Arabian Nights Marrying Mum and Dad

This is Marrying Mum and Dad.

Where you get to organise your parents' wedding.

CHEERING

You're a real superhero!

That means you're in charge. You can do whatever you want. Waaahhhhh!

-You're going to make Mum and Dad wear one of those?

-Yeah!

Mum and Dad do know they're getting married...

But they have no idea where or how!

I was not expecting that.

CHEERING

It's revenge time.

-Will the day be filled with chaos?

-Or confetti?

Success!

Open sesame!

Today's wedding could make Mum and Dad's wishes come true

or not.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to be split in half in this box.

Mum and Dad have already handed over control.

I now pronounce you, Askari and Zaki, officially 100% in charge.

But will our young princes make their parents burst with pride?

Or will it all fall flat on its face?

-We're about to find out...

-Because we're marrying Mum and Dad.

Welcome to Marrying Mum and Dad,

the only show where you get to organise your parents' weddings.

That's right, you're in control and what YOU say goes!

Whether Mum and Dad like it or not.

But with only three weeks to put it together, it's a big job.

Let's lift the veil on what today's wedding planners

propose for their parents' big day.

Today - cor, blimey! - we're in East London.

Where we have two budding wedding planners wanting to create

a magical oasis in their urban jungle.

-Look, there's a plane coming!

-Where?

My name's Askari and I'm 11.

My name is Zakki and I'm eight.

BOTH: And we're brothers.

The two brothers are part of a fabulous four,

with younger brother Isa and little sister Maimuna.

And this devilish duo has been working flat out to plan

a wedding that is full of Persian promise!

-Normal weddings are boring, so our theme is...

-Arabian Nights.

Ah, the Arabian Nights!

Camels trekking across the desert under a baking hot sun,

Aladdin, flying carpets...

These spellbinding stories began over a thousand years ago

in the Middle East and are full of exotic mystery,

of sorcerers and genies trapped in magic lamps!

So this wedding is going to be filled with adventure,

fantasy and some pretty amazing costumes!

So we're bringing the Middle East to East London.

-I'm ready for it.

-The desolate desert to the urban jungle.

Wedding day wishes, magic carpets flying out of Heathrow...

Maybe not that bit, but one thing's for sure, this wedding will fly.

What are you doing? This is an Arabian Nights wedding, not mummies!

-I got a bit carried away with my turban.

-Yeah.

Grrrrrrr!

-It's that way.

-Grrrrr!

At home Askari and Zakki have already been working hard

planning a big day that Mum and Dad will wish would never end.

Mum and Dad haven't got round to getting married

cos they've spent most of their money on us.

-Plus they are really busy.

-We really wanted to repay them.

They are really busy bees.

But Dad Dara and Mum Jo aren't too busy

to be terrified of what's to come.

I am petrified about what they are planning,

so much so that I am numb with fear.

-MUM:

-Askari and Zakki like to prank people.

I don't like being pranked, so I'm in on the pranks.

No way are you in on this prank, Mum.

This time you're on the receiving end!

The boys have some fantastic four-legged transport

in mind for the wedding.

How are they going to get there?

Camels.

-I like the way you just said that.

-Camels!

Why do you want them to go on a camel?

Since we were young, our mum always said,

"I'd love to go on a camel,"

and we were like, this was the perfect opportunity.

Are there any camels in Ilford?

There is... Um, no.

We need a camel shop.

'A camel shop? Do they even exist?'

Do you have any camels for a wedding?

-SIRI:

-A fine question, now can we get back to work?

But with some more digging, these young brothers strike gold!

Found it! Shall we call them up?

Hello, we need to hire a camel for a wedding.

Can we come and see it tomorrow? Thank you, bye.

And as if by magic, the next day our epic explorers

head out to the countryside

in search of Mum and Dad's wedding transport.

Oh, yeah, there's camels!

I hope they don't have the HUMP.

Your jokes are so cheesy!

You're right, Askari, I've been saying that for years!

-Oh, here come the camels.

-Look how big they are.

-Wow, look at the camels!

-They are so big!

Have you ever seen a camel before?

No! I'm so excited.

CAMEL GRUNTS

Whoa!

Sounds like the camels have got the hump with you, Naomi.

Maybe they heard your bad jokes.

-WOMAN:

-Lean back now.

Zakki might look nervous, but it's Mum and Dad

who should be worried with what these boys have planned.

They are imaginative, slightly crazy.

If you mix the two together we are in trouble.

I think you guys might be in trouble.

Dara, first you were numb with fear and now you're stunned into silence!

-Listen to Zaki's voice.

-HIS VOICE WOBBLES

How do you think they'll cope?

Bear in mind your mum's going to be in a wedding dress.

She's going to cope well. She'll be fine.

Let's hope you're right, boys.

A camel ride isn't the most comfortable transport to a wedding!

So, guys, are we decided? Is this the transport

-we want on the wedding day?

-Yes!

-Um...Yes!

A hesitant yes!

So Zakki and Askari have dusted off their desert transport.

Let's just hope Mum and Dad like them as much as you guys.

If not they might get the hump!

The big day is just three weeks away

and, inspired by the sorcerers in stories like Aladdin, our planners

have come up with some magical entertainment for the big day.

-We wanted to do illusions.

-Magic!

-Sorcerers, genies.

-Can you do magic?

-Um, no.

Oh, dear. We'd better hop on our magic carpet and fly to see

one of the country's top illusionists who's offered to help.

EVERYONE: Open sesame!

How did they do that?

To become an ace magician takes years of practice, but our boys

only have this afternoon to learn a show-stopping illusion.

How did you do that?

Let's hope they can pull this particular rabbit out of the hat!

Where does the body go?

Yeah, but where's...?

She's back!

She's all in one piece. Good.

Next, illusionist David Penn wows us with some close-up magic.

-I'll show you how magic works.

-How did you just...?

-And then you're like...

-I'm not going to hide the coins in my hand,

I'll keep them on my fingertips.

Now if you watch, that's the first one.

How did you just do that?

Well, that's misdirection.

You're watching here, you should have been watching there.

The next one is sleight of hand.

The nice thing about sleight of hand, you can use it any time.

And the last one is that little bit of special something...

you can't put your finger on and that's how magic works.

The boys are stunned, but these wannabe wizards want to learn,

so it's down to business.

Do you want to do a big trick?

Yeah, massive!

What we have is very little time, David,

to produce an amazing trick that's going to wow all the wedding guests.

Do you think you can help them?

And do you want to do this trick on yourself?

Yeah, we want to do it ourselves.

So how about you getting split into two?

I've always wanted to be two.

Everyone'll think it's a camera trick,

but we'll do it at the wedding.

As long as you concentrate and promise to keep the secret.

-That's very important with magic. Do you promise?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

You promise to keep the secret. And because you guys are helping me,

Naomi, I'm really sorry, only magicians can learn the secret.

OK. Go on, then. I'll stay here, shall I?

-Don't worry about me, have fun.

-Bye!

Yeah. Oh, well, guess that's the entertainment sorted.

I can't wait to see if they pull off this on the big day!

For the outfits, Zaki and Askari

have designed a fantastic dress fit for a Persian princess.

I haven't seen a dress like that, that's why I like it,

because it's unique.

You're not going for a traditional wedding dress?

-No.

-No. That's boring.

That's what Marrying Mum And Dad's about,

not having traditional weddings.

-'I couldn't have put it better myself.'

-Yes, good.

'But a dress this befitting of royalty can't just be

'bought off the peg.

'It has to be made specially.'

Oh, this place is perfect. Look at this.

Let's take this blue out.

And this one.

'After picking a perfect shade of royal blue at the fabric shop,

'next stop is a dressmaker to talk through the guys' ideas.'

-Hello.

-Hi. Are you Ritu?

-Yes, I am.

We've got some plans.

What we want is we want it really heavily embroidered at the top.

Oh, right.

But we don't want it looking like fire.

Yeah, we don't want it looking like fire.

'Looking like fire? Always a good idea not to have

'a wedding dress that looks like it's ablaze.'

'But one thing's for sure - these boys know what they want.'

I was thinking of having the dangly bits coming down a bit more.

'Um, I can see this dress design taking quite a long time.'

These guys are THE most demanding wedding dress designers

I've ever seen.

'And I've seen a few.'

I'm talking about gold...

'Come on, boys, there's only two weeks to go,

'and at this rate, Mum will have nothing to wear.

'Not sure that'll go down very well.'

-I'd like to think I handle shock quite well.

-I think it depends.

If you like it, good. If you don't...Bridezilla.

-ANIMAL ROARING

-I'm not Bridezilla!

-'Meanwhile...'

-It would have been, like, up to here, if...

Still going.

'The boys are still trying to get their mum's Persian princess dress

-'just perfect.'

-I'm not a woman, so...

-I can't handle any more of this.

-Like this, going down...

-Feel like I've been here for hours.

-I think we should just, like...

Let's just say Mum's dress is sorted, yeah?

-Yeah, Mum's dress sorted. RITU:

-On the sleeves?

As long as all those design decisions are made by the big day,

that's outfit done.

So, with enchanting entertainment organised, outfits befitting a king

with bling, and transport just needing a slice of the Sahara...

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

THEY LAUGH

..our wedding planners are halfway there.

But now we need to find somewhere to hold this desert-inspired do.

Askari and Zaki are from a Muslim family, and before Jo and Dara

lived together, they had a religious blessing.

Now they need to have an official legal wedding,

and not everywhere has the right licence for that to take place.

I kind of want the walls to be layered with fabric...

So we need to find a room in a building that we can dress up

-to look like a tent. BOTH:

-Yeah.

-Not an easy ask.

And with only a few weeks to go,

the boys have been calling everywhere, but nothing is available.

Jo and Dara have to be able to get married,

or it will be a disaster for our duo.

Do you have any wedding venues for Saturday, 5th April?

Bye.

Is the first one a maybe? Askari, is the first one a maybe?

The first one is a maybe. They're going to call us back.

'But eventually they find a venue which is available.

'Now the boys need to see if they can transform it from a country hotel

'into an Arabian Nights desert wedding tent.'

So I suppose you've got to imagine this room with nothing in it.

'At first glance, this doesn't look much like a Moroccan tent.'

-We don't really want this.

-We'll get rid of the toaster.

'But luckily, these boys can see past that.'

We could have lanterns at the corners.

Yeah. I don't really think we should have the walls like that.

Maybe we could cover it with cloths.

-Yes, so make the ceiling come down really low.

-Yes, so it's like...

-What sort of colour would you like it to be?

-Red, orange...

-Gold.

-Gold, yeah.

-Luxurious. So you think you can work with this? You like the venue?

-Yes.

-Now all we need is tonnes of stuff to fill it with.

-Yes.

-A lot.

Come on, guys.

'So now they have the venue, where the ceremony can take place.

'Next stop is a treasure trove full of Moroccan furniture that they

'can hire and put in their wedding tent.'

-How many of these do they have?

-Loads.

-We should have measured the floor.

-Yeah.

-Ooh.

-Let's just get loads.

-Can anyone help me?

-There you go.

'That's the rugs sorted. What about seating?'

Oohaahh. Yeah, that's good.

I think they're called poufs, aren't they? How's that one?

'Ed, aren't you getting a bit sidetracked?

'We're meant to be picking out furniture for the wedding!'

Let's go for maximum pouf.

Pouf!

Oh, no!

'Oh, no.

'WHAT have you done?'

Don't film this. Go away. Go away.

This is not going on TV, OK?

Nod yes. Yes. Good. Right, OK.

It's not going on television. No-one will ever see this.

'Dream on, Ed. In fact,

'let's see it again in super-slow-mo.'

Stop recording it! Go away!

-This is all your fault!

-You pouffed yours up too much!

This is a disaster.

-Epic fail.

-I know, epic fail.

Come back now. You can come back now.

Well, we've had a very constructive time here

and been very sensible and not broken anything.

As you can see, the floor is completely clear.

-Not that there was anything on it to begin with.

-That's just dust.

-I think our work here is done, gentlemen.

-Yes.

'Well, if you say so, Ed.

'Once that pouf's mended, that's venue sorted.'

'No wedding is complete without a cake.'

He's an artist of cream.

But the boys seem less concerned with what the cake

looks like and more interested in a mischievous magic carpet trick

that could really mess up the big day.

So, after the wedding ceremony,

you want to have the cake on a magic carpet that you whip away,

-miraculously leaving the cake still standing. BOTH:

-Yes.

Have either of you ever done anything like this before?

-BOTH:

-No.

-OK.

-Could get interesting.

Drum roll!

DRUM ROLL

LAUGHTER

-Ah. Oh, dear.

-I'm going to get more cake.

'I don't know about MORE cake, Zaki.

'Based on that last attempt, I think you need less.'

-More splats.

-PRESENTERS: Three, two, one, go!

'I'm starting to think this might be quite a risk for the wedding.'

These cakes aren't even as heavy as the wedding cake's going to be.

-So what have we established?

-This is a very sad day for cakes.

-Are you going to go for this on the wedding day?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Despite this practice session?

-Yes.

-Yes.

'Erm...I think this could spell trouble for the big day.

'Let's hope the boys can pull it off.

'Cake kind of sorted.'

-Pouf!

-Pouf!

Oh, no!

'It's been hard work, but the boys have organised a day

'that should be full of magical moments and Persian promise.'

'There's still an illusion to perfect

'and a magic carpet trick to master, so the pressure's really on.'

'Planning our mum's and dad's wedding is really hard,'

because we don't know if they're going to like it or not,

because they haven't got a clue what it's about.

It's the day of the wedding and we've moved Mum and Dad

to a top-secret beach location, because the boys want them

to have the full Sahara Desert experience when riding the camels.

But this change of location has thrown the bride and groom

into total confusion.

To be honest, I've had so many thoughts about what it could be

and most of the time they just leave me to be completely petrified.

I have to be completely honest, I have absolutely no idea.

I just don't know what the boys have done.

As it gets closer, I'm getting more and more nervous.

If we're doing like a scuba-diving wedding,

I don't think I'm going to be very happy.

-Organising!

-Yep.

'At the venue, our cheeky chaps are more intent on causing chaos

'than trying to create a Moroccan tent.'

And you go under it...

This is getting in-TENTS.

-In-TENTS?

-No, I don't get it.

-Er...

-Oh.

'Ed, your jokes are terrible.'

We've been waiting for weeks and weeks.

I'm excited about seeing what the boys have planned,

what the venue looks like. I just don't know.

'Well, I don't think you'll be too impressed with their progress

'so far, Dad.'

Pillow fight!

Guys, I'm trying to do some work here. That's really unprofessional.

I've never worked with such unprofessional wedding planners

in all my life.

Me and Dara are quite different and our ideas on things are often

very different, so...

maybe one of us will be really happy today

and the other one could be quite unhappy, so fingers crossed...

-Hey, come and do it.

-Whey!

'Come on, guys! It's not long until the guests start to arrive.'

Back the family's hotel,

the boys are transformed into their Arabian prince outfits.

You look super-smart. Give us a twirl.

Very handsome. Very smart.

'But I'm not sure about what they picked for me and Ed.'

-So you can be there. Hang on. No, I'll be there!

-Bagsy the head!

-I'll be in the front half...

-I'm the head!

-I'll be the head.

I'm the head!

OK, best camel walk. Go.

'Attached to Ed's backside all day.

'This is not my idea of fun.

'Let's just hope Mum and Dad prefer their outfits.'

It's nearly all over now.

-So, Mum and Dad, how are you feeling?

-JO:

-Petrified!

-DARA:

-I can't even explain how I'm feeling right now.

-Really?

Well, the wait is over.

Have a look!

-Wow!

-Ooh!

It's amazing!

SHE LAUGHS

-Have you guessed the theme?

-I don't know.

You look dumbfounded.

It's Arabian Nights!

-Boys, you've been amazing.

-Amazing.

-I am really surprised.

-Well done. I'm so shocked.

-This is fantastic.

-Your mum looks stunning.

-She does.

Completely. Really, really beautiful.

'So, outfits a success.

'But to get them to their wedding,

'it's time for the next bumpy surprise.'

'Let's reveal why we're on this sandy beach.'

Now, unfortunately, we can't transport you to your wedding

on a magic carpet...

-PARENTS:

-Aw!

Turn around. Behold the ships of the desert.

-Wow!

-JO SQUEALS AND LAUGHS

-You look nervous.

-I am a bit, but...

'But luckily, the boys are experts in all things camel,

'and give Mum and Dad some last-minute words of advice.'

Lean back and hold on tight, OK? You got it?

This is a lot to remember, guys.

One, two, three... Perfect.

Sit back. Remember the back end is coming up first.

CAMEL GROWLS

I'm not doing...

-BOYS:

-Lean back, lean back, lean back!

-BELLS TINKLE, JO SQUEALS

-Well done.

-I said lean back!

-I leaned back but I was trying to hold on.

Freaking out a bit. Just hold this.

'They're up and seem to be over the worst of it, but for me and Naomi,

'our problems have only just started.'

ROARING

-That camel keeps looking at us very suspiciously.

-Yeah.

-Naomi, I think we should keep well back.

-I think so too!

I think he's got it in for us.

THEME MUSIC FROM LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Wait for us!

Guys!

'As our Arabian prince and princess trek off into the desert to their

'mystery location, let's hope the boys have managed to get it sorted.'

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

'Wow! What a transformation.

'Before today, this was just a plain hotel function room,

'and now it's an authentic Moroccan tent that wouldn't look

'out of place in a Persian desert.'

-Love it.

-Loved it. Like a little Aladdin's cave. Absolutely amazing.

-Shall we get you two married?

-Yes, please.

CHEERING

Dara, I give you this ring as a token of our marriage

and as a lasting reminder of the promises we've made here today.

It therefore gives me the greatest of pleasure

to say that you are now husband and wife.

APPLAUSE

CHEERING

The wedding was awesome. Yeah, it was really good.

It was crazy. The decorations and everyone dressed up

was just amazing. It just blew my mind.

'Mum and Dad have tied the knot, and it's over to Askari

'and Zaki for the entertainment.

'With the help of top illusionist David Penn, they've conjured up

'some unforgettable wizardry to wow the wedding guests.'

Askari seems a little bit nervous.

-I'm not surprised, are you?

-Well, he's going to be split in half.

I'd be nervous.

'Well, let's hope the brothers can pull it together

'and mystify mum and dad with their new skills.'

-Now, ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?

-ALL: Yes!

Please welcome Zaki and Askari.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to be split in half in this box.

ALL: Ooh!

Zaki, if you could lock his head in, please.

ALL: Ooh!

Can we have a countdown, please?

ALL: Five, four, three, two, one!

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the amazing Arabian illusion!

'It's a difficult trick but he's done it - split his brother in two.'

'And...got him back in one piece. Phew!'

-MAGICIAN:

-..and Askari!

'The boys have done it.

'They've pulled off a trick worthy any aspiring illusionist.

'And after this performance, the boys are setting their sights high.'

-We're going to be a dynamic duo.

-What does that mean?

It means, like, two magicians and we're dynamic.

-Like Dynamo?

-A bit.

'It's time to work that magic on the cake,

'and the boys' final trick of the day.

'Askari and Zaki want to whip a magic carpet from underneath

'Mum and Dad's special wedding cake -

'a risky idea, especially based on their previous attempts.'

Go!

'But they've been practising hard leading up to the wedding.

'The problem is that they only have one chance to get it right.'

If the cake gets ruined, no-one's going to like it.

'These are two brave wedding planners.

'Let's hope they can pull it off.'

So the boys are going to make this magic carpet fly out

from underneath the wedding cake.

ALL: Ooh!

They've been practising hard.

One, two, three, go!

SHRIEKING AND CRASHING

'Nooo!

'Oh, no. What a disaster.'

You know what? It's OK.

'Hold on...'

May we present your REAL wedding cake?

'Oh, those little pranksters.

'Well, Mum, you did say they were like this.'

Askari and Zaki like to prank people.

So, I don't like being pranked, so I normally make sure

that I'm in on the pranks.

Well, Mum and Dad, you been well and truly pranked.

I think the prank went good.

I have to confess, for a split second when they pulled it

and it fell on the floor, I thought, "Oh, dear."

Go!

SHRIEKING AND CRASHING

-Spot-on.

-Yeah.

'It's nearly the end of the day.

'How has this Arabian extravaganza gone down with the guests?'

Definitely one of the best weddings we've ever been to, yeah.

I wouldn't be able to pull this off.

It's been amazing. I think they've pulled it off brilliantly, the boys.

'The guests have loved it, but what about the lucky couple?

'Has this wedding made all their wishes come true?'

I don't think there's anyone else in the world who can say that

they've had a wedding like ours, and that two kids do that, you know,

to have them come up with all the ideas and to work so hard on it...

-It's something that will stay with us forever...

-We'll cherish forever.

..and they've done such an amazing job as well.

It's been a very, very special day.

'So it's a hit with Mum and Dad,

'but what about our young wedding planners?'

The type of wedding planners we are are the best wedding planners.

-I think everyone enjoyed it.

-If anyone didn't, I don't believe that.

CHEERING

-Ah, what an amazing day.

-Jo and Dara finally married - aw!

And the kids did a great job of bringing Arabia to Anglia.

-Now, with this wedding over, it's time for us to split.

-Yep.

-This way!

-Whoop! No, no, no, I'm the head, I lead the way.

-Aw!

Come on, Naomi. Don't get the hump.

If that's the only camel joke you know, this is going to be

a long journey home.

HE CHUCKLES