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Monday January 21, 2008

Ning’s wedding vision

By RUBIN KHOO

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite her celebrity status, Ning Baizura is making her impending wedding to fiancé Omar Sharif Christopher Layton Dalton an informal affair.

The singer wants her upcoming nuptials to be a fun event and has incorporated the Malaysian concept of gotong royong into the theme of her wedding.

“It’s going to be a fairytale kampung wedding,” said Ning, 32, during a suit fitting for Omar at Lord’s tailor in Bangsar here.

Fitting occasion: Ning and Omar at the tailors in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

“It’s not going to be a formal event. It’s going to be like a festival and it’s going to be lots of fun. We’re inviting people to come and be a part it.”

To create the atmosphere, Ning and Omar have used the concept of village life for the decor of the wedding, which will include the construction of a wooden house for the bersanding ceremony, set to take place at the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre on Feb 2.

The ceremonies are planned on different days to ensure that there will be a build-up to the bersanding. The celebrations will begin on Jan 29 with the berinai, and the akad nikah and a private reception will then take place on Jan 31.

For the bersanding, the couple will wear three outfits. The first will be the traditional outfit of the state of Pahang, designed by Riezman & Ruzaini. Next, Ning will wear the Java Ceribon outfit - because of her Javanese heritage - created by Jovian Mandangie, and finally, she will wear a colourful gown designed by Michael Ong while Omar will complement her with a suit by Lord’s.

“I didn’t want to wear white because it is so cliché,” she said.

The artiste will, however, not be taking time off from her career as her English album is planned for a March release.

Ning met Omar, a 33-year-old gas and consulting manager from England, in September 2006. The couple were engaged in July last year.

Since their engagement, he has been adjusting to the fact he was marrying one of the nation’s biggest celebrities.

“I accept it and go with the flow.”

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