Latest news with #brides
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
South Asian women might be the winners of the gold rush
Every piece of gold that Farzana Ghani owns holds a memory. She has intricate jewelry sets from her mother-in-law from her wedding in Pakistan; a gold chain gifted from her mother after she performed the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage; and gold coins to celebrate her daughter's birth. And she will keep investing in gold, as prices for the metal reach record highs. 'Compared to bonds and compared to holding cash, I would still prefer to buy gold coins,' Ghani, 56, of Miami, Florida, said. Brides in South Asia are famously decked out in the precious metal – necklaces, earrings, nose rings, hair pieces and amulets – that can be gifted or inherited. The collection often starts before they're even born, composed of inherited pieces and gifts to commemorate their birth, life milestones and religious holidays. Gold has been known as the most reliable safe haven asset for millennia, but it is more than an investment for South Asian families. The tradition of daughters inheriting their mothers' gold spans across urban and rural India, regardless of socioeconomic class. It is deeply sewn into the fabric of the region's culture, often quite literally, as many women inherit saris that are intricately embroidered with gold thread. They revere gold pieces as precious family heirlooms rather than a quick cash turnaround — and for women, it can be one of the few assets that belong solely to them. Gold prices have skyrocketed 26% this year, after rising 27% in 2024. The metal hit a record high above $3,500 a troy ounce in April, spurred by US President Donald Trump's chaotic tariff agenda and his attacks on the Federal Reserve's leader. And the South Asian women who long invested most of their assets into gold are winning in this rally. 'Whatever I have, it's all gold,' one South Asian mother described to her viewers on TikTok, showing off a 24-carat necklace she received 28 years ago. 'When I bought this (necklace) right, those days, golds were very cheap. One gram was $12. Now it's $100.' India was the second-largest market for gold jewelry in the world in 2023, only falling behind China, according to leading industry group World Gold Council. In 2021, India bought a whopping 611 tonnes of gold jewelry; in comparison, the next-biggest region, the Middle East, bought 241 tonnes. Demand in India is driven by jewelry: The country has an expected 11 million to 13 million weddings a year, with bridal jewelry enjoying more than 50% of the gold market share, accordingly. South Asians make up approximately 10% of UK gold supplier Solomon Global's client base, and it had seen an uptick in the last year in women of South Asian origin buying gold, according to the company. 'Jewelry is something that has an auspicious place in people's lives, it can be very consumer oriented, but it is also a very good mechanism for saving and passing wealth from generation to generation,' Joseph Cavatoni, senior market strategist for the Americas at the World Gold Council, told CNN. People in India don't view gold as a splurge according to Sachin Jain, India CEO of the World Gold Council. Instead, gold pieces are viewed as family assets that will only appreciate in value. Gold jewelry also serves as a physical form of financial protection in a region where millions of people — particularly women — may not have access to bank accounts or other forms of organized investing. In India, less than 50% of women manage their finances independently, according to a March survey from YouGov. Ghani grew up with that mindset. In Pakistan, her mother told her to set aside any pocket money and, once it's accumulated, buy 24-karat gold coins. 'We Eastern women are always known for having money on rainy days. We don't live for today and then forget about tomorrow,' Ghani said. But in 2025, it's not just South Asian brides who are relying on gold investments. Trump's trade war has thrown the global trade status quo into disarray, and investors are looking to move their assets from more volatile paper currency. Gold posted its strongest quarterly return since 1986 during the first quarter of 2025, with demand for safe havens spilling into other metals like silver and platinum. 'Gold is a bastion of safety and value,' Joshua Barone, a wealth manager at investment firm Savvy Advisors, told CNN. Even with the occasional dip, the price of gold per troy ounce has soared more than 1,900% over the past 50 years, according to BullionByPost, the largest online gold dealer in the UK. Silver has risen 697% over the same time period. Central banks in India and China have been buying bullion to boost their reserves. The Reserve Bank of India has increased its gold holdings by 35% in the last five years, according to Solomon Global. South Asians have long been storing gold in their own homes. Conservative estimates say that 25,000 tons or more of gold are sitting in homes in India, Jain said. But South Asians are not interested in selling off their gold just yet. Indians are holding on to their gold even with high prices, Jain said, despite the trend of increased sales when prices were relatively high historically. 'The Western markets tend to want to hold gold when things are really scary, market risk and uncertainty. But (South Asian) families, these generations, have held gold for a long time, because they see that gold grows with economic expansion and it links to the GDP,' Cavatoni said. Instead, Jain noted that in the past year, Indian consumers are coming back into stores and converting their old jewelry into more contemporary designs. Young people still see the value in holding on to gold – but they want pieces they can wear every day rather than gigantic bridal sets that are sitting in bank lockers. 'I think the younger consumer wants to own, fall in love and use those pieces, make them part of their life,' Jain said. When Ghani's daughter was getting married last December in Miami, she converted many of her gold coins and old jewelry sets into a modern collection for the bride, one that she can keep and pass on to her own children in the future. Other gold coins were set aside for Ghani's son. 'She wanted to wear artificial (jewelry),' Ghani sighed. 'But gold is the most decent, the most elegant. I told her, 'Do not wear anything else.'' CNN's John Towfighi contributed to this report.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
South Asian women might be the winners of the gold rush
Every piece of gold that Farzana Ghani owns holds a memory. She has intricate jewelry sets from her mother-in-law from her wedding in Pakistan; a gold chain gifted from her mother after she performed the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage; and gold coins to celebrate her daughter's birth. And she will keep investing in gold, as prices for the metal reach record highs. 'Compared to bonds and compared to holding cash, I would still prefer to buy gold coins,' Ghani, 56, of Miami, Florida, said. Brides in South Asia are famously decked out in the precious metal – necklaces, earrings, nose rings, hair pieces and amulets – that can be gifted or inherited. The collection often starts before they're even born, composed of inherited pieces and gifts to commemorate their birth, life milestones and religious holidays. Gold has been known as the most reliable safe haven asset for millennia, but it is more than an investment for South Asian families. The tradition of daughters inheriting their mothers' gold spans across urban and rural India, regardless of socioeconomic class. It is deeply sewn into the fabric of the region's culture, often quite literally, as many women inherit saris that are intricately embroidered with gold thread. They revere gold pieces as precious family heirlooms rather than a quick cash turnaround — and for women, it can be one of the few assets that belong solely to them. Gold prices have skyrocketed 26% this year, after rising 27% in 2024. The metal hit a record high above $3,500 a troy ounce in April, spurred by US President Donald Trump's chaotic tariff agenda and his attacks on the Federal Reserve's leader. And the South Asian women who long invested most of their assets into gold are winning in this rally. 'Whatever I have, it's all gold,' one South Asian mother described to her viewers on TikTok, showing off a 24-carat necklace she received 28 years ago. 'When I bought this (necklace) right, those days, golds were very cheap. One gram was $12. Now it's $100.' India was the second-largest market for gold jewelry in the world in 2023, only falling behind China, according to leading industry group World Gold Council. In 2021, India bought a whopping 611 tonnes of gold jewelry; in comparison, the next-biggest region, the Middle East, bought 241 tonnes. Demand in India is driven by jewelry: The country has an expected 11 million to 13 million weddings a year, with bridal jewelry enjoying more than 50% of the gold market share, accordingly. South Asians make up approximately 10% of UK gold supplier Solomon Global's client base, and it had seen an uptick in the last year in women of South Asian origin buying gold, according to the company. 'Jewelry is something that has an auspicious place in people's lives, it can be very consumer oriented, but it is also a very good mechanism for saving and passing wealth from generation to generation,' Joseph Cavatoni, senior market strategist for the Americas at the World Gold Council, told CNN. People in India don't view gold as a splurge according to Sachin Jain, India CEO of the World Gold Council. Instead, gold pieces are viewed as family assets that will only appreciate in value. Gold jewelry also serves as a physical form of financial protection in a region where millions of people — particularly women — may not have access to bank accounts or other forms of organized investing. In India, less than 50% of women manage their finances independently, according to a March survey from YouGov. Ghani grew up with that mindset. In Pakistan, her mother told her to set aside any pocket money and, once it's accumulated, buy 24-karat gold coins. 'We Eastern women are always known for having money on rainy days. We don't live for today and then forget about tomorrow,' Ghani said. But in 2025, it's not just South Asian brides who are relying on gold investments. Trump's trade war has thrown the global trade status quo into disarray, and investors are looking to move their assets from more volatile paper currency. Gold posted its strongest quarterly return since 1986 during the first quarter of 2025, with demand for safe havens spilling into other metals like silver and platinum. 'Gold is a bastion of safety and value,' Joshua Barone, a wealth manager at investment firm Savvy Advisors, told CNN. Even with the occasional dip, the price of gold per troy ounce has soared more than 1,900% over the past 50 years, according to BullionByPost, the largest online gold dealer in the UK. Silver has risen 697% over the same time period. Central banks in India and China have been buying bullion to boost their reserves. The Reserve Bank of India has increased its gold holdings by 35% in the last five years, according to Solomon Global. South Asians have long been storing gold in their own homes. Conservative estimates say that 25,000 tons or more of gold are sitting in homes in India, Jain said. But South Asians are not interested in selling off their gold just yet. Indians are holding on to their gold even with high prices, Jain said, despite the trend of increased sales when prices were relatively high historically. 'The Western markets tend to want to hold gold when things are really scary, market risk and uncertainty. But (South Asian) families, these generations, have held gold for a long time, because they see that gold grows with economic expansion and it links to the GDP,' Cavatoni said. Instead, Jain noted that in the past year, Indian consumers are coming back into stores and converting their old jewelry into more contemporary designs. Young people still see the value in holding on to gold – but they want pieces they can wear every day rather than gigantic bridal sets that are sitting in bank lockers. 'I think the younger consumer wants to own, fall in love and use those pieces, make them part of their life,' Jain said. When Ghani's daughter was getting married last December in Miami, she converted many of her gold coins and old jewelry sets into a modern collection for the bride, one that she can keep and pass on to her own children in the future. Other gold coins were set aside for Ghani's son. 'She wanted to wear artificial (jewelry),' Ghani sighed. 'But gold is the most decent, the most elegant. I told her, 'Do not wear anything else.'' CNN's John Towfighi contributed to this report.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
South Asian women might be the winners of the gold rush
Every piece of gold that Farzana Ghani owns holds a memory. She has intricate jewelry sets from her mother-in-law from her wedding in Pakistan; a gold chain gifted from her mother after she performed the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage; and gold coins to celebrate her daughter's birth. And she will keep investing in gold, as prices for the metal reach record highs. 'Compared to bonds and compared to holding cash, I would still prefer to buy gold coins,' Ghani, 56, of Miami, Florida, said. Brides in South Asia are famously decked out in the precious metal – necklaces, earrings, nose rings, hair pieces and amulets – that can be gifted or inherited. The collection often starts before they're even born, composed of inherited pieces and gifts to commemorate their birth, life milestones and religious holidays. Gold has been known as the most reliable safe haven asset for millennia, but it is more than an investment for South Asian families. The tradition of daughters inheriting their mothers' gold spans across urban and rural India, regardless of socioeconomic class. It is deeply sewn into the fabric of the region's culture, often quite literally, as many women inherit saris that are intricately embroidered with gold thread. They revere gold pieces as precious family heirlooms rather than a quick cash turnaround — and for women, it can be one of the few assets that belong solely to them. Gold prices have skyrocketed 26% this year, after rising 27% in 2024. The metal hit a record high above $3,500 a troy ounce in April, spurred by US President Donald Trump's chaotic tariff agenda and his attacks on the Federal Reserve's leader. And the South Asian women who long invested most of their assets into gold are winning in this rally. 'Whatever I have, it's all gold,' one South Asian mother described to her viewers on TikTok, showing off a 24-carat necklace she received 28 years ago. 'When I bought this (necklace) right, those days, golds were very cheap. One gram was $12. Now it's $100.' India was the second-largest market for gold jewelry in the world in 2023, only falling behind China, according to leading industry group World Gold Council. In 2021, India bought a whopping 611 tonnes of gold jewelry; in comparison, the next-biggest region, the Middle East, bought 241 tonnes. Demand in India is driven by jewelry: The country has an expected 11 million to 13 million weddings a year, with bridal jewelry enjoying more than 50% of the gold market share, accordingly. South Asians make up approximately 10% of UK gold supplier Solomon Global's client base, and it had seen an uptick in the last year in women of South Asian origin buying gold, according to the company. 'Jewelry is something that has an auspicious place in people's lives, it can be very consumer oriented, but it is also a very good mechanism for saving and passing wealth from generation to generation,' Joseph Cavatoni, senior market strategist for the Americas at the World Gold Council, told CNN. People in India don't view gold as a splurge according to Sachin Jain, India CEO of the World Gold Council. Instead, gold pieces are viewed as family assets that will only appreciate in value. Gold jewelry also serves as a physical form of financial protection in a region where millions of people — particularly women — may not have access to bank accounts or other forms of organized investing. In India, less than 50% of women manage their finances independently, according to a March survey from YouGov. Ghani grew up with that mindset. In Pakistan, her mother told her to set aside any pocket money and, once it's accumulated, buy 24-karat gold coins. 'We Eastern women are always known for having money on rainy days. We don't live for today and then forget about tomorrow,' Ghani said. But in 2025, it's not just South Asian brides who are relying on gold investments. Trump's trade war has thrown the global trade status quo into disarray, and investors are looking to move their assets from more volatile paper currency. Gold posted its strongest quarterly return since 1986 during the first quarter of 2025, with demand for safe havens spilling into other metals like silver and platinum. 'Gold is a bastion of safety and value,' Joshua Barone, a wealth manager at investment firm Savvy Advisors, told CNN. Even with the occasional dip, the price of gold per troy ounce has soared more than 1,900% over the past 50 years, according to BullionByPost, the largest online gold dealer in the UK. Silver has risen 697% over the same time period. Central banks in India and China have been buying bullion to boost their reserves. The Reserve Bank of India has increased its gold holdings by 35% in the last five years, according to Solomon Global. South Asians have long been storing gold in their own homes. Conservative estimates say that 25,000 tons or more of gold are sitting in homes in India, Jain said. But South Asians are not interested in selling off their gold just yet. Indians are holding on to their gold even with high prices, Jain said, despite the trend of increased sales when prices were relatively high historically. 'The Western markets tend to want to hold gold when things are really scary, market risk and uncertainty. But (South Asian) families, these generations, have held gold for a long time, because they see that gold grows with economic expansion and it links to the GDP,' Cavatoni said. Instead, Jain noted that in the past year, Indian consumers are coming back into stores and converting their old jewelry into more contemporary designs. Young people still see the value in holding on to gold – but they want pieces they can wear every day rather than gigantic bridal sets that are sitting in bank lockers. 'I think the younger consumer wants to own, fall in love and use those pieces, make them part of their life,' Jain said. When Ghani's daughter was getting married last December in Miami, she converted many of her gold coins and old jewelry sets into a modern collection for the bride, one that she can keep and pass on to her own children in the future. Other gold coins were set aside for Ghani's son. 'She wanted to wear artificial (jewelry),' Ghani sighed. 'But gold is the most decent, the most elegant. I told her, 'Do not wear anything else.'' CNN's John Towfighi contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Where are Don't Tell The Bride's car crash couples now? From fleeing the country after wedding from hell to shock affair that tore couple apart, how Channel 4 show was the kiss of death for its stars' romances
Even in today's current saturated reality television landscape, Don't Tell The Bride remains one of the most chaotic examples of the genre. The programme, which aired for nearly 15 years from 2007 to 2020, saw grooms take over the entire wedding planning process - with no input from the bride. Some men genuinely did their best with the budget of up to £14,000, organising nuptials that left something to be desired but putting in the thought that counts. But others seemed to use it as an excuse to put the final nail in the coffin of a relationship that was perhaps already on the rocks. Their efforts were so disastrous, unromantic and sometimes downright mean, it caused on carnage on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. And the impact on these relationships was just as insane - triggering everything from affairs, to jilting at the altar, to even going on the run. The show - which first aired on BBC Three, then moving to BBC One and Sky before hitting Channel 4 spin-off channel E4 in 2017 - was axed in 2023. Despite a 'bloodbath' of programme cuts at Channel 4 at the time, a spokesperson then said: 'The decision to rest Don't Tell the Bride was not a financial one, we often take the decision to pause programmes for many different reasons. 'The show was last broadcast in 2020 but there's every chance our DTTB brides and grooms will walk down the aisle again in future.' But fans are yet to see any kind of return of the show to our screens, having to content themselves with the regular reruns of the famously teary programme. A drama-filled rewatch may well have them wondering: where are the couples now? And did their car crash weddings make them question 'until death do us part'? Bianca John and Adam Ledner Bianca John, from Pontypool, Monmouthshire, married Adam Ledner on the reality show in April 2016. She was just 21 when she met her then-fiance on the dating app Tinder in 2014. The Welshwoman had already planned to go travelling in Australia and south east Asia for ten months and Adam joined her en route a couple of months into her trip. Swept up in excitement of their extended holiday, life seemed blissful and he proposed in Thailand, spelling out the words, 'Marry me?' in rose petals. Their relationship kept moving fast after this too, as she was four months pregnant when they returned to the UK. And only four months later, they signed up for Don't Tell the Bride, intrigued by the opportunity to do something they would never forget. But it did not turn out to be quite the day she had dreamt of. Her main complaint was that despite having thousands for a budget, her fiance seemed to spare every expense. Adam opted for a £12.99 ring, a tacky £140 lace wedding dress she dubbed a 'cheap piece of tat' and £10 see-through frocks for the bridesmaids. The reception took place in a warehouse filled with sand, in a nod to their unfolding romance on sun-soaked Thai beaches. Meanwhile, the ceremony unfolded on a plane circling Bristol, in tribute to their long-haul flight to the other side of the world. The ceremony (pictured) unfolded on a plane circling Bristol, in tribute to their long-haul flight to the other side of the world Incredibly, the location was a lucky escape, as the hapless groom had considered holding the reception in a disused prison, due to his former job as a prison officer. Recalling her disastrous day, Bianca has since said: 'I was most upset about his lack of thought.' She remembered having to wear a short dress with a plunging neckline while heavily pregnant - she gave birth to their son Brock just two months after the wedding. Bianca explained: 'When you're a month away from giving birth, you feel self-conscious and I don't think Adam considered that when he picked my dress, or thought about how I'd feel, with my swollen feet crammed into cheap plastic shoes, getting married on a plane.' Laughing drily, she added: 'The aisle wasn't wide enough for Dad to walk down with me and he was stranded at the back of the plane wondering what was going on. 'We didn't take any vows. It was quite bizarre. We had to get married two days later at Pontypool Register Office. Very classy.' The bride had hoped their wedding was just a false start, before a life of happy families - but it did not turn out that way. In 2018, she revealed she had uncovered Adam had been embroiled in a five-month affair behind her back - which eventually saw the couple divorce. It all unravelled when in September 2017 - just 18 months after they got married -Adam was rushed to hospital after falling unconscious. It later turned out Adam, who had just taken part in a bodybuilding contest, was suffering from rhabdomyolysis, the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of muscle fibres into the bloodstream. The rare condition – often occurring in endurance athletes – can be life-threatening. But he had barely been admitted to intensive care when Bianca inadvertently stumbled on evidence on his phone that he had been having an affair for five months. Recalling the moment in 2022, she said: 'I wanted him to be well – I wouldn't wish ill-health on anyone, especially my son's dad – but I was upset, and I wanted him to explain himself. 'I never had any desire for vengeance but I also knew he was never coming back into my life.' Bianca was glad to hear he was alright when he came out of the coma two days later - but it was most certainly the end of their marriage. Released from hospital, he knocked on the door of their home: 'I said, "I've got nothing to say to you. I don't want to know any of the sordid details. I've seen enough." 'And Adam still had the nerve to ask, "Can I stay tonight?" 'I told him he couldn't. And that was it. He went. Then I threw my cheap wedding ring into the garden.' Although they now lead entirely separate lives, Bianca and Adam remain friends for their son's sake. Adam said in 2022: 'About a year into my marriage to Bianca, I had an affair which lasted four or five months. I make no excuses for it. 'It had stopped, by pure coincidence, just before Bianca found out about it and after that, I never saw the woman again. 'Now I'm super happy with someone I met three years ago. Bianca is happy too and gets on well with my partner. 'She's a brilliant mum and Brock is the happiest little boy. 'I'll always love Bianca – she's the mother of my son – but lessons have been learnt. I was very immature when I married her and I wouldn't behave like that again. Bianca said in 2022, she still hopes for the fairytale wedding she always wanted: 'But next time I'll be organising every aspect of the big day myself'. Pictured: Her wedding to Adam 'But am I glad we got together? Of course. I couldn't regret it because we have our wonderful son.' And as for Bianca, she said, in 2022, she still hopes for the fairytale wedding she always wanted: 'But next time I'll be organising every aspect of the big day myself.' Sofia and Craig One couple, who appeared on the reality show in 2018, had a wedding so bad they did not even make their marriage legally official. In a series first, Sofia and Craig, from Luton, who had been together for eight years, had nuptials so bad it made them back away from marriage entirely. The bride, who also already shared two children with her partner, had said ahead of the big day: 'If Craig doesn't know me by now, it's probably warning signs.' She told viewers had been hoping for a 'boho beach wedding', warning: 'If he gets things wrong and I don't like anything, I actually won't go.' But the groom chose an Oktoberfest-themed wedding, hosted in a brewery - despite the fact the bride did not like beer. He also planned a brewery tour in their hometown for her hen do - while he and his pals jetted off to Prague for his stag. Craig told the cameras he had been inspired by his 'old party lifestyle' - 'getting everyone together for loads of drinking and a crazy wild party'. Sofia was left fuming at her 'c****y' hen and the Bavarian-style dresses he had chosen for her bridesmaids. To her horror, she then discovered he had chosen a similar gown for her - which she then ditched entirely in favour of a floral frock. The upset bride told her sister she would not get married if he did not solve the problem. It saw him complain: 'This is so little brat, hasn't got her own way.' Once Sofia arrived at the venue, she had to be persuaded to go inside. And Craig had to spend an hour talking her into saying her vows, after she insisted he had made her look stupid. She seethed: 'I don't want to marry someone that nasty. There's no point in letting him make a fool of me. 'I'm done, I don't think there's any chance of salvaging it. I've given him so many chances.' The whole debacle saw her refuse to register their marriage - the legal process all couples who on the programme must go through after filming to make it official. And a statement flashed up at the end of the couple's episode confirming the pair's intentions to back out of marriage completely. At the end of the show, E4 stated: 'At the time of making this programme, Craig and Sofia had decided not to make their wedding legal and were working together on their relationship.' Craig, who apologised profusely to his bride and her family, said: 'I don't know why she thought it was a good idea giving me control. 'This was a bad idea, a very bad idea.' He gave a speech at the wedding reflecting this sentiment further too: 'I know it hasn't turned out great and I'm sorry about that. 'But I honestly tried my best and I know this wasn't what you really wanted but I hope we can just move on from this.' Craig had to spend an hour talking her into saying her vows, after she insisted he had made her look stupid In an interview in 2021, which saw the couple review the footage of their wedding, Craig described the ceremony as 'very awkward'. At one point, the officiant asked them to feed each other honey to mark the 'sweetness' of married lives life - which Sofia quickly smeared on Craig's face. She insisted it was a joke in the moment but he later said: 'At the time, I was really angry. It was literally a slap around the face, wasn't it? 'But I can understand why she did it.' Sofia said in the later interview Craig did not react too badly when she said she did not want to sign the marriage certificate: 'I think he understood. 'I wasn't in a place where I was trusting him completely.' But despite Channel 4's insistence at the time they were working on their relationship, the pair have since broken up. She said: 'Just after the wedding, once it was all done, I think it really set in for both of us what kind of relationship issues the wedding stuff could have caused.' Despite Channel 4's insistence at the time they were working on their relationship, the pair (pictured on the show) have since broken up But the split seemed to take Craig more by surprise: 'I didn't think our relationship would end. I thought, "Tomorrow, I'm going to be in trouble".' Sofia finished: 'I'm fine now, I can just see it as something we did, something a bit crazy and silly that could have gone better but what's done is done.' Simon and Kaleigh Candlish Simon and Kaleigh's wedding in 2010 has long been branded one of the most upsetting in the show's 14 series. The groom, along with his best man Anthony, left Kaleigh raging and sobbing after blowing the bulk of the budget on a ceremony in Las Vegas. After a six-year relationship with Simon, she had wanted to take things to the next level with an idyllic country wedding in an English manor house. But instead, her fiance spent much of the time he was supposed to be wedding planning spending the budget on enjoying himself in Sin City. In fact, he and Anthony gambled to such an extent, Simon only had enough money to fly six people out to the ceremony - with many close relatives left behind. Kaleigh was left in tears when she found out at the airport she would be heading to Vegas for her nuptials. Simon and Kaleigh's wedding (pictured) in 2010 has long been branded one of the most upsetting in the show's 14 series The groom (pictured in 2022), along with his best man Anthony, left Kaleigh raging and sobbing after blowing the bulk of the budget on a ceremony in Las Vegas The bride was also extremely upset important guests like her brother and one of her bridesmaids would not be coming. She accused her fiance of destroying her family, which rightly chastened him, with the groom later admitting he hated himself for losing her relatives' respect. It came after an already weepy excursion to get fitted for Simon's choice of a ridiculously puffy wedding dress. Kaleigh had said during the appointment: 'What the hell's he thinking? It's just a joke.' And it left Kaleigh's mother buying her a replacement with her own money to try to cheer her daughter up for the big day. At one point, the bride was not even sure she wanted to attend the ceremony or marry Simon, hesitating on going ahead with the plans. But she eventually did - and it all soon ended in even more disaster. The pair ended their relationship only nine months after saying 'I do', when Simon got a job abroad just after they returned to the UK from Vegas. The pair ended their relationship only nine months after saying 'I do', when Simon (pictured on the show) got a job abroad just after they returned to the UK from Vegas While Simon was keen to seek out far-flung climes, Kaleigh was determined to stay in the UK - and it marked the end of their marriage, with the divorce finalised in 2020. Simon has since explained the thinking behind his wedding planning, in an interview in 2022 revisiting the couple's experience. He explained: 'I just wanted to get the best of both worlds, the country wedding she wanted but in Vegas.' Of the immediate aftermath of the wedding, he added: 'I was getting messages on Facebook from people, some of them really awful. '"You're a loser", "You're an arrogant c***", "What you did was absolutely unforgivable", "I hope you fail at life". 'It was crazy and all these people are commenting about your life and the decisions you made and I stopped looking at things because it did upset me, it upset Kaleigh.' Simon continued: 'Unfortunately, Kayleigh made the decision that she didn't want to continue to travel. 'She wanted to set up a life at home. That did come as a big shock for me and I decided to end the relationship.' Kaleigh has said she has since moved on completely - while her ex-husband continues to enjoy Vegas getaways and antics with his best man Anthony. Yanis Wilkinson Teece and Shanise Frame Yanis Wilkinson Teece and Shanise Frame, from Birmingham, were hit with a whole array of obstacles throughout their marriage process on the show in 2019. First of all, the couple - only 23 and 19 respectively on their big day - were told by producers their nuptials were completely off, in a DTTB first. It came after programme bosses discovered the bride had snooped through her fiance's emails to find out his plans - a breach of the show's secretive rules. And despite planning to spend the rest of their lives together when the show filmed, the couple then also split just months later, according to BirminghamLive. Despite a spokesperson for the show confirming they had split up, Yanis said 'no comment' when addressing the rumours. Revealing the experience had left him 'stronger and wiser', he said: 'It's been a bizarre time, I've had a mixture of emotions in the aftermath of the programme.' The then-23-year-old had been with Shanise for two-and-a-half years before he proposed - first in the bath, then again in front of their families on Christmas Day. Yanis planned to wed his bride in Paris before flying back to Birmingham for the reception at his local takeaway. But in a similar dilemma to Simon and Kaleigh, he soon found the budget only stretched to pay for 13 guests to travel to the ceremony. In a very ill-advised decision, the groom decided Shanise's ten-year-old brother Chris was not a priority guest and would only attend the reception. But Yanis then appeared to have a very sudden change of heart - leading the producers to become suspicious. It was when bridesmaid Melissa was told she would no longer would be attending that the game was then up. Melissa let slip that she knew the flights were booked to Paris - when they were supposed to have no idea where the plane was going. It led the producers to conclude Yanis and Shanise had been communicating via email. The bridesmaids later visited Yanis's house for what they thought was their dress fitting. First of all, the couple (pictured) - only 23 and 19 respectively on their big day - were told by producers their nuptials were completely off, in a DTTB first But in a particularly cruel stunt, they were stopped by producers mid-way through their chat. They confronted the groom and told him they would have to cancel the entire wedding for the first time in the show's history - as their 'secret was out'. After asking Yanis how the pair were communicating, he confessed: 'Shanise got access to my iPad with my emails in there. 'So technically the bride wasn't told, she found out through email.' After storming off into the kitchen Yanis gathered himself and told Shanise the bad news on the phone, saying: 'It's not not going ahead.' Shanise, in disbelief, asked: 'What the hell - what happens now? I need to know - is there a wedding or not?' She was then left in tears after producers confirmed 'I know this is difficult but the rules have been broken and we are going to have to cancel this wedding.' A week later, the couple reflected on their time on the show and confessed they were 'heartbroken' and had found it hard to 'cope' with the aftermath of breaking the rules. But things had not been looking rosy right from the outset of the show, when Shanise had admitted she was controlling: 'I do wear the trousers in the house. 'I give him what he can cope with, then I do the rest. 'I always try to keep a record of what Yanis is doing and his whereabouts. 'I feel my anxiety is going to go through the rooftops not knowing what Yanis is up to.'
Malay Mail
07-07-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Weddings down, splits up: Singapore marriages fall 7pc in 2024, divorce numbers climb
SINGAPORE, July 7 — Fewer couples got married while more chose to part ways in Singapore last year, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) latest family trends report released today. Channel News Asia reported that a total of 26,328 marriages were registered in 2024, down 7 per cent from 28,310 in 2023. Civil marriages saw the biggest decline, with a sharper drop among those aged 25 to 34 — the age group that traditionally makes up the bulk of newlyweds. Among brides aged 25 to 34, 15,213 got married in 2024, compared to 16,707 the year before — a fall of 8.9 per cent. For grooms in the same age group, numbers dipped 9 per cent, from 14,956 in 2023 to 13,615 last year. Muslim marriages also declined slightly to 5,184 in 2024, from 5,396 in the previous year. This was largely attributed to fewer marriages involving grooms aged 30 to 34 and 45 and older, and brides in their 30s and early 40s. One factor contributing to the slowdown in marriages is the rising age of first-time brides and grooms. Over the past decade, the median age at first marriage rose from 30.2 to 31.1 for grooms and from 28.2 to 29.6 for brides. At the same time, the number of marriages ending in divorce or annulment increased by 3.7 per cent — from 7,118 cases in 2023 to 7,382 in 2024. The median age at divorce has also crept upwards. In 2024, male divorcees were on average 44.4 years old, up from 42.6 in 2014. Female divorcees had a median age of 40.9, compared to 38.4 a decade ago. The typical duration of marriage before divorce rose to 11.1 years, from 10.4 years in 2014. Most divorces — about 29 per cent — occurred among couples married for five to nine years. Yet despite the uptick, the data suggests that newer marriage cohorts are more stable. Among couples who married between 2006 and 2013, the likelihood of divorcing before their 10th anniversary has fallen. For example, 14.4 per cent of couples married in 2013 had split within 10 years, compared to 17 per cent for those who married in 2005. "This signifies greater marriage stability among recent cohorts of married couples," the MSF noted. It added that the "most significant improvement was seen in the fall in dissolution rates for Muslim marriages," even though divorce rates for Muslim marriages remain higher than those for civil marriages. 'The gap has narrowed significantly for more recent marriage cohorts,' the ministry said. The trend of delayed family formation continues beyond marriage. The median age of first-time fathers rose to 33.6 years in 2024, up from 32.9 in 2014. For mothers, the median age climbed from 30.4 to 31.9. Singapore's total fertility rate remained at a record low of 0.97 in 2024, marking the second year in a row that it stayed below 1.0. The family trends report also noted that more fathers are taking paternity leave, with 56 per cent of those with children born in 2023 doing so — up from 53 per cent the year before. Maternity leave take-up remains high, at 74 per cent.
