The Apprentice stars Harpreet Kaur and Akshay Thakrar have opened up on their upcoming wedding, revealing they are planning a three days of ceremonies.
Winner of the 2022 series Harpreet, 32, got engaged to fellow contestant Akshay, 31, in May last year after he proposed with a display of red roses on a London rooftop.
And the couple have revealed that their time on The Apprentice will be referenced at their nuptials through their guestlist.
Harpreet explained that Lord Alan Sugar and his advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell have all been invited.
While their fellow contestants Kathryn Burn, Brittany Carter, Akeem Bundu-Kamara and Nick Showering are also set to attend, with Kathryn being Harpreet’s bridesmaid.
The Apprentice stars Harpreet Kaur and Akshay Thakrar have opened up on their upcoming wedding, revealing they are planning a three days of ceremonies
Winner of the 2022 series Harpreet, 32, got engaged to fellow contestant Akshay , 31, in May last year after he proposed with a display of red roses on a London rooftop
Harpreet explained that Lord Alan Sugar and his advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell have all been invited (pictured)
The couple are having three days of wedding celebrations, including a English-style white wedding followed by a traditional Indian ceremony in a Mandir and then a ‘big fat reception party’.
Harpreet told The Mirror: ‘We’re really excited and are hoping Lord Sugar, Karren and Tim can make it. The show is what allowed us to meet and it’s been a big part of our lives.
‘It depends on their schedules but they’ve all been invited to the traditional Indian wedding ceremony in Watford and the reception in Windsor.’
She added: ‘We’ve tried to keep the whole thing as intimate as possible because otherwise it can all get really out of hand. When you’re Indian your close family equals about 150 people.’
Speaking on their podcast, The Couples Boardroom, the husband and wife-to-be revealed they are planning to honeymoon in Africa, with their options being Mauritius, Kenya and South Africa.
Their relationship began after the show ended, when Akshay invited Harpreet for a lunch date in Shepherd’s Bush, and flew from there.
Harpreet explained: ‘It all escalated very quickly and within three months we got quite serious.’
Akshay got down on one knee on the rooftop of a penthouse overlooking The Shard, after tricking Harpreet into thinking she was attending a friend’s 30th birthday party.
He recalled: ‘It was like a movie set, it was beautiful, and she said, “Yes”. I was so nervous, worrying the ring was there every 10 minutes. As soon as I gave her it I felt relief.’
While their fellow contestants Kathryn Burn, Brittany Carter, Akeem Bundu-Kamara and Nick Showering are also set to attend, with Kathryn being Harpreet’s bridesmaid (Harpreet and Kathryn pictured together on her hen do)
The couple are having three days of wedding celebrations, including a English-style white wedding followed by a traditional Indian ceremony in a Mandir and then a ‘big fat reception party’ (pictured last year)
Their relationship began after the show ended, when Akshay invited Harpreet for a lunch date in Shepherd’s Bush, and flew from there
Harpreet added: ‘All of his friends were in on it and helped him lie about this supposed James Bond 30th birthday party, so I fully believed him. It was magical. I couldn’t have asked for anymore. He’s a true gent.’
She revealed that the couple hope to start a family one day, but aren’t in any rush as they want to travel and enjoy married life first.
She added: ‘It’ll be nice for us to move on to the next chapter in our relationship. We plan to have children but I think we’ve got a couple of years before we tie ourselves down.
‘We’d like to do some travelling and just enjoy married life as a couple because once we have children they’re going to take over.’
Harpreet previously said they had set their wedding date for June and confirmed that she has got her dress sorted.
Speaking to Yahoo! in November, she said: ‘We’re looking to get married in June next year. So months of planning ahead. Because it’s a big fat Indian wedding: there’s a number of days to plan and a number of outfits I need to plan.
‘I’ve just finally ordered dress number one which I’m really excited for. We’re trying to keep it quite an intimate do, which is very difficult when you’re Indian, but we’re really looking forward to it.
‘I think it’ll be a nice next chapter and again, just something amazing to have blossomed out of this crazy experience that we call The Apprentice.’
She revealed that the couple hope to start a family one day, but aren’t in any rush as they want to travel and enjoy married life first
Harpreet previously said they had set their wedding date for June and confirmed that she has got her dress sorted
She added: ‘My best friend is Kathryn, the finalist, she’s going to be my bridesmaid as well. I’ve got a best friend, husband and an investment out of The Apprentice.’
In February, the lovebirds admitted they never imagined they would fall in love on the show, despite Akshay’s mother hinting at the possibility of a romance
Akshay told OK! magazine his mother made jokes about him finding love, telling him: ‘Good luck you might find your wife’, but he insisted she ‘not be silly’.
‘I told her to not be silly because it was a business show and such a high-pressure environment,’ he said.
Harpreet echoed: ‘I never thought I’d meet someone on the show. I just didn’t expect it at all.’
Their first impression backed up this theory, as Harpreet said on the first day of The Apprentice, Akshay gave her a serious glance and looked away.
It made her think he was there for business and business only. ‘He does not look very friendly,’ she thought at the time.
‘I had a plan that I wasn’t going to make friends,’ Akshay revealed. ‘I wanted everyone to be scared of me.
In February, the lovebirds admitted they never imagined they would fall in love on the show, despite Akshay’s mother hinting at the possibility of a romance (Both seen in their promo shots for the 2022 series)
‘But there was a point where Harpreet was doing a pitch and I thought, “I’d love a partner like her”.’
Harpreet and Akshay confirmed their romance in August 2022 when they shared a loved-up snap together to mark three months of dating.
The pair’s stunning proposal scene took place on a London rooftop with a rose display, sparklers and an LED sign which read: ‘Will you marry me?’
Harpreet looked glamorous in a metallic gown while showing off her dazzling engagement ring from the London Diamond Dealer.
Alongside the loved-up snap, Akshay penned: ‘I would find you in any lifetime❤️ Our journey began in the most unexpected way. Now it’s time to begin our forever chapter. She said yes.’
The pair’s stunning proposal scene took place on a London rooftop with a rose display, sparklers and an LED sign which read: ‘Will you marry me?’
