JOHANNESBURG — It has become hard to imagine a Sunday evening without Our Perfect Wedding.
Some five years ago, the TV landscape was dominated by news actuality programmes such as Carte Blanche or Asikhulume. Enter Our Perfect Wedding and life changed.
The premise of the Mzansi Magic docu-reality show is simple, yet a winning formula. Cameras follow brides-to-be and their grooms as they prepare for their big day.
The dress, decor, drama and the disappointment… the step dance, the kiss and wardrobe malfunctions are always hot trending topics, not forgetting the menu and the minefield that is South Africa’s diverse cultural practices.
Then there is the presenter, an important cog in the machine who comes under a lot of fire or praise under the microscopic critical eye of the viewer, be it for their wardrobe, how they speak or their demeanour towards the bridal couple.
Yesterday, the show celebrated its 200th episode, after a successful seven seasons.
While it has had an exhilarating ride, it has also earned some detractors who believe that it seeks to exploit our weakness and even caricature weddings as it zooms into the mishaps more than the perfect weddings that go on smoothly.
In reality, the show gets more attention when things go south, like a lopsided cake or a groom sticking his whole tongue into the bride’s mouth, or even the aunt who lacks timing and says the “darndest” things in her speech.
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It’s as if the audience wait with bated breath for a misstep or misfortune to befall the couple and the ratings spike.
Reflecting on the milestone, Reneilwe Sema, director local entertainment channels at M-Net said: “Our Perfect Wedding has exceeded our expectations. This milestone highlights that we have pushed the boundaries to create content that remains true to the essence of entertainment while celebrating love.
“It has grown from strength to strength with our audiences, giving a new meaning to Sunday night viewing and starting conversations that become Monday morning discussions across the country.”
Our Perfect Wedding has become a South African staple and it’s a matter of time before it’s exported to the rest of the world.—Sowetan
