Arrange Me a Marriage
Encyclopedia
Arrange Me a Marriage is a British
Reality TV series, for which the pilot episode aired on BBC2 in March 2007; while the first of five series episodes aired on 22 November 2007.
arranged marriage
. Aneela Rahman, a Glasgow
based British-Asian marriage arranger, described as the "British Asian Cilla Black
," gets their family and friends to network together and find the perfect partner in a four week period.
Mrs Rahman believes that the divorce
rate in Britain would decline if more couples were matched up through class, education, family background, life goals and earnings:
Each episode tracks the friends and family of five contestant/singleton's, who have four weeks to network on their behalf and find the perfect partner. After Rahman has vetted and met the potential matches, the contestant/singleton is given a choice of two potential matches, from which with the guidance of their family and a brief biography - but no photograph - they choose one match. Each episode culminates in an Asian-style introduction party, where the contestant/singleton meets their chosen match together with both sets of family and friends. The episodes end with updates on how the matches are or are not getting on.
i parents, met her husband Maqsood when she was 25 through an arranged marriage - they married 18 months later. The couple have been married for 15 years, have two children, and run five Subway
sandwich
shops in Scotland
from their Glasgow base. Her sister is a freelance television producer
, who knew the basic idea for the show had been talked about by the BBC for some years. Rahman has been arranging marriages within her local community for some years, and her sister suggested to the BBC that they interview Aneela for background information. After shooting a pilot episode which aired in March 2007, she was offered the opportunity to present the series.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Reality TV series, for which the pilot episode aired on BBC2 in March 2007; while the first of five series episodes aired on 22 November 2007.
Format
British singletons in their mid-30's, are found partners using the principles of AsianCulture of Asia
The culture of Asia is human civilization in Asia. It features different kinds of cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, and ethnic groups in the region, traditionally called a continent from a Western-centric perspective, of Asia...
arranged marriage
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
. Aneela Rahman, a Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
based British-Asian marriage arranger, described as the "British Asian Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
," gets their family and friends to network together and find the perfect partner in a four week period.
Mrs Rahman believes that the divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
rate in Britain would decline if more couples were matched up through class, education, family background, life goals and earnings:
"For many non Asians meeting someone is quite random, in a bar or club - but you wouldn’t buy a house or car drunk so why would you expect to find a life partner like that? Then people wake up 20 years later and wonder why they haven't found someone to settle down with."
Each episode tracks the friends and family of five contestant/singleton's, who have four weeks to network on their behalf and find the perfect partner. After Rahman has vetted and met the potential matches, the contestant/singleton is given a choice of two potential matches, from which with the guidance of their family and a brief biography - but no photograph - they choose one match. Each episode culminates in an Asian-style introduction party, where the contestant/singleton meets their chosen match together with both sets of family and friends. The episodes end with updates on how the matches are or are not getting on.
Background on Rahman
Aneela Rahman, born in Scotland to immigrant PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i parents, met her husband Maqsood when she was 25 through an arranged marriage - they married 18 months later. The couple have been married for 15 years, have two children, and run five Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
shops in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
from their Glasgow base. Her sister is a freelance television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, who knew the basic idea for the show had been talked about by the BBC for some years. Rahman has been arranging marriages within her local community for some years, and her sister suggested to the BBC that they interview Aneela for background information. After shooting a pilot episode which aired in March 2007, she was offered the opportunity to present the series.