2011 a Year for Celebrity Weddings!
Headlining the local nuptial scene will be the first family. President Jacob Zuma is expected to wed his sixth bride. Gloria Bongi Ngema became his latest fiancée after traditional Zulu gifts were exchanged in December 2009.
Zuma’s glamorous daughter, Duduzile, will wed her businessman fiancé, Lonwabo Sambudla, after the traditional umembeso ceremony which took place in Durban last month.
Zuma’s son, Mziwoxolo, will marry his fiancée Phumelele Shange after the umembeso at the bride’s home in Lamontville, KwaZulu-Natal, in November.
On the entertainment scene Skwatta Kamp rapper Slikour and his girlfriend, Jill Mulligan, are speaking of taking vows after the birth of their child, and new parents model Lee-Ann Liebenberg and her fiancé, former polo player Nicky van der Walt, are also looking to marry this year.
Rounding off the SA list is former South African swimming star Charlene Wittstock, who will marry Prince Albert of Monaco in July.
Scandalous
Internationally, the paparazzi are licking their lips over another two royal weddings in the next year, with Prince William’s recent proposal to his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton topping the list.
Also set to tie the knot in April is Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter, who is to marry English rugby player Mike Tindall.
Actress Louisana Lopilato will wed Grammy Award winner Michael Bublé in April.
The star-studded weddings will include a good stirring up of controversy as singer Shania Twain marries Frédéric Thiébaud, husband of the former friend for whom Twain’s husband left her.
Also sure to keep people talking is Playboy boss Hugh Hefner, 84, who will walk down the aisle for the third time with Playmate Crystal Harris, 60 years his junior.
Former couple Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey will also be getting married - but not to each other. The actress will wed former football player Eric Johnson, while the former singer weds his actress girlfriend, Vanessa Minnillo.
Singer LeAnn Rimes has become engaged to CSI Miami hunk Eddie Cibrian. The Can’t Fight The Moonlight singer’s actor boyfriend reportedly popped the question over the Christmas period while they were on holiday in Los Angeles.
Singer Lily Allen has also announced her engagement after boyfriend Sam Cooper proposed to her on a beach in Bali on Christmas Day.
Oscar winner Natalie Portman has announced she is both engaged and pregnant. The actress is set to wed ballet choreographer Benjamin Millepied.
And the ever-controversial Britney Spears has set off engagement rumours after she tweeted a photo of herself sitting on Santa’s lap - with a ring on her left hand.
In the photo, Britney has a diamond ring on her ring finger, which has prompted several websites to suggest that perhaps her boyfriend, Jason Trawick, proposed to her over the festive period.
