You proposed on the first date? Yes, I proposed on the first date. The quest for love isn't always easy. Finding a groom is worse than looking for a job. But what happens when love comes after marriage... In our tradition, girls never have romance before the marriage. ...and your family has the final say over who you marry. So before the marriage, will you allow the girl to talk with the boy? I had no idea who she was. I was ready to say no. But when I saw him, I said yes. (PEOPLE CHEER) Meet the Kiwis who are putting their tradition first and their parents in charge of choosing Mr or Mrs Right. Seriously, I'm so nervous. Copyright Able 2018 I'll set up. You break. When 26-year-old Hindu accountant Raneet found the woman of his dreams, he wasted no time popping the question. I met Nirmansha in Fiji and we became Facebook friends. And on our first date, I proposed to her. (TINKLING MUSIC) Groom-to-be Raneet is enjoying the last of his bachelor days. In six weeks' time, he will have a semi-arranged marriage to Fijian Indian Nirmansha. As with Indian parents, they're always involved in their children's love life. So my parents had a conversation with me about my future. I told them that I was looking for a life partner but not actively looking. And it just happened. Nirmansha and I started poking each other on Facebook. I don't know who started it, but it became a poke war. I'd poke her; she'd poke me; we'd poke each other. And then it's kind of, like, 4000 pokes. After a four-year online friendship, Raneet and his family travelled to Fiji, where he organised a secret date and a big decision was made. One thing led to another and I proposed to her. You proposed on the first date? Yes, I proposed on the first date. Isn't that, like, jumping the gun a bit? Sometimes you gotta jump. She's really kind, she's really friendly. I think you'll like her. Oh, she's cute. When I proposed she laughed. She laughed? She laughed, like` I would've laughed as well. ...for a few minutes and then she realised I was being serious. And then she said, 'Yeah, give me some time to think about it.' Game over, bro. Just like you'll be after your marriage. (LAUGHS) (IMITATES WHIP CRACKING) Whatever. Oh, Raneet, he's a fun-loving guy. There's a lot of him to like, and his personality's even bigger. RANEET: I'm a very outgoing person. I like being the leader. I'm an accountant, so I like things organised. Things have to be a certain way. Going for the 11. I got it, I got it. Watch the master work. So, what did your parents think of this girl? I didn't even tell them. No one knew. The only people that knew were me and Nirmansha. He may have broken cultural expectations by proposing to Nirmansha without consulting his parents, but Raneet knew the marriage could not go ahead without their approval. Were you guys shocked when you first found out about Mansha? Oh yes, of course! Raneet involved with a girl? I couldn't believe it. Basically, he was afraid to tell us. It's a culture thing. He was, I think, afraid that if we said no, he won't get married. (CHUCKLES) We did not say yes at that time, because we had to see the girl. Not yes straight away. A number of meetings with extended family from both sides were organised to decide if the couple could wed. This is when tradition kicked in. Taking the back seat is not natural for me. I had to get my parents' approval and then her family's approval. It was like signing a contract, you know? Organising a deal. Had to get a lot of parties to approve. (LAUGHS) It was a yes. (LAUGHS) With the marriage approved, Raneet's family is busy planning for their future with the purchase of the house next door. But the newlyweds won't be living there. This will be the investment property that we've got. We'll just be living next door with the parents. I grew up with my grandparents living in the same house as me and I got a lot of their love and affection, and I want my kids to get the same thing. What do we still have to do? The exhaust fan. It's a race to be ready for the wedding in four weeks, but is Raneet jumping the gun again? My biggest worries are things are gonna start falling apart soon. Because everything is going to plan at the moment, so I'm just waiting for the big hurdle that's gonna come, and at the moment it's with Nirmansha's visa. We're actually waiting for Immigration New Zealand to actually give us a visa. It's stressful, cos we're expecting her here, you know? I've been communicating with my case officer back in Fiji and he knows it's urgent. The funny thing is we've given invitation cards to all the guests in Fiji. They've applied for the visa using those invitation cards. But the bride hasn't got it. Because originally, we applied for a partnership visa, but immigration adviser told us that, um, it's not gonna work because we haven't lived together for three months. In our culture, it's actually frowned upon for the bride and the groom to live together before the cultural wedding. It's frustratingly funny. So I haven't cracked yet, but I'm getting there. (CHUCKLES) Plan B is just` Oh, I haven't actually got a plan B, because I've really invested in plan A. And, uh, just fingers crossed, hoping to God, praying to God, praying to everyone out there she gets her visa; she gets here in time. In Wellington, 26-year-old bachelorette Jenica lives an independent life after leaving her family in India 10 years ago. But that didn't stop her parents trying to find her husband. To be honest, I was not into arranged marriage. I was actually looking for a love marriage, but my parents are like, 'You're getting old. You need to get married now.' I was like, 'OK. You guys find it. If I like it, I'll marry, but not in India.' Cos I've always thought Indian boys don't like doing the house chores; they think that women should wear certain type of clothes; they should not go outside after certain hours. so that was the sort of stereotype I had in my mind. (TINKLING MUSIC) I want a guy who like to share the house chores, likes hiking and trying new things. Easy-going, into clubbing, dancing with me. Travelling, most importantly. I really want to travel around the world. Her parents have searched the globe for a groom. But finding Jenica a man she believes will be her equal partner has proved difficult. There was one guy in America. But then when I talked to him, he sounds really, like, typical Indian. I'm really picky. I really like someone who I can live with for the rest of my life. I don't want someone who I can, like, adjust and do a lot of compromises. It's just not me. The traditional process of arranged marriage certainly isn't sweeping Jenica off her feet. Finding a groom is worse than looking for a job. You can't get to see the person more than twice or three times; it's kind of maximum. And then you have to give answer yes or no. You don't have a romance, you don't flirt with the guy. Specially not before engagement. Despite Jenica's reluctance, her parents are not willing to give up and are expecting her to travel back to India to meet potential husbands. My parents really want me to find a guy and get married, so I'm willing to go back to India because I'm ready to settle down. But at the same time, it has to be on my terms and conditions. In four weeks' time Raneet will wed his dream girl in a semi-arranged marriage. His bride-to-be, Nirmansha, is stuck in Fiji waiting on a visa. But the wedding planning must go on. Hello. We've got everyone here. (LAUGHS) Nirmansha ticked all my boxes ` kind, fun-loving. I felt that she could mix with my family quite well. And I was attracted to her. That was a key thing. Nirmansha lost her parents within five months of each other, so it's up to her Aunt Burama to take the reins when it comes to planning her future. Nirmansha is fully traditional girl. She has gone through a lot of tragedies in her life, losing her mum and dad. She was left alone with only brother. So I thought I better step forward for Nirmansha, for her future life. What would your perfect wedding be? (LAUGHS) Our culture tells us a marriage is between two families, not just two people. While Nirmansha is looking for a stress-free wedding, it could be a challenge as the two families worship different variations of the Hindu faith. So do we have to follow the traditions? Yes, we have to follow the tradition. That's why we are here to discuss regarding how we're gonna manage two different cultures. So, yeah, what's the plan of attack? So if we could have a little bit of mixture. Half of his tradition and little bit of ours. I'm a modern Kiwi bloke. I like to lead; I don't like to follow. 'It's not in my nature to take a back seat to anybody. 'And when tradition kicks in, it makes things a bit difficult. 'There is pressure to abide by these traditions.' I was told to act more shy, act more reserved. And I was told to leave it up to my parents. There's one more critical test the couple must pass before the bride-to-be's aunt will be happy with the match. For some traditional Hindu families, a bad horoscope match can prevent a marriage from taking place. We don't have any objections, so` We're happy with that. Yeah. But though we don't follow, we are` I mean, you are most welcome to go and` ...to do that. RANEET: I know if the horoscope comes back as not a good match, it's not gonna make much of a difference to me any my family. But I know it might make a difference to Nirmansha's family. Well, I know I'm perfect for her and she's perfect for me, but let's see what the stars say. Captain Shekhar has been analysing the horoscopes of potential couples for over 20 years. Each thing is good on its own, but if you mix up two dissimilar things, you have a problem. Pickle is fabulous with Indian food. But what if you have it with ice cream? Or if you have it with Italian food. So that's what happens when you get a bad result. Suppose it is completely dissimilar... Your shoe size is 9, and you are wearing 10, it'll always be loose. Today the bride-to-be's Aunt Burama will be hoping the shoe is a perfect fit. Well, I hope the horoscope does match for both. We want to get them get married because they are in love, yeah. To start off with, they're basically dissimilar people. One is ruled by Saturn and the other is ruled by Mars,... Oh, OK. ..and they are not the best of friends. Yes. Controlled, yes. Yes. I have seen that. We have seen that. While the horoscope predicts a fiery relationship, all is not lost. There are a few ups and downs in their life. I will advise her not to be so open and think before she says something. Yeah, that's the main thing. With the bride-to-be's visa pending and the stars not perfectly aligned, the couple still has some big issues to overcome. In Wellington, bachelorette Jenica is feeling the pressure as she prepares to travel to India, where her parents hope she will become engaged. Eh, no. No? No, it doesn't look that good. I saw your parents the other day. Yeah? And they were telling me that they have a couple of boys lined up for you when you go to India. To be honest, I'm not thinking anything at the moment. Just go, explore myself, have a holiday, experiment. So you are not really thinking about getting married? Not really, to be honest, because I really don't think I can match my mentality with Indian boys. OK, so what's wrong with Indian boys? I don't know if they can cook, they can do house chores. I don't know if they let me go and do whatever I want to do. When I wake up, I want to know this is the right person I chose for my life. Bhumika met her husband in India through an arranged-marriage website and it was a perfect match. Like you know how I was, right? I was also not looking for a guy from India. But destiny had it, and now here we are. You always can keep your mind open. You never know if you find your lucky guy in India. There's no harm in just going and meeting them. 'After talking to Bhumika, 'I think I should really give a chance to myself and go to India with an open mind. 'Let's see. Just like her, I might find my life partner.' Jenica is days away from her trip to India. Her brother, Ashish, has been given the task of evaluating each potential husband. Well, my brother's going so he can be intermediate and he can talk on my behalf. My brother really knows me, so he knows what sort of guy can look after me well, and who can match with me, gel with me well. So, how's it going? Plenty of guys are waiting to come and check you out. Do you think you will be fine being the intermediate between the groom and myself? I think with the generation gap, I think I would be the better judgement in this situation, cos Mum and Dad is a little bit old generation, and I would be able to take a lead in this one. What's gonna happen at this meeting? I will ask him about his family background, his education, and how independent he is and how much he is willing to give up,... Yeah. ...because he will be moving to another country with you. Do you think they will be up to my standard? If I like it, then I will pass it to you, and then you will check it out. Yeah, yeah. I totally trust you. Bring it on. Yes. (CHUCKLES) With 12 men to meet and only 10 days, finding a genuine connection won't be easy. I'm not expecting much. In an ideal world, I would like to know a person at least for three months. Let's see. Just go, enjoy my holiday. That's what my parents told me. They told me that it doesn't mean that you have to find and get married. They're like, 'You go, look at some guys over there. If you like someone, let us know. 'If you don't, then come back and we can go next year.' For 26-year-old accountant Raneet, not being in control of his wedding has been challenging, especially when it came to securing his bride-to-be's visa. I haven't actually got a plan B because I've really invested in plan A. Fingers crossed, hoping to God, praying to God, praying to everyone out there she gets her visa, she gets here in time. It's now one week till the big day and there's been good news ` the visa has been approved and bride Nirmansha has arrived from Fiji to stay with her family until the wedding. Just four days left. Then it's going to be your turn. No! Nirmansha's parents had a happy arranged marriage for 30 years, but passed away before they could see their daughter marry. What's your best memory of your parents when they were here? They were pretty much in love every day. My father passed away, and just within five months my mum passed away. Recovering from my father and going on to my mother, that was, like, double grieving. That's on Diwali night, her making all the sweets. Did they used to talk about marriage with you? About my marriage? Yeah. Yeah, well, my mum used to tell me, 'I'm not giving you away; I'm bringing the guy inside the house.' So for the past four years I have been living alone. Imagine coming back into a house where there used to be all these noises, all this laughter, in a big house, walking alone, and every evening when I used to open my door and I used to, like, cry. It was during this difficult period that Facebook friend Raneet reached out to offer support and their relationship started to grow. Those two years after my parents died, I have been in hell and back, and I was coming out of depression. I started to build myself. And then Raneet, he lifted me up. He loved me from a distance. He protected me from a distance, so he was there. I see my father in him, because my father could never see a tear in my eye, and Raneet is just like that. I miss them a lot. I wish my dad was here to make me do all the shopping, my mum fussing. There's a part that cannot be filled without them. It's empty. Parents are parents. No one else can take their place. Once married, Nirmansha will be welcomed into her husband's family. But unable to see Raneet until the wedding, she must face the week without his support. I expect a daughter, not a daughter-in-law. Like, she is leaving her family, coming to my family. That's my thinking. She'll get what love I'm giving to my daughter, she'll get the same love with me and everything. Only thing I want her to be my best friend. My mum is looking for a friend. She wants someone to vent about the males for. (LAUGHS) And, um, yeah. I think that's what she wants. She can see me. (LAUGHS) Me and my mum have a very close relationship. I'm the youngest in the family. We share the same birthday. We've always been inseparable. I am a mamma's boy. I have got about 80 to 100 overseas visitors coming, flying over for the big wedding. (CHUCKLES) It is gonna be a big wedding. We're expecting somewhere between 200 to 300 people for the pre-wedding ceremonies, about 300 people for the wedding, and about 600 people for the reception. With only two days before the start of pre-wedding celebrations, the bride-to-be's Aunt Burama is raising her concerns about the couple's incompatibilities. I didn't want to tell you in front of anybody else, but your and Raneet's horoscope doesn't match. It matches about 50%, which is still good, still good. But there are a lot of... Obstacles? Yes, there are a lot. The astrologer is worried that Nirmansha has a tendency to speak before thinking. I don't get angry easily. But if you provoke me or if you just treat like that, then, yeah, I can lose my senses. You lost your parents. After that, you became very strong. Because you are becoming someone's wife and someone's daughter-in-law, you have to feel that, yes, you can perform your duties. Fortunately, Hindu culture has customs to alleviate a bad horoscope. We can do a little bit of ritual. And if you wear your Manglik stone, like the one I'm wearing, it will help you for your future life. I really appreciate what my aunt is doing for me, because she has been my mum, she has been my dad. (LIGHT-HEARTED MUSIC) When we went for shopping, we were supposed to look for charms, but as soon as I saw the jewellery, I'm like, 'Oh wow.' Oh, can I just see that one? This is really pretty. Something in two-tone. I like this. Yeah, that's nice. But the women are searching for more than just beautiful jewellery. Nirmansha needs a charm with purpose. Yeah, this is the one. That will help you for your future life. Can it be done on a ring? Yes, yes, of course. She should wear this. It's good for you. Will protect you and will give you better life. Yeah, for your future. I am excited for our wedding. Raneet doesn't like me saying 'my wedding'. He interrupts and says, 'It's our wedding, not just your wedding.' So I'm excited for our wedding. Jenica has recently returned from India and has news to share with friend Bhumika. Got a surprise for you. Ooh-hoo, champagne! Yeah. It's big news, so has to have this. OK. What is it? Uh... I got married. What? Yes, I did. Congratulations! Thank you. You got, like, married?! Yes, I got married. Married, married? Married, married. I thought you were just going to see guys and see how it goes and maybe get engaged. What happened? So, I went to India, met 12 guys. 12 guys? Oh my God, you got a lot of variety. LAUGHS: Yeah. And I found him the best one. But what made you choose him? Firstly, he got a really good education. Mm-hm. From good family, he likes trying new things, so I feel like he's the perfect person. So do you feel there was a spark between the two of you when you met? Don't know what a spark actually is, but... felt special with him. He was easy talking, he was not making anything up or trying to impress me. Mm-hm. Jenica and her now-husband Deval had five chaperoned meetings before becoming engaged and then marrying 15 days later. Why did you get married so quickly? Family was there and they're like, I should get married now. If it's the perfect person, why do I wanna wait and things, so I was like, 'Yeah. Why not?' I am super shocked. Like, I wasn't expecting her to actually meet somebody and get married. I was expecting more like, 'She'll see a few guys, reject them and come back single.' So it was a very big shock for me when she said she's got married. That's him. That's Deval. Whoo-hoo, fancy. He looks nice. Oh, you guys look so nice together. His smile is so genuine. (JENICA CHUCKLES) It's cute. Hey, that's me coming. Wow, you look nice as a bride. You look pretty. You look happy as well. Yeah, I was really happy. Happy to have him. Wow. What was the best part of your day? When they put my hand over his hand. Oh, I know exactly what you mean. It just feels amazing, doesn't it? Yeah. I'm happy you found the right guy. Yeah. I'm happy. I'm really, really, really happy. (POP!) Whoo! Oh! Nice. In three weeks, Deval will arrive in New Zealand to live with Jenica, and the newlyweds will start the process of actually getting to know each other. It's different because I've been living on my own and having my own space and freedom for so long, at least for the last 10 years. Yeah. And suddenly here is this guy living with you 24/7. I know. Wow. Yeah, it's gonna be a bit different. How well do you think you know him? We didn't have enough time to know each other before the wedding, but when we went on our honeymoon to Goa, I had a really good time with him. I got to know him quite a lot. We both like hiking and adventures, doing something different, trying new food. Yeah. I think the big thing will be him coming here and getting adjusted. That is gonna be a challenge for him. Yeah, a big challenge. Cheers to the new married life. Jenny and Deval. Thank you! When Raneet proposed to Nirmansha on their first date, he didn't know if his parents would approve. But now, having dealt with family obligations, visa problems and a horoscope incompatibility, three days of wedding celebrations can begin. It's really excitement to see my son get married. And I think it's something I did not suspect. It's just like you are dreaming. A big, big, big fat wedding. (LAUGHS) Family has flown in from all around the world to share in the celebrations and lend a helping hand. She's a perfectionist. It's a dessert. That's one of her speciality. In case you complain, you see the wooden spoon. (MAN LAUGHS) Every day will be... I don't know how much. She knows; she's the chef. Oh, yeah, I should say Indian wedding takes more than four or five days. The prep is so long. And by the time the main wedding happens, you are exhausted. For this modern Kiwi groom, following ancient Hindu traditions is taking him right out of his comfort zone. I'm not allowed breakfast; can't drink. I've been told I don't make decisions; can't leave the property. It was quite weird that I couldn't actually leave. After a little while, I just felt like a caged lion in the zoo because I've been walking round the whole yard and people would be just looking at me, waving at me, like, 'Hey, it's a good day for you!' I'm like, 'Yes. I need beer.' (CHUCKLES) Traditions have been there for hundreds of years and people have followed those traditions and their marriages have worked out successfully. And I don't know the first thing about a marriage, so I think following this tradition is sort of a blueprint to actually lead to a successful marriage. I don't know what's gonna happen with that. (TINKLING MUSIC) (BELLS JINGLE RHYTHMICALLY, WOMEN SING IN HINDI) Over the next two days, the groom and his bride will participate in a long list of rituals. But there's still time for some fun. My cousins, they went crazy. I do tend to have good fun with them. So they went all out. (LAUGHTER) Oh, I'll get my revenge on them later on. Understanding the significance of each Hindu tradition is proving to be a challenge for Raneet. The hardest part about following these traditions is me not messing it up. I lose focus quite often. Some of these ceremonies, you're not supposed to joke as much. It is a happy time, but you're supposed to be serious. (WOMAN SPEAKS HINDI) I don't know what's going on. Do I look yellow? (PEOPLE CHATTER) Ohh! Mum, how many times do I have to do this again? One was done last night, so I have three today and one tomorrow to make it five. Mm. MAN: What's with the hands? I have no idea. I think it's five kids. (WOMEN LAUGH) No, it's five (INDISTINCT) Not five kids. No way. (LAUGHS) Five kids? But I want 14. Nirmansha knows this; she's not happy about it. Let's see. 14, fingers crossed. It's a negotiation. (WOMEN EXCLAIM) It's all on my walls. My beautiful, beautiful walls. The missus will just take care of it. (LAUGHS) Nah, I'll probably have to clean it up at some stage. Mum, can I have some food now? (WOMEN CHATTER) Mum! Food! (DRUM BEATS RHYTHMICALLY, WOMEN SING) The Haldi ceremonies are also underway for bride-to-be Nirmansha and her extended family. Nirmansha, she is emotional, yes, because of getting married. And she is obviously gonna go away, being away from family. She is obviously seeing a lot of her families here, which obviously she hasn't seen. ..for a long time as well. (DRUM BEATS, WOMEN SING) So, right now we're just playing all these folk songs just to enjoy, bring all the happiness. And we're trying to create an atmosphere for the wedding, as well, since it's begun. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day for us all. (LAUGHS) (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) But the death of Nirmansha's parents is never far from her mind. For almost four years I was living alone, and today I have everyone; I am the centre of attention, and I felt so important. My mum and dad is not here, but I know in spirit they are with me. It's a sad time that we are missing somebody. Yeah, yeah. If they were here, then it was different environment, yeah. So we are missing somebody. I miss my parents, but having them around gives me that confidence. Nirmansha's only sibling, Nikunja, has arrived from Fiji to provide emotional support. When my mum passed away, before she went into the ICU, she said to me, 'Nikunja, please look after your sister.' And then from that time, I was just thinking will she meet the right person or should I go and look for someone. My brother and I, we are really close. He has always supported me. He's also a father figure for me. It's going to be really hard for me and my brother to part our ways. Mum and Dad would have been really proud of you, you getting married. Papa would have been very, very happy. Mum would have been happy. I hope all the best for you. And, you know, you're going to have your own journey now. And I know it's going to be a very beautiful journey. I know you will miss me; I will miss you as well. So... don't worry, eh? OK? Jenica is newly married, and her life has changed forever with the arrival of husband Deval. You gotta go soon, babe. OK. Arranged marriages are something we have accepted. After a whirlwind wedding, Deval has left his life in India to live with the woman he is still getting to know. She convinced me to make me confident that I'll be fine here. She also told me that once you are not comfortable in New Zealand, she was ready to move back to my home town, India. We both are ready to fall in love. But there's more to marriage than falling in love, and Bhumika and her husband, Pratik, know the sacrifices required. Hi. How are you feeling? I'm fine. Very much cold. (LAUGHS) So, I know Jenny's side of story, but how was it for you? How did you feel when you saw Jenny for the first time? First time, we don't have a time with each other. When you guys met, you never spoke for, like`? No. On the first time? Really? No. - JENICA: Not for the first time. - Wow. - My brother was intermediate, so... - He was the one who communicated between you? He is not communicate; he interrogate. Interrogated! (LAUGHTER) 'Who are you? What do you do? Where did you come from?' (LAUGHS) And the interrogations aren't over. Now that you are here, do you feel that any of your dynamics has changed since the last time you met? After meeting here, I have found a little bit different, because she became a Kiwi now. (BOTH LAUGH) How about you guys give us girls a minute? Do your thing and we'll do our thing. ALL: See ya! Straight. Now that the boys are gone, tell me the goss! How has it actually been? It's actually really good. I'm finding amazing` Like, when I finish my work I'm always looking forward to go home and spend some time with him. That's good. So you're coping well to living with another person under the same roof? I think so, yeah. It's nice. So, how is it going there? How are you feeling? Since I came here, I didn't found anything positive about... So that feeling is frustrating. You know what? I was the same situation when I came first to New Zealand. OK, yeah. I had a good business back in India, I had my amazing family back in India. I had to leave everybody. I had to struggle for a while to get a job. Continuously thinking at the back of my mind that I won't be able to adjust here, because the weather is very different for me; people are very different for me. It's not like in India. You're just here for two weeks, so don't stress out much about it. I was here for more than six months and I didn't get a job. So I was the same boat. But I never gave up, yeah. So just stay positive. With Deval struggling to adjust in new Zealand, is this arranged marriage really a perfect match? It's been six weeks since engineer Deval arrived in New Zealand to live with his new wife, Jenica. Come on. I'm pulling you. You're pulling me. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Settling in to their arranged marriage has been a steep learning curve. So, what do you think about kids? (CHUCKLES) I'd like to produce a cricket team for 11. Good luck with that, mate. (BOTH LAUGH) I really wanna travel around the world before making any plan for kids. Oh. Cos they're not my priority at the moment. Oh, OK. In arranged marriage, you are meeting your partner once or twice, so you are getting no likes, dislikes. After the marriage, that's the best part. Nice. It's a beautiful place. It is really unreal because I didn't expect myself to find someone in India, and I found him, so it's perfect. It's amazing. I'm accepted her the way she is, and I love to be in her flow. I really don't think that Deval would like me to be a housewife. When we have kids, he told me that I can always work part-time if I wanted, or full time, and we can share the chores. Deval is happy to have an equal partnership, but has he been able to adapt to life in a new country? We are confident about our future. Not sure where it will be. (BOTH LAUGH) It could be in New Zealand or somewhere in the world. Not sure about that. But surely together. Yeah, not getting bored. (LAUGHS) Yeah, not getting bored so far. I'm in love with my loving wife. Yeah, we are fall in love with each other, totally. Yeah, yeah. (ROMANTIC STRING MUSIC) (EXPECTANT MUSIC) In Auckland, the stars have aligned for the traditional Hindu wedding of Raneet and Nirmansha. Here he is. Tell me what time I need to get ready. Finally. (LAUGHS) LAUGHS: Very happy and very nice day. We are going to greet another daughter now. (BOTH LAUGH) The groom is just hours away from becoming a married man, but he's relying on his parents to guide him through the ceremonies. They will come and tell me when it's time for me to get ready. And I'm getting ready outside on the stage, in front of everyone. So I've put on the essentials so nobody sees my fuzzy tum-tum. (CHUCKLES) (TINKLING MUSIC) (FUNKY MUSIC) Ready to take on the day, Raneet will now transform from Kiwi bachelor to Hindu groom. (WOMEN SING, TAMBOURINE AND DRUMS PLAY) Do I stand up or sit down? Yeah, stand up. It did feel weird getting dressed in front of people. It made me feel quite self-conscious. (LIVELY MUSIC) They did put that eyeliner in my eye. It's supposed to be for good luck. But that's where I drew the line. I said, 'After that, you're not putting any blusher on me; 'there's no lipstick coming on me at all.' It's hard to look manly when you've got blush on you. (CHUCKLES) Things we do for love, I guess. Things we do for love. MAN: One, two, three, four! (DRUMS BEAT RHYTHMICALLY) The exit was definitely my parents' idea. They wanted to make it grand. It made me feel like a gladiator going into the arena with thousands of cheering fans. Next time I come home, I'm gonna have another person coming home with me. Make way for the groom! (LAUGHS) Ready? At the temple, Nirmansha has been confined to a prayer room until the ceremony. Don't be nervous. We all are here to look after you, OK? Just breathe, all right? And relax. Calm down, OK? All right? Just have to relax. This is the big day. All I had been thinking was, 'How will I walk in front of so many people?' I hope that I don't cry every two minutes, because I can be really emotional. So hopefully I don't cry that much. Just want them to hurry up already. I've been here too long. I was getting really frustrated when I was waiting for Raneet to come. She's just like me. She does not like being caged. OK, OK. I've just spoke to Raneet and they're all about to reach. He's excited. He's yelling on the phone. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) LAUGHS: Wow! (PERCUSSIVE MUSIC PLAYS) Not nervous! Go for it, boys. (PEOPLE WHOOP) (MUSIC STOPS, CHEERING) (PERCUSSIVE MUSIC PLAYS, MAN SINGS) (BRIGHT, EXCITING MUSIC) I was really nervous and emotional getting down the aisle. But as soon as I saw everyone dancing, I saw how happy everyone was. When the dancing started happening, I was pleasantly surprised. I wanted her to be happy, not to be sad walking down the aisle. Actually, I always wanted a grand entrance so that people can go, 'Oh, wow.' Oh, he looked amazing in his outfit. She looked beautiful in her wedding dress. It was heavy, so I imagine she was feeling really uncomfortable. But she looked really good. CELEBRANT: We shall have beautiful children with high intellect together, we shall have a measure of patience and be able to forgive with grace. (MAN CHANTS IN HINDI) When she put her hand on my heart, I was trying to keep my heartbeat normal, cos my heart was racing throughout the whole time. I was trying to find where Raneet's heart was. The clothes were so heavy I could not feel anything. But I could tell he was really nervous because he was so sweaty. Like, this fire in front of you, it's hot! The absence of Nirmansha's deceased parents makes saying goodbye particularly hard. I tried not to cry. (SOBS) But as soon as the night came to an end, reality struck me that I have to go. My biggest worry was how will I say goodbye to my brother. Saying goodbye to him felt like I'm cutting a part of me and just leaving it behind. When I saw her brother, I wiped his tears myself and I said, 'Hey, don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of your sister.' And I'm like, 'You're not losing her, you're gaining me.' (UPBEAT MUSIC) I loved it when I was coming from the temple to his house because it rained a bit. It was a good sign. In our belief, it's like we're getting blessed by the god. It represents good omen, good start to a new future. At Raneet's home, Nirmansha is embraced as a new daughter. Oh! Relieved! (LAUGHS) She is home now. As soon as we got home, the whole family and everyone was there and they're like, 'Yeah, we wanna congratulate the bride and groom.' That was definitely the best part. And then after that, I got to have my beer. I forgot what it felt like to be in a family because I lost that five years ago. So I gained one family again. My biggest fear was that I don't die alone, and... I have someone that cares for me and protects me and loves me the way I am. I'm glad for all the decisions I've made that have led me to her. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Feels really good. It feels like home. Captions by Tracey Dawson. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2018