The serious side to Salim Mehajer and his ‘wedding of the year’

THE “wedding of the century” has been the topic of conversation all week and mocked mercilessly by many but there is a serious side to this story, says comedian Marty Sheargold.

THE media is beside itself at the moment over what’s being described, admittedly by the groom, as the “wedding of the century”.

Salim Mehajer, the deputy mayor of Auburn, and his bride-to-be Aysha, tied the knot at no small cost over the weekend with hundreds of family and friends.

Forget Aniston and Theroux, forget, if it’s possible, Amal and George in Venice. We have been witness over the last week, via multiple media organisations, to an over-the-top, gauche, suburban dream come true, but even given the enthusiasm of groom as wedding planner, “wedding of the century” seems a stretch.

I offer William and Kate as the short priced favourite up to 2015.

Chances are, this was the actual ‘wedding of the century’. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Surely we are not supposed to know our Deputy Mayor? I don’t even know who my Mayor is, let alone his or her deputy. Is that bad? Or is that the way it should be until the council and my life collide over the standard council type of things. Overhanging branches, incurring the cost through my rates of a new dull grey footpath I didn’t ask for or want.

Then how is it that I know the Deputy Mayor of Auburn better than I know some of my cousins. I know he closed a street down in Lidcombe to create the area required to host the wedding of the century, I know he was fined $220 for doing so.

I know that on the day he had $50 million worth of cars for transport, and that he himself arrived by chopper. I know there was pyrotechnics involved, perhaps in the style of the good old fashioned Bon Jovi flash pot. Somehow I know that Fingers Hopoate did security and that Missy Higgins was in attendance, presumably to perform something from The Sound of White, although that has not been confirmed.

Smile, Missy Higgins. Source: Facebook

Then there is the other, less celebratory side, of the wedding of the century story. I know that like Salim his father Mohamed was a developer, I even know that before his father turned his hand to building, he worked at the Arnott biscuit factory. Then I find out Mohamed has spent time in prison for fraud, now it’s all starting to feel newsworthy, at last the media coverage starts to take root.

Speculation begins. Half truths, exaggerations and slights come to light. Prior grievances with said groom resurface, much like a council meeting I’d imagine.

Has the Deputy Mayor abused his position? As a young wealthy developer, have any of his dealings with council crossed the line? Not only by closing down his own street to celebrate his nuptials but perhaps in the Lidcombe Sky Point Towers proposal. Is the resubmission of plans to increase the number of flats by reducing the size of existing flats within the council rules?

Suddenly I’m more concerned about the goings on within the Auburn council than I’ve ever been about my own Deputy Mayor’s behaviour, be that person a he or she.

There’s that helicopter. Picture: Toby Zerna

I’ve had to let the whole drama of the weekends festivities in Lidcombe wash over me. There’s an undertone to the whole thing I’m not entirely comfortable with. Sparked by the latest allegation that a fake gun was used in a pre-wedding video (you read that correctly, pre wedding) by Salim to ward off any potential suitors.

It’s making me wonder why I know so much about the Deputy Mayor from Auburn while I don’t know anyone on my own council.

I’m also feeling genuine guilt about not knowing my cousins and regret mentioning that. I don’t want to know any more about Salim or indeed any of his dealings. I’ll tune back in if the story becomes “the divorce of the century”.

Marty Sheargold (right) with his co-hosts Tim and Kate.

Marty Sheargold is from the Kate, Tim & Marty drive show — 4pm to 6pm weekdays on the Nova Network.

Follow Kate, Tim & Marty on Twitter @katetimmarty