She is doing a big sacrifice. She's changing her whole life just cos of me. 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. (CHEERING) 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 In many families with strong religious beliefs, it is highly controversial to marry a person from another religion. I'm just here to look at some of my wedding jewelleries. My groom's name is Mohammed Abubakar Sidi. I am a Hindi and he is a Muslim. For 26-year-old Hindu Neekita, her Muslim wedding will be a huge step into the unknown. I never actually imagined that I would marry a Muslim man. But, you know, things change. (LAUGHS) (TINKLING MUSIC) Raised in a devout Hindu family, Neekita was expected to marry within the faith. So falling in love with a Muslim man came as a shock to her family. I'll be changing my culture to being a Muslim. It is quite a big change for me. In my family, they did have concern. But, you know, I want to be with him, so that's one more big step towards the relationship which I need to take in order to marry him. (ENGINES WHINE) The lucky groom is Sid, a 30-year-old motorhead from Hamilton whose life changed course after meeting Neekita. I used to do that. I used to do marshal, I used to do racing. Pit crew as well. So, we first met at Meremere Dragway, where I went with my friend. We spoke, but not really. I never actually noticed him because me and my friend, we were looking on the other side of the track. (LAUGHS) And we were looking at some other people there. Instead of looking at the drags, they're looking across the line. You know? Cos there's other boys on the other side. Looks great, mate. Good. Wow. She had a unique smile, I would say, eh. She had a unique smile. So I go to my mate's missus and I was like, 'Who is she?' And she's like, 'Oh, she's my friend.' 'OK. Can I get her number, please?' I got told by my friend that he was asking about me. And I was like, 'Oh wow! Someone asked about me. OK!' (LAUGHS) 'That's quite, you know, cool.' With a spark ignited, the relationship gained traction as the pair spent more time together. We mostly would go out for family friends or friends' birthdays or gatherings, and then that's when we meet each other. In that point of time, we actually didn't think about each other's culture or religion or where this is gonna be or where this is gonna take us. Until one of her friends' wedding. That's the day that made me realise that, yeah, one day I can see me and her sitting up there. And, you know, I had a thing thinking, 'Oh, jeez,' you know, 'you're a Muslim, 'and I don't know what's gonna happen if my parents know about you.' Eventually, she did tell her family, and the family, they did not accept it. 27-year-old Sikh Sabby thought his future was all mapped out. My parents wanted me to get married, but they expected me to only marry a Sikh girl. While his parents were searching for a Sikh bride in India, in Nelson Sabby met the woman of his dreams ` but she was Hindu. When I first met Vinny, I think her nature, that's what I liked about her. It was different from normal girls. (TINKLING MUSIC) 24-year-old Vinny came from India to study in Nelson, meeting Sabby on her first day in New Zealand. Sabby's a good person. He's very friendly. All over, he's a good man. With only a small Indian community in Nelson, the pair became friends and moved into the same flat, where hidden feelings started to develop. I really liked her, but I knew we are from different religions. There was many moments where I feel like I'm falling for him. I think that's the natural feeling building, but I didn't want to tell him. In my mind it's like, there's no future. Desperate to avoid a forbidden love, Sabby moved as far away from Vinny as possible. When I started falling for her, I finished my study and I got a job up north in Whangarei. When I went to Whangarei, I was only there for a week and I started missing her a lot. When he reached there, we're both feeling like there's something missing. I told him that, 'I am falling for you,' and he was like, 'Oh, it's the same feeling from my side as well.' I confessed my love for Vinny. She was like, 'Come back, Sabby. We'll make it work out.' That was the turning point in our relationship. That's when we got to know that we were madly in love with each other. We finally decided that we're gonna talk to our parents. If they can approve it, I can move back to Nelson. Uh, we got... mixed reactions, especially from my parents. My parents react so normal and they were like, 'It's your choice. It's your life. 'Up to you if you are happy with him.' But Sabby's family, we know that we need to convince them. Because in Sikh religion, it's hard to marry with another religion. My mother was resisting a bit. It took my sisters, my mother's brother, my mother's sister-in-law ` all of them ` to convince her. Sabby persuaded his reluctant parents to visit New Zealand to meet Vinny. But they would only approve the marriage if the two families were compatible. They called my parents and asked them if they can also come to visit us. I wasn't sure how... how they will behave. That made me nervous, when the two families are meeting together. Despite their cultural differences, the two families turned out to be the perfect match. That's when they gave us the permission to get engaged. Their parents gave the engaged couple permission to live in the same flat but with strict rules around intimacy. So, we have two rooms in our flat, and Vinny's staying in this room. And this is my room. I live in this room. And once we get married, we're both gonna move to Vinny's room. We both thought that if we will do everything before marriage, there's nothing after marriage, nothing special. It's really hard because you are living with the person in the same flat to whom you are going to marry in future, but you are sleeping in a separate room. Hi, how are you? For Sabby and Vinny's Kiwi friends, it's an unusual courtship. Do you guys go on dates? Yeah, we do go on dates now we are engaged. So, yeah, we go on dates. And it's like we are living together, flatting with each other, so. Is it even allowed? We are in the same flat but in a different room. So you're not breaking the rules? I know my parents are not here, but we respect our culture, our customs and everything. It's like... my background is, like, you're not allowed to do that much intimacy before marriage. We are in New Zealand, you know, more modern. But in India, cultural expectation is more. We don't want to cross that line. Muslim Sid and Hindu Neekita had fallen in love. But there was an obstacle to them getting together ` Neekita's deeply religious parents. Her parents, they were not happy, bro. Yeah. They were not happy. So what did you do to, like, make all this happen? Oh, bro, honestly saying, every single day, every single day, bro, I was calling her parents. Texting, calling, if they can talk to me and whatnot. This is what they said to me to begin with, right? They're like, 'Look, son, 'I'll be honest with you. I don't want my daughter to go there.' You know? Yeah. Sid's perseverance paid off, convincing the two families to meet. They ended up coming to my place on a Sunday. They were here for, like, three hours, four hours, I think. To start with, bro, her dad was very quiet. He walked in... Just sitting there looking round? Just looking, bro. Just observing. I looked at Neekita and I was like, 'Is he all right?' You know? (LAUGHS) Cos that look doesn't look good to me. (BOTH LAUGH) They made me nervous big time, man. To start off with, the dad, he wouldn't talk to me at all. He wouldn't talk to me, even if I try, you know? What did you do, man? Nothing really, bro. But I just showed them, like, what we are, you know? Like, we're just really down to earth, bro. It was just that bonding between Neekita and my family, and things just changed. It didn't feel like they've just met. Just felt like they've known each other for a very long time. They seen how much I want Neekita and she wants me, and they definitely know that she will be happy, bro. Before he left the house, was he happy with you and everything like that? When he left the house, bro? Yeah. He came outside and he said to me, 'Son, I'll see you on your wedding, eh?' That was the day. That's it. After that day, bro, I don't call them now; they call me. Yeah. Is your parents happy with it as well? Oh, my parents are good, bro. They said to me, 'Look, son, it's your call. 'I can't see a reason why I should say no to you.' But there was a catch. For the couple to marry, Neekita would first need to convert to Islam. She has to be a Muslim. I mean, it's a big change for her. Converting to a completely different religion is a massive step, but one Neekita needs to take before the wedding can take place. I'm converting to Muslim. It's a huge commitment. There will be quite a bit of change for me, so nervous in a way that, 'OK, how fast will I be learning 'their culture?' I know it's gonna be a little difficult to start off with, but, um, I'm pretty sure that I have that willpower of learning and I can do that. So, what sort of things are you going to have to change once you convert to being Muslim? For instance, they do prayers five times a day. Five times a day? Yeah. And also, they have a headscarf which I have to wear if there's elders coming in the house. What part of converting to Muslim are you most worried about or you'll find the most difficult? It's just I'm very eager to learn their ways, you know, how they lead their everyday life, how they do their rituals and prayers and stuff. So, yeah, I'm just focused into that side of it. You seem to be giving up quite a lot. So you know he's the one, then? Yes, he's the one. Truck driver Sid is committed to supporting his soon-to-be wife as she learns the intricacies of the Islamic religion. She is doing a big sacrifice for me. She's changing her whole life upside down just cos of me. You know? She is leaving everything for me. There's no way that I would want anyone else to be my future wife. I don't know what it was that she saw in me or felt in me that made her say yes. That, 'Yeah, I'll change for you,' you know? 'I'll leave everything for you.' I'll be a good husband, honestly. I'll be a good husband. As they say, when you wake up, you gotta say sorry. And when you leave home you gotta say, 'Baby, I love you. Bye.' I have to give her my 100%. Sabby, who follows the Sikh faith, and Vinny, who's Hindu, met through the small Indian community in Nelson and fell in love. Despite their religious differences, their parents have agreed to their marriage. (MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) I'm very close to my religion, so I want to have our marriage in the Sikhism way. So it was fairly important for me, and my family as well. Vinny will forgo a Hindu wedding ceremony to honour Sabby and his family's wishes. But it will be unfamiliar territory for the bride-to-be. He's not forcing me. Just telling me that, 'that's the thing we do'. It's taking time to learn more, more, more. Step by step, you can say. I never seen a Sikh wedding. I'm a bit nervous, a bit worried as well. Hey, Vinny. Hiya. Where's my bag? It's up there. In one week's time, the couple will travel to India for the traditional Sikh wedding. There, the couple will meet each other's extended families for the first time. I'm just excited. (CHUCKLES) I'm... I'm just so excited about going back to India, getting married, seeing my family, seeing my friends. Like, I'm nervous but excited as well. Yeah, excited because I'm doing marriage with my best friend. Nervous because of marriage. After living together as flatmates since they met, the couple will soon take their relationship to a more intimate level as husband and wife. Once we get married, I think the biggest thing that will change is, uh, we both will be moving to Vinny's room and we gonna be sharing a room. And that's the biggest change that's gonna happen, and we'll see how life goes after that. (CHUCKLES) (TRADITIONAL SITAR MUSIC) Sid is two weeks out from marrying his fiancee, Neekita, in a Muslim nikah ceremony. Sid and his family follow strict protocols for daily prayer. And it's a practice his wife-to-be will need to adopt when she converts to Islam before the wedding. The prayer that we do five times a day, that's compulsory. Whatever you're doing, if that's the prayer time, you have to be there. But if your wife calls you, you have to leave that prayer and go to her and fulfil her needs and wants before you do that prayer. That's what Muslim law says. So you can see how much you have to respect your wife. To prepare for the conversion, Neekita is spending time with her future sister-in-law, Farina. So, I'm looking for red-silver or red-gold. That's nice. OK, I'll just try this in the mirror there. I think that would look quite good. Yeah, it's very pretty. In a private ceremony, Neekita will give up her Hindu faith to become a Muslim. When she accepts Islam, the priest arrives, and then with all her heart accepting Islam and mentioning that in front of the witnesses that, yes, she has accepted Islam with all her heart. You can come. You can help me. But faith is not the only thing she's giving up. Neekita will also need to change her name. With acceptance of Islam, she'll be needing to have a Muslim name. She has chosen Humaira. It's actually got a really beautiful meaning to it. It's a name that our prophet had given his prettiest wife of all, and she had rosy cheeks. (CHUCKLES) And that's how we feel about Humaira as well. She's got really nice, rosy cheeks. Here comes the change. (CHUCKLES) Having it on the head. I don't know much about the conversion ceremony. As far as I know, there's gonna be vows I need to take. And it is quite sacred as well. Do you like the look of it, though? Yeah, it's quite nice. You'll make the perfect Muslim bride. (TINKLING MUSIC) It's Sabby and Vinny's big day. Not only will they be getting married, it will be the first time Sabby introduces his Hindu wife to his Sikh extended family. I was anxious to know people's reaction. Will they like Vinny? Will they be happy? All that kind of stuff was going through my mind. The bride-to-be, Vinny, is preparing for a Sikh ceremony she knows very little about. On the wedding day I'm quite nervous because I'm not aware how the things are going to be. I have already seen Hindu weddings, but not a Sikh wedding. There's some different ceremonies, so I'm a bit nervous. That's the day every wants to see you. You are the bride. Like, 100 times I'm looking in the mirror and going in front of mirror, 'Yeah, I'm good, I'm good.' (LAUGHS) Indian weddings in New Zealand are lavish. But in New Delhi, Sabby and Vinny's family have taken it to another level. I have never ridden a horse before. The horse was too tall. I was really scared. My sister's son, he was enjoying it, but I was scared. And the guy who was accompanying the horse, he was busy collecting the money. (CHUCKLES) I was like, 'Don't leave me alone.' (LAUGHS) With the guest list numbering into the thousands, no expense has been spared in celebrating the joining of these two families. When I was entering the banquet hall, there were a lot of people. But I was feeling very excited how Vinny will be looking, how she will enter. The bride arrives. It's a significant moment when she's finally presented to the groom's Sikh family. My entrance, I'm getting nervous. But I don't want to regret in future. I need to enjoy that moment. (UPBEAT TRADITIONAL MUSIC) I just forget everything and I started dancing and enjoying the moment. (MUSIC CONTINUES) When I got the first glimpse of her, she was dancing and she was looking gorgeous. (GENTLE MUSIC) Then I went to her, gave her the rose, and I also started dancing with her. Expected to be a shy and modest bride, Vinny's dancing is quite a surprise. Some of the relatives were shocked ` 'What is she doing?' (BOTH LAUGH) Everyone is looking at me. So there was mixed reactions. But I was loving it. (UPBEAT MUSIC) I saw my parents dancing on stage with me. My mother can't really walk without a stick. Given she started dancing, she was so happy. So I got very emotional and had some tears in my eyes. Yeah, I feel good when they accept me. It feels like that your family's with you, your love is with you, your elders' blessings with you. So there's nothing to be fear. The couple have broken the ice. The two families can begin the process of coming together in the formal Anand Karaj Sikh wedding ceremony. The Hindu wedding is quite different. I was scared because I don't know what to do next. But his sister, she's next to me. She's just telling me, 'OK, do that, do these things.' So she made me comfortable. (PIANO MUSIC) The couple circle the holy book four times, with each progression signifying the stages of the journey that led to a union with God and the union of husband and wife. When I was going around the holy book, I was feeling very connected with my faith, feeling a sense of responsibility. A final prayer concludes the ceremony. Sabby and Vinny are officially married. At the end of the wedding, I was feeling like I'm a man now. (LAUGHS) (WONDROUS MUSIC) When I was leaving, I was feeling like I don't want to cry, you know? I don't want to. But when I was in the car, I started crying. When she started crying in the car, I was like, 'Did you forget your stuff or something?' (LAUGHS) 'Why are you crying now?' Yeah, he's making fun of me, and I was like, 'Shut up.' The couple will now start the process of changing from the friendship of flatmates to the intimacy of husband and wife. I'm actually very happy moving into the same room. We can actually be officially married and living-together couple. Enjoy endless data on your favourite social apps with Vodafone Social Pass, and get free social data for 90 days when you switch to Vodafone. (LYRICAL PIANO MUSIC) Sabby and Vinny have just arrived back in New Zealand after spending their first month of married life staying with family in India. We are having a kind of mini honeymoon before we head back to Nelson. Today is our first-month anniversary, and I want to make it special for Vinny. I think as a husband I need to surprise her, make her feel comfortable, and make her feel happy, because happy wife means happy life. (EXPECTANT MUSIC) Morning, Vinny. Good morning, Sabby. I prepared the breakfast for you. Oh, you are so cute. Happy first month anniversary. Thank you. Same to you as well. Thank you. This is for you. Oh, thank you. You are the best husband in this world. I like it. (CHUCKLES) Am I? Thank you. Yeah, you are. They started as flatmates with feelings for each other. Now the newlyweds can share every aspect of their lives. Are you looking forward to going back to Nelson? Yes. I'm excited. My home. (CHUCKLES) Mm, yeah. Our home. Yeah, our home. And our new room. Yeah. After the marriage, we're trying to give more respect to each other, more respect to our relation. So, yeah, that's the big change. It feels so good. (CHUCKLES) It feels really good, but it also brings a lot of responsibility. Have you decided something for today? Uh, yes, I got a plan, and that's a surprise. Sabby's the most romantic husband. (CHUCKLES) Yeah, he is. He always tries to make me feel special. Yeah. That's the thing I like most because he is trying is best. I do think Sabby's the perfect man for me. Feels really amazing to be married and roam around together. Holding hands. Holding hands. Yeah. It's a physical touch, you know? You need a physical touch as well when you are in a relationship. It connects you more. (ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) We have been able to get married after facing all the obstacles, all the ups and downs. Our families with us, like, they support us in our decision, and it's a very good ending, or starting of our new life. Yeah. We are life partners. That's the most amazing thing. We're not gonna part our ways now. And we're gonna be together for life. Yeah. That's the most amazing thing. Let's go. A week out from their marriage, a lot has changed for Sid and Neekita. In a private family ceremony, Neekita converted from Hinduism to Islam. And she's now able to marry Sid. After accepting Islam, I am pretty confident and ready to go. It's a huge relief to get the conversion done. I was really nervous that day. But it was pretty short and simple, so that was really relieving. As part of the conversion, Neekita has taken on a Muslim name, Humaira. From now on, Sid's side of the family call me by my Muslim name. So it's Humaira Airabi. Yeah, I don't mind having two names. So, yeah, that should be all good. (CHUCKLES) I just have to juggle from this side and that side. So that's OK. But there's still a lot she needs to learn about the Muslim prayer. There's two bits which I don't really remember by heart. Normally when I'm with her, I just whisper it out loud so she can hear. During prayer, Muslim women must cover everything except their faces, hands and feet. Normally in Hindus, the married woman only wears scarf at the prayer. In Muslim culture, you need to make sure you cover everything. You need to properly tie it with the clips and pins and stuff. (MAN PRAYS IN ARABIC) I reckon it's a bit of a challenge for her, of course. And we're here to support her. Every time we pray, 'Hey, let's get together and pray together so she can learn as we go.' Pretty much everything we do, we make sure she's involved in it. So we do it as a family. (MAN CONTINUES PRAYING IN ARABIC) Because I've just started to learn slowly, so I'm just a beginner, basically, it's just taking me a little bit of time to get used to what they're doing. (TINKLING MUSIC) Sid and Humaira's wedding celebrations can now begin. Sid's brother and sister-in-law are helping him set the stage for an important event ` the meeting of both extended families. So, we're just getting on with the decorations. I'm setting up the hall, the seating plans and everything. The groom's here to help us as well, poor guy. Should have been sitting home resting. (LAUGHS) He's in the spirit of it. (LAUGHS) Groom usually should just relax, but, yeah, nah, it's good. Keeps your mind fresh for the night. Tonight is going to be a henna night, Indian tattoo, and so the bride and the groom, they're gonna get Indian henna done on them. It's sort of like an environment where everyone mingles in together, you know, and sort of work out the relationship. Humaira's family have struggled to accept their daughter is marrying into another religion. And today will be the first time her parents see her since the conversion. Converting, my parents thought that I would not be able to adapt. That was the biggest issue they had. (GASPS) Hi! Hi! Hello. Oh my gosh! (CHUCKLES) Look at you. (LAUGHS) Going to be bride. Looks nice. Thank you. You've been converted now? Already? Yes. Yeah. Was very short and simple. How you feel about the conversion? Is it...? You feel any difference? I don't feel anything different in... in what I was as a person or as a culture or anything like that. But it's a bit strange to have a new name. So, we are not going to call her the name they are calling now. But from our side, we will call Neekita. (CHUCKLES) Same as all my family's. We're calling her Neekita. We were thinking that when you were gonna convert, you will be very restricted. The way they talk to us and explain to us that we are not that strict, like others. So I was just... really happy. Then we knew that, oh, they are very good heart people. I'm very happy that you guys are part of this, so that's a big thing for me. Whichever religion you follow, at least you are happy. That's what we want. We parents are here, but you also got a second parents now. Respect them, treat them... ...as your parents. Yeah. ...as us. So you'll be happy and they'll be happy. So you'll have a happy life in this family too. (TINKLING MUSIC) Tonight's henna ceremony is common in both Muslim and Hindu weddings, so Sid's family is hoping Humaira's side will feel welcomed and that their culture is being honoured. She will be getting the henna done with her side of the family. And I will be getting the henna done from my side of the family. We're connecting a new family into our family, so that's lovely, beautiful. (UPBEAT STRING MUSIC) She's so nervous. She's shaking. People staring. (LAUGHTER) (MUSIC CONTINUES) For them to put henna on there, the family members have to come around and give them money to put it on. We are not supposed to talk to each other or anything like that, but there were times when I would just slightly have my eye on the corner to look at him. I got one of my friends to sit on my side just so she can distract me when I look on his side. (LAUGHS) The reason both families got along so nicely is cos they didn't feel left out from anything. One family, that's it. Just like unity. Both families have come far in their acceptance of Sid and Humaira's upcoming union. But the true test will come in the much more religious wedding ceremony tomorrow. I'm very excited. But apart from excited, I'm a bit... worrying from inside what my daughter will be going to. (LAUGHS) Leaving us. (LAUGHS) But it is a good match, yeah. It's good. It's her choice. So everything is good as gold. (LAUGHS) (TINKLING MUSIC) It's the morning of Sid and Humaira's Muslim marriage, and a big operation is underway to prepare the wedding feast. There was a lot of my family did a big part of the cooking side. My sister-in-law's side of the family. All my aunties were there, my uncles were there, and a few of my mates were there. These guys all just there to cook. Chicken curry, pumpkin curry, lamb curry. We just made a variety of vegetarian and meat, like, if someone doesn't wanna eat meat, they can still have veggies. Hindu weddings, sometimes their functions don't include meat, they eat completely vegetarian. But for us, it's all good ` as long as the meat is all halal. Whatever we eat has to be recited` prayer has to be recited before they are killed. Try it. Mmm! Mind-blowing. That's real Indian food. You should feel it on your lips and the end of your taste buds. Inside, an anxious groom is being outfitted with a hat from the holy land. This is my grandfather's hat. So this is the hat from Mecca. My great-grandfather used it, my grandfather used it, my dad used it, my brother used it. Now I'm using it. (MEN RECITE PRAYERS IN ARABIC) Just a bit nervous. It's about that time now. And I hate waiting. (CHUCKLES) Just like right now. That makes me more scared. I mean to say, more nervous. (ENGINE REVS, CAR HORN HONKS) As the groom speeds off to the wedding venue, a veil provides the finishing touch on Humaira's bridal dress. So, on the wedding day, I am excited, plus I am super, super nervous at that point. We were running a little bit late. That was really nerve-racking, like, 'OK, there's so many people sitting there and I'm late.' (UPBEAT MUSIC) (MEN CHANT) The minute I walked, that's when it hit me ` 'oh my God'. That's when I couldn't divert my mind, and yet that's when` I didn't freak out, but I was just, like, nervous. In a Muslim nikah wedding, the bride and groom are separated until after the entire ceremony has taken place. The boy and the girl is not allowed to see each other until she says, 'qubool hai', so instead of saying, 'Yeah, I do', they say 'qubool hai'. Till then, I'm not allowed to see her face. (SINGS IN ARABIC) When I was sitting in that small room, the most important thing for me was to see my parents be part of my big day, so I was really proud and really happy, and I was glad that they were there. The Hindu family must now prepare themselves for the bride's most important moment in a Muslim wedding ` her acceptance of the marriage in front of witnesses. I'm very nervous cos I don't know what's gonna happen next. But, um, I'm very excited. (PEOPLE CHATTER SOFTLY) Are the people here? Humaira, these witnesses, they're gonna be asking you questions. You'll just have to say yes. 'There was three men who came in.' At that very moment, I was very, very scared and very, very nervous, and so I was sitting there with my hands together and my feet joined together and I'm waiting for them. The bride is asked three times whether she agrees to marry the groom. Humaira Arya Begum, you are given Mohammed Abubakar Sidi in your nikah in front of these two witnesses. Do you accept Abubakar Sidi in your nikah? (SPEAKS ARABIC) Qubool hai. Humaira Arya Begum, you are given Mohammed Abubakar Sidi in your nikah. Do you accept Abubakar Sidi in your nikah? Qubool hai. Humaira Arya Begum, you are given Mohammed Abubakar Sidi in your nikah. Do you accept Mohammad Abubakar Sidi in your nikah? We're just sitting there, we're just sitting there, we're just sitting there, and I'm like, 'What are these guys doing?' They're not coming, man. They're not coming. And then all of a sudden they came in. (QUIRKY MUSIC) And then this is me. I went to the priest. I was like, 'Everything's all good?' And he goes, 'Yeah, cool.' I was like, 'Oh, nice, nice.' (BOTH SPEAK ARABIC) Having given his permission for the union, Humaira's father joins the witnesses as an ulama priest concludes the ceremony and blesses the marriage. (PEOPLE SPEAK IN ARABIC) The bride, who sits in the room, gives permission to the ulama. They have all come back and relayed the message of the bride, which the bride has accepted to be wife of Mohammad Abubakar Sidi. They've gone into nikah. They are very free husband and wife from tonight. Now officially married, the groom is led by his brother to collect his new wife. It's the first time the couple see each other on their wedding day. When I first saw her, when I was going to get her, she looked beautiful, honestly. Sid came out and I saw him. I was like, '(EXHALES) OK, he's looking very handsome today.' (LAUGHS) That was a really good moment. Ladies and gentlemen, here come Mr and Mrs Shahul Hameed. I will not proceed the programme until I see him holding his wife's hand. My hands were handed into his hand. It was just like, 'OK, whatever. We are married now, 'so there is nothing to worry about now. It's all over, and now I am officially his wife.' Yeah, it was exciting. Very exciting. That hand-holding from there was a bit nervous for me. You gotta walk together, and there's so many people looking at you. There's just everyone staring at you and you're like, 'OK! Am I supposed to look at them 'or am I supposed to look down, or what am I supposed to do?' So luckily I had my family siting just on that front side, and that kept me quite comfortable. Best bit was getting up on the stage. You know, you're sitting there on the stage, and this... this girl sitting right next to me. That's everything done now. After all this hardship that we had to go through, you know? It was so much relief. And you can proudly say, 'Mate, I'm married.' And no one can do anything about it. It's been a long road for a couple who first met at the racetrack. But after plenty of twists and turns, they've made it across the finish line. I'm really happy that this is over now. Finally we are together. (CHUCKLES) Well, going and getting her. Cos that's when I knew once I hold her hand, that's it, mate. Game over. I'm done. That was the first step to our journey to start now. Now we have taken that step, it's got nothing to do with family, it's got nothing to do with friends, it's got nothing to do with no one. It's about me and her. And let's hope and let's pray, you know, that one step can change into million and million, and we can just keep on going further ahead, you know? (BRIGHT PIANO MUSIC) Captions by Tracey Dawson. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2018