Gemma Collins has been waiting her whole life to walk down the aisle towards the man of her dreams – so she’s going to do it three times.
Her long-term love Rami Hawash finally got down on one knee in the Maldives after 14 years together, and the happy couple are wasting no time in planning lavish celebrations – with talk of Jedward walking her down the aisle, a Katie Price-inspired dress and her old TOWIE pals on the guestlist.
Despite rumours the couple were already engaged, Rami popped the question last month with an extremely romantic proposal.
Speaking to the Mirror and OK! magazine from her Chelmsford home, The Only Way is Essex star Gemma, 43, tells us: “It’s official this time. He’s finally put a ring on it. It was the best surprise when Rami proposed. I wasn’t even wearing a bra. But I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Rami whisked Gemma away for a birthday holiday, and she admits she had no idea there was a lot more going on behind the scenes. The couple were tucking into a sushi dinner – Gemma’s favourite – when Rami got up to go to the bathroom. When he got back, he told her to look over to the beach, where he had set up lights reading ‘Will you marry me’.
“It was such a beautiful moment. He then walked me down to the beach, which they’d closed just for us, and there were hundreds of roses on the sand. It looked like Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian’s proposal”, recalls Gemma.
Rami organised for the proposal to be filmed so they can watch it back, and he also had Gemma’s favourite film, House of Gucci, playing on a screen on the beach.
Laughing, Rami explains: “There was a lot involved in the lead up to the engagement and it was a lot of pressure. We were on an island with no car, so the staff at our hotel helped pull it off. Gemma’s favourite flowers are roses so I organised a seaplane to fly lots of them in from Malé, the capital city.”
And his discretion paid off as Gemma had no idea. “I just can’t believe I didn’t know anything was going on. I’m usually on the ball but I had no idea”, she says. “That day we were chilling by the pool and it was so warm I just let my hair dry naturally for dinner and didn’t put on any make-up. In fact, I didn’t even have a bloody bra on! But I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Gemma can’t stop staring at her huge diamond engagement ring, but says she probably won’t wear it much. Laughing at a remark that she deserves it, she replies: “You know what, I do. I waited long enough. But it is honestly the best of the best and you won’t get another one like this. It’s one of a kind. It’s huge and set in platinum, but truthfully I don’t think I’ll wear it every day. It’s so precious that I’ll get a replica made and only bring it out on special occasions.”
Rami spoke to Gemma’s parents before buying the ring and used the same Hatton Garden jeweller which made her mum’s engagement ring. Gemma adds: “Rami also knows how much I love the royal family so he took inspiration from their engagement rings for my ring.”
Since getting engaged, Gemma admits she’s becoming a bit more bossy – which could make for some interesting wedding planning, as she wants three separate celebrations. “The main one will be somewhere fabulous in the UK, the second maybe abroad, and the third will be the formal one for our closest friends and family,” she adds.
In terms of a timeframe, it’s looking like a winter wedding in 2026 – the year Rami turns 50 – because an astrologer told Gemma it’s the luckiest year to tie the knot. And of course three weddings means three dresses. “I would love something similar to the lace one Lady Gaga wore in House Of Gucci,” says Gemma.
“I might even go back to my roots and wear something really Essex-like and over the top. At the moment I’m thinking something Italian-themed, then a ‘wow’ one with a huge train. I might even recreate Victoria Beckham’s wedding moment with the tiara, I loved that.”
Gemma also hints that we might get to see their big day in full as they could let TV cameras inside. And we really hope that’s the case, as Gemma wants DJ Fat Tony to perform and joked that Jedward may walk her down the aisle. “They are my dog’s godfathers, after all. They’re honestly like family to me, I adore them.”
Rami adds: “Jedward are like our kids and they’re so good to Tristan. They’re part of our family now.”
When it comes to the guestlist, Gemma says all of her old TOWIE castmates can be there as there is “no bad blood”.
While the big day is still a while off, Gemma is already working on her fitness and has been sharing her progress on social media. She’s lost 20lbs by working with bodybuilder Eddie Abbew and taking a closer look at her diet, cutting out all sugar. She adds: “The thing is I don’t want to be stick thin, I just want to be healthy. I’ve got so much to look forward to and I want to feel amazing. “
But before all the wedding fun, they’re kicking off their celebrations with a Tuscan-themed engagement party. Gemma tells us it “won’t be anything formal”, before adding she’s called Andrea Bocelli to ask if he’ll perform.
“It’ll be very rustic and I want everyone walking barefoot in my garden with thousands of flowers and candles. I also want singing waiters and the whole menu needs to be Italian-themed”, she adds.
Gemma believes there will be more interest in her upcoming nuptials as her life has changed so much since her glam TOWIE days. “I’m much more settled now. I’ve got my house, a dog, cat, chickens, a fiancé and a stepson,” she tells us.
Rami jumps in to praise how his bride-to-be is with his 14-year-old son, who is set to play a key role in their wedding, adding: “Gemma is the absolute best stepmum to Tristan and we have a very busy house. We never get any sleep though, everyone piles into the bed with us – including animals!”
Gemma continues: “It’s chaos sometimes with all of us in it, we definitely need a bigger bed! “But I don’t think either of us imagined this would be our life when we first started dating. “Rami knows the real me though as well as “The GC”, but he’s never actually called me that. “We’re just a normal couple who will load and unload the dishwasher, cook dinners and hang up the washing. I don’t think people really see that side of me.”
Looking past their big day, the couple are still to have children down the line and are keen to learn more about their options. Gemma explains: “We’re going to visit a fertility clinic soon to see if there’s any complications and if I’m able to conceive. I’m nowhere near menopause yet so that will hopefully take the pressure off as I was panicking a bit.”
The love and excitement between Gemma and Rami is clear to see, but perhaps the sweetest sign of their connection is her admission about her slightly unusual sleeping set-up.
When Rami isn’t there, she can’t bear to sleep in their “marital boudoir” alone. “I have my own private bedroom and it’s just fabulous,” she explains, as she describes an all-pink room that includes a life-sized gorilla and plush velvet accessories. “If ever we have a night apart I never sleep in our bed, I’ll go to my pink one.”
