From the moment that Vicky Pattison and Ercan Ramadan got engaged back in December 2022 after three years of dating, we knew that their wedding was going to be an event to remember.
Or should that be weddings? Because not only did Vicky, 36, and Ercan, 31, tie the knot on 24 August in Marylebone, London, but they then headed to Puglia, Italy, for the main event. And what an event it was! Lasting four days with multiple dresses for Vicky, Strictly’s Pete Wicks as a flower girl, and a surprise appearance by Blazin’ Squad at the reception, the pair certainly made the most of their big day. Here, they tell heat all about it…
How does it feel to officially be the Pattison-Ramadans…
Vicky: Actually, I have a question about that – do we have to arrange the name changes ourselves? Because if we do, then we’re not actually the Pattison-Ramadans yet!
Ercan: Is it not an automatic process?
Vicky: Honestly, Ercan just thinks everything happens automatically. So – although probably not quite officially – we are Vicky and Ercan Pattison-Ramadan now and I love it. I know it’s a bit of a mouthful, but I don’t care.
Ercan: It’s a strong Turkish name.
Your wedding – or should that be weddings – have been a long time coming...
Vicky: Despite 18 months of planning, they sprung themselves on us all of a sudden. We thought we had ages between the two events as well, but the time just flew by.
And you filmed the whole experience. Was that a no-brainer decision for you?
Vicky: I’ve been doing reality TV for about 15 years –letting people into my life has always felt second nature – but I think this has been the most invasive thing Ercan has ever done.
Ercan: I was a bit nervous at first, but the more I did, the more I enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun.
Could this potentially be the start of something long-term?
Ercan: I’d like that…
Vicky: It all depends on whether there’s an appetite for it. A wedding is something really special, but does everyone need to see every day of your life? I don’t know. We’re really boring.
Ercan: No we’re not – that’s a bit harsh!
Vicky: We are. Following me around 10 years ago might have been interesting – I’m sure people would probably have enjoyed that – but now we like Marks & Spencer’s ‘Dine In For Two’ and walking the dogs. Do you really want to watch that?
Yes, we do!
Vicky: That’s very kind of you. Hopefully it’s relatable, but is it watchable? I think for the important moments in our lives, whether that’s adding to our family or renovating the house, I could understand those being exciting and watchable. We wouldn’t mind sharing those, but I don’t want to force anyone to sit through us watching telly – that show already exists, it’s called Gogglebox!
How stressful was it planning two weddings and then filming them for a reality show?
Vicky: It was a roller coaster.
Ercan: You’re quite calm in those situations – much calmer than me.
Vicky: I don’t feel like I’ve ever really seen you particularly stressed…
Ercan: Except for my speech and the vows.
Vicky: For the main event in Puglia, we wrote our own vows, whereas London was just a big party. I still cried though, obviously.
Ercan: She cries maybe five times a day, though.
Vicky: I cry all the time. Ercan was sweating so much at the Marylebone wedding that people thought he was crying.
Ercan: When she walked in, I was wiping the sweat off my face and everyone thought I was crying.
Were you nervous about writing your own vows, Vicky?
Vicky: I was fine. I know why I love Ercan – I talk about it all the time. I pontificate at length about how lucky I feel to have found him.
Ercan: She’s very cheesy.
Vicky: I am quite cheesy.
Ercan: A cheesy romantic.
Vicky Pattison: My Big Fat Geordie Wedding premieres this October on E4