childhood.
- Attended Impala Crescent Primary School and then Al-Aqsa High School. Thereafter attended Highveld Campus where he studied a motor electrical course.
- Worked as a motor mechanic and currently works at VW in logistics pertaining to fuel.
- Passion is motorsport.
- Said “I love you” first.
Bio Block Lutfiyya:
- Born in Mafikeng.
- Described as a kind-hearted, loving individual who loves animals and has a caring nature.
- Close-knit family with a loving childhood.
- Attended Mafikeng Primary School and then Mafikeng High School. Thereafter attended Wits University and studied law and obtained LLB Degree.
- Worked at a law firm in Sandton and is now an associate specialising in property and conveyancing.
- Passion is baking and spending time with children and animals.
The Kara relationship
The couple spoke to the COURIER about their relationship and wedding which is set to feature on The Wedding Bashers.
They were friends for a few years and after many years their conversations became more meaningful. It was in December 2016 that they went on their first date.
“Honestly speaking, on the first date I just had the feeling that he was ‘the one’. He made me feel butterflies in my tummy and I could not stop smiling that whole night,” said Lutfiyya.
“I thought she was really cute, had a great smile and perfect eyelashes. I too knew she was ‘the one’. She made me laugh and we had a bond that was like no other,” recalled Yusuf.
Lutfiyya said their relationship just flowed and they were in sync with each other. They were inseparable and had an understanding.
“He gave me all the love I ever wanted and not only cared for me but respected me too. We just had a lot of fun together and he made me laugh daily which to me is so important. We dated for about three and a half months before we got officially engaged, but he himself had proposed to me about two months after dating,” said the bride.
The groom shared his side saying, “We created an unbreakable bond and she was the first girl I cared for and truly wanted to meet my family. I proposed to her in February 2017, after renting a flat I wanted us to share together when we got married. This was about two months after dating and we had the official traditional proposal a month and a half later (in March 2017).
The couple shared their first kiss after their first date at Primi in Rosebank and a movie.
Being Muslim and Indian the couple had a twofold engagement, namely the western way and then the Indian proposal. First Yusuf went to Lutfiyya’s family to ask her father for her hand in marriage. A feast was held to celebrate the union of the two families.
The next engagement took place on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Yusuf asked Lutfiyya to meet him at a certain location. He led her up some stairs and opened the door for her to a brand new apartment and then proposed.
The wedding
The Robertsham couple agreed to have an intimate wedding with family and loved ones not knowing it would be aired on national television. Regardless, both were excited and grateful for the opportunity.
The theme for the wedding was ‘winter wonderland’ as the wedding was in winter. They decided to create a warm and inviting theme for the guests based on Lutfiyya’s dream of having a fairy-tale wedding.
In the Indian culture, the planning is a family affair and the bride’s mum plays the biggest role in planning it.
“We viewed a few venues to host the wedding. I, as the bride, always wanted a fairy-tale wedding, I planned the perfect dress with the designer and my mother, based on pictures I had saved over time for my special day. The designer brought the colours and scheme for the attire together, bringing all my ideas and vision to life. I did not want the ‘white dress’ and opted for a blush pink colour with touching white lace. My mother and I planned the decor with the caterer to match the winter wonderland theme and again provided him with the many pictures and ideas we had collected. My father was the banker to ensure we did actually get what we wanted. With regard to the suite, we decided on the traditional black classy suite, to match the theme of a fairy-tale. It was made to fit perfectly,” said the happy bride.
Muslim weddings have functions days before the wedding with family doing various things. There is the prayer function known as the Khatam whereby the family gets together and recites a few chapters of the holy Quran. This was done the weekend before the wedding. There are dinners within the week to feed the families that have come from far as well as the community and the poor.
The night before the wedding is mendhi night when henna (mendhi) is applied on the bride and ladies and the Indian dancing takes place.
“In my case, the groom and his family crashed the party and joined in and we did a special dance together that we had rehearsed,” said Lutfiyya.
The wedding day is the Nikkah ceremony which is Islamically the most important part as that signifies the marriage to be official. The men attended the Nikkah at the Turkish mosque in Midrand and the women were getting ready for the wedding. After the Nikkah the groom headed home to get ready for the wedding.
“The day was perfect as we had all our loved ones around us sharing our day. After the ceremony, we headed the bride’s parent’s house and the elders from my family came to the house to collect the new bride and welcome her into my family. Small prayers are done and the bride is then part of the family,” said the groom.
Supper is the last on the list at the groom’s family house, known as the Walima.
The groom also shared something with the COURIER that his new bride does not know about him. He secretly likes taking pictures of her while she is sleeping and playing with her cheeks.
A bit about the show
South Africans cannot get enough of seeing South African celebrity weddings featuring on shows like Top Billing on SABC3 and not forgetting Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161). M-Net is now partnering with The Wedding Bashers, produced by SIC Entertainment and Gavin Wratten also responsible for Idols, in which South Africans can win big by having their weddings judged by a party of celebrity wedding crashers who will weigh in on all aspects of weddings ranging from R20 000 to over R1-million.
The show is hosted by former Survivor South Africa host Mark Bayly as the socialite and V-Entertainment presenter Denise Zimba, Food Network chef Siba Mtongana, former Miss South Africa Cindy Nell-Roberts, and former Survivor SA Champions star and wedding planner Zavion Kotze who also has a show on VIA (DStv 147).
The Wedding Bashers will see Denise snark over the wedding entertainment, Siba judge the food, Cindy weigh in on the fashion and Zavion giving his view about the decor.
“So our wedding bashers are going to be going to weddings and judging each wedding. And while the show is called Wedding Bashers, it’s actually The Wedding Bash. We’re not really really there to try and rip everybody’s wedding apart,” said Wratten.
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