Twice as nice
He’s Catholic, she’s Hindu. Solution: two weddings, writes Thembalethu Zulu
THIS day almost didn’t come. Once upon a time, a certain Paul Carragher asked the lovely Sandhya Bhana out for drinks. This after subliminally wooing the money-market specialist over e-mail under the guise of work (Paul was an auditor in his previous life; he’s now an insurance company MD).
But come the appointed evening, Paul cancelled. Luckily, he begged for forgiveness — even bringing cupcakes. Two-and-ahalf years later, the couple tied the knot — three times to be exact — as is customary for Hindi couples.
The lovebirds were so keen on each other, they got the blessing of both their faiths. First came a Catholic ceremony performed by Father Michael Bryan Fitzpatrick at the Bryanston Catholic Church. Then they doubled-down two weeks later with a radiant Hindu wedding ceremony at the Oyster Box Hotel in Durban, Sandhya’s hometown.
“Sandhya is everything I was looking for in a wife,” gushes the groom. “She is dropdead gorgeous, caring and knows how to have fun. Tequila is one of her favourite drinks!” On the day, she proved it.
Following tradition, Sandhya fasted the whole of her wedding day — drinking pints of water to fill the gap. It all came to a head in the middle of the speeches: the bride had to declare a state of emergency when her bladder could no longer hold.
Hailing from Johannesburg, Paul is the son of Linda and Michael, also an accountant. Sandhya’s parents, Mansook and Sheela, are parents to three daughters — she was the second to be given away.
The day was a delicious masala of love, laughter and cultural exchange — with the best individual example being an IndianScottish guest in a kilt.