Inside the Mehajer wedding: ‘Like Days of our Lives’
EXCLUSIVE: Tight controls over the use of mobile phones and decadent desserts were just the beginning at the latest million-dollar Mehajer wedding.
EXCLUSIVE
“MY HEAD is mush tonight,” one guest was overheard to say.
“Why’s that,” said another.
“Because it’s a Mehajer wedding, of course.”
Khadijeh Mehajer — the little sister of controversial property developer and former Auburn deputy mayor Salim — celebrated her wedding to 33-year-old IT engineer Ibraham Sakalaki at a series of ceremonies across Sydney on Saturday. The combined cost of the day was reportedly upwards of $1 million.
News.com.au had exclusive access to the Mehajer mega wedding and was the only media outlet allowed into the lavish evening function held in Sydney’s Doltone House.
By almost any standards, a Lebanese wedding is something else, with music a mainstay and drumming a necessity. But a Mehajer wedding is on another level with sports cars, singers jetted in from the Middle East, US model and winner of Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo swanning about, and burly bodyguards throughout.
Even the groom seemed to be aware he was joining no ordinary family and confided marrying a Mehajer was like walking into an episode of Days of our Lives.
Salim himself was happy to keep tongues wagging that, despite all evidence to the contrary, he had happily moved on since his wife Aysha packed up and left.
Humiliated by the release of footage showing his foul-mouthed rant about his wife, he retaliated by posting a video of himself canoodling with Ms Siaflas, who he says is just a friend.
TOP SECRET MISSION
It was a cryptic start to the day with the Mehajer family organising a car to pick me up, but the destination was unknown.
The family had left a trail of false breadcrumbs to put media off the scent, even going as far as to apply to their local Western Sydney council to close off a street, in what would have been a carbon copy of Salim’s nuptials a year ago.
Nevertheless, on arrival at the Kenthurst mansion, media were already camped outside desperate to find a way in.
Inside, Mehajer sisters Aiisha, Saana and Mary, all wearing peach bridesmaid dresses they insisted were designed by Khadijeh, known as Kat, fussed around the mansion getting their hair done and attending to the bride while children ran around their feet.
I was told, in no uncertain terms, the family would not answer questions relating to Salim and Aysha’s marriage or speak about the video that emerged on A Current Affair that appeared to show the most famous Mehajer angrily making threats towards his wife.
Salim says the videos were taken “out of context” but has yet to give a full explanation as to what context the expletive-ridden footage should be taken in.
The wedding party could be heard before they were seen. First a police helicopter buzzing overhead, then the growls of distant motorbikes and finally the revving of Lamborghinis, Ferraris and BMWs as they sped along the country roads.
At the house, last minute preparations were being made. A white carpet was being taped into place after several guests had tripped over it, drummers were positioned on the balcony and a drone, to record the event from the air, took flight.
As the bridal party arrived, Ibraham headed into the house and upon a spiral staircase, beneath a chandelier imported from Mexico, took the hand of his perfectly coiffured bride dressed in a $10,000 designer dress.
It may have been a ceremony of luxurious surroundings, of perfect smiles and expensive jewellery, but when proceedings were done, more simple pleasures were called for.
A van arrived with about 30 pizzas from the Mehajers’ favourite pizzeria, I Love Manoush in Lidcombe. The family happily munched on slices of cheese and pepperoni from boxes spread along the floor between the sports cars and sipped on cans of Coke.
THE BIG PARTY
As night drew in, the family gathered with 400 of their nearest and dearest, in a glittering ballroom overlooking Sydney’s Hyde Park. All guests had to check in their mobile phones, for reasons never fully explained.
Pre-dinner drinks were noticeably alcohol-free with guests served mocktails of cranberry and orange juice.
But any thoughts that this Muslim wedding might be entirely booze free was banished when you reached the main room and on each table was not just a bottle of red wine but also full bottles of Chivas Regal whisky and Grey Goose vodka.
In the centre of the room, bathed in light, stood a wedding cake of no less than nine tiers flecked with cream and pink petals. Every time a drum was pounded, and there were many, the top tier wobbled threatening to fall.
The guests’ garb ran the gauntlet from demure to revealing. Sky-high white stilettos, fur and rhinestones were the order of the day. One woman entered in a figure-hugging leopard-print dress, while another turned up in an outfit that was so white and frilly it looked like she might have mugged a bride from another wedding.
“I think she was confused if what she wanted was lace, diamonds or fur,” one guest was overheard saying. “So she decided to have all of it.”
Even the more modest guests, those wearing full length outfits and headdresses, still accessorised with rows of sequins so they sparkled in the light.
There was no pizza in sight at this party of the celebration. Guests dined on gnocchi with crab, salmon braised with baby fennel or a fillet of beef. Madagascan vanilla bean crème brule and a ‘lemon cream and lychee cloud’ were served for dessert.
Half way though, to drums and much cheering, the Sakalaki and Mehajer families entered in small groups, Salim twirling down the carpet with his new air stewardess bestie.
His wife, perhaps not surprisingly, did not appear to be present.
Kat and Ibraham arrived to fireworks and dry ice. Their respective fathers were lifted high above the crowd. Mohamad Mehajer was carried by Salim who seemed visibly happy when he was allowed to stop hoisting his dad upwards.
Ibraham and Kat were also lofted above the crowd but the bride looked like terra firma was a much better place for her to be.
Praise for the Mehajers was widespread with Ibraham’s father Ray saying Salim was a “top notch guy,” and the family, “were the best people you can ever meet — very down to earth.”
Shortly afterwards eight white doves were released onto the dancefloor as the enormous cake was cut with a ceremonial sword encrusted with diamonds.
Ibraham said Salim was the “ultimate brother-in-law”. The media portrayed him a certain way, he said, “but everyone I know loves you”.
He said he “often was asked what it was like to marry into the Mehajers.” His answer was he had to buy a wardrobe of more fashionable clothing to ensure he always looked “on point”.
“You never know who is watching (the family),” he said. “Sometimes I feel like I’m in a Days of our Lives episode.”
Salim told the crowd that Kat and he were so similar, she was often called the “mini me or mini Salim”.
“How beautiful does the bride look tonight and how lucky am I to have her as a sister,” he said.
With that the bride and groom took to the floor for the first dance as sparklers burnt into life and the bemused doves were shooed into position for the all-important photos.
Whatever you think of the Mehajars — and the divisive Salim — there’s no doubt they know how to throw a party.
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