I do… at last!
Suffocate is one lucky guy. One minute he’s engaged to Puleng and about to pay lobola, the next he’s tying the knot with his babymama Niki.
IRhythm City Weekdays e.tv 18:30
t was clear from their first meeting back in 2012 that Niki and suffocate (Nolo phiri and Mduduzi Mabaso) had the hots for each other. But circumstances kept them apart – circumstances like the fact that suffo was meant to marry his ex-fiancée puleng (Tebogo Khalo). Fate intervened and suffo dropped puleng in June this year and now, on Tuesday 5 august, rhythm Citizens (pun intended!) gather to witness the blushing bride and her dashing groom exchange their “i do’s”.
“Niki is nervous and excited, but more importantly anxious to see the day follow through without drama,” says Nolo of her character worrying that puleng might ruin the big day. “Niki wants this badly, this life with the man she loves.” But the groom’s mind is definitely not with his beloved on their day. suffo loves his babymama Niki, but he’s still hooking up with his ex on the side. “During the wedding, he thinks about puleng and what she might be feeling, which makes him feel guilty. suffo still has feelings for puleng and there’s nothing he can do about it,” Mduduzi explains. sounds like the door’s open for some drama in this newlywed couple’s future…
Suffo uses his wedding day to catch up with his old buddy S’bu (now played by Pallance Dladla). Is it just us or does Suffo look a little nervous (on the right)
as he waits for his bride? Bash (Siphiwe Mtshali) is adorable walking his sister down the aisle. The ceremony was shot at a church in Orlando East, Soweto back in May. Dashing – the gents look all kinds of dapper in their suits that were bought at men’s boutique Bogart
in Rosebank, Joburg. You can’t miss the bows on the bridesmaids’ Ginny Nkomo
designed dresses. How precious is Niki’s flower girl? And don’t the bride and
her maid of honour Gail (Pam Andrews) look amazing?
They had to reshoot this scene over and over – it seems Mduduzi isn’t used to taking off a bride’s veil and making it look romantic.
The rings are from Top Jewellers in Eastgate in Joburg – the soap didn’t want to tell us the cost. And Suffo’s flashy Rolex
was rented from a crewmember’s friend. Contemplating your real wedding,
Nolo? The actress says that her character’s wedding has inspired her and that she’s “lucky enough to treat this wedding as my dress rehearsal”. With their characters happily married, both Mduduzi and Nolo say that they’ve learnt that a wedding’s not only for the two getting married, it’s also a time for family and friends to rejoice together. Cheeky best man S’bu sneaks a snap with the bride as the bridal party leaves the church.
The team sourced Niki’s heels in the Jozi CBD and added ribbon accessories for drama.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Mercedes Benz sponsored the wedding, but the retinue cars
were actually hired from Avis. David Genaro (Jamie Bartlett) hauled out his traditional Scottish kilt for the big event and looks every part the
gentleman alongside Gail.
The newlyweds enjoy their time on the dancefloor. Mduduzi had the cast and crew crying with laughter between takes
with his crazy improv dance moves. Pop it! The boys loved shooting this scene… mostly because it took three reshoots – and that meant three bottles of bubbly. Love is certainly in the air. Jafta and Rose (far left) and Mamokete and Kop (far right – Connie Chiume and Setlabi Tauyane) show the youngsters how it’s done. And who’s that with Caroline (Dieketseng
Mnisi) in the middle? Just an extra. Just because it’s a white wedding doesn’t mean that tradition falls away – the married women sweep the ground to pave a new pathway for the couple. Siphiwe is every bit the cast clown and kept his colleagues in stitches even between takes. So that’s where Suffo gets his sharp dress sense – his
uncle (Ernest Ndlovu) couldn’t be happier that his nephew’s getting married.
Father and daughter Jafta and Mampho (Sandile Dlamini and Itumeleng Bokaba) look dazzling, but where’s mama
Rose? Actress Elizabeth Serunye wasn’t available on the day of the wedding shoot.
It took the soap’s Head Of Wardrobe Sheli Nyathi and her team a month to put together
all the outfits for the day. Say what? Suffo’s just found out that his best man has disappeared with ex-flame Gail right before he’s meant to give his speech. The crew had to reshoot Mampho catching the bouquet a couple of times because
actress Itumeleng kept missing it.
Rhythm City brought in Naima Kay to perform her hit ballad Shayizandla for the reception. It turns out Nolo and Mduduzi are huge fans and they couldn’t help asking for photos with her after shooting their scenes. Designer Ginny Nkomo at Bling Couture used 5m of Duchess satin and 2m of beaded lace to make Niki’s reception dress.
Amogelang Chidi and Itumeleng are just as tight in real life as their characters Reneilwe and Mampho are onscreen. Their pretty dresses were sourced in Dubai by
the soap’s supplier Vero Odaro.
While their characters David and Lerato have no time for each other, there’s nothing but love between
Jamie and Samkelo Ndlovu. Mduduzi had a busy day with the wardrobe team. This is still his wedding suit and he had a reception suit that’s a bit more laidback – check it out in his dancing pic with his bride below. It looks like Siphiwe never stops laughing – here he’s sharing a laugh and joke with
co-stars Amogelang and Itumeleng. It’s party time – the newlyweds and their friends jam up a storm on the dancefloor. The show’s still deciding
on what to do with the bride’s dresses – giving them away to two
lucky viewers is one option…
What a mouth-watering display! Sadly the cake’s just a prop and comes from The Cake & Cookie Co. The cupcakes and other treats? Those are all real.
The art team pushed the winter weather back and used warm shades of yellow all over the reception set
at Sasani Studios in Jozi. Talk about eye catching – it’s
impossible to miss Sis Bee (Thembise Matu) in her House
Of Chaso-designed outfit. Of Niki’s reception dress, Rhythm City’s wardrobe head Sheli Nyathi says that “we wanted something that would make her feel sexy. It was about showing off her beautiful body [and tattoo] and assets even though
Niki’s preggers”. The set designers bought the flowers from Flower Centre
Florist and at the flower market in City Deep, Joburg. The set designers went all-out for the reception and it shows – look at how
pretty the tables look! The cast and crew were given strict instructions not to touch the cookies, cupcakes and other sweet treats – they were only
for the shoot. How mean! All the tableware
was strictly for decoration – you’ll notice that only the
groomsmen are drinking (naturally).