C4, ITVS invited to Asian weddings

Channel 4 in the UK has ordered a factual special on the larger-than-life world of UK Asian weddings.

Bindis, Bhajis and Brides (1×60’) is being produced by Shiver, the factual arm of ITV Studios UK, and follows Manchester-based Raj Somaiya and his team, who work for one of the country’s biggest and busiest wedding planners.

The show follows Somaiya as he puts on weddings with budgets of £1m (US$1.66m) that see grooms arriving on horseback or helicopter, banquets with 40 dishes or more and DJs and film stars being flown in from India.

C4 has previously aired reality show My Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, which followed the extravagant ceremonies organised by the UK’s gypsy community. It ran for two seasons and spawned a series of specials and a US version before being axed in 2013.