The first step to having a healthy relationship with someone new is to have a healthy relationship with your own self.

Phurba Sherpa is a well-known name in Nepali entertainment business. He is a filmmaker, music video director, and television producer who got hitched with Nima Sherpa in 2015.  They feel privileged to be sharing life as husband and wife, feel like they truly know each other inside and out. Phurba further added: “I am more attracted to my wife today than before we got married.” This beautiful couple had a typical Sherpa wedding. Read on more to know more about their traditional wedding and much more.

Nowadays people prefer to simple weddings, but you had a typical Sherpa wedding. What was the reason behind that decision?

Phurba - It is said that marriages are made in heaven; it is literally so because of the belief that all major events in life are influenced by heavenly bodies, such as the stars, planets, moons and so on.  The reason behind our Sherpa marriage is the fact that it has several religiously and socially significant rituals meant for the couples’ prosperous married life.

As you come from a Sherpa community, tell us about your wedding tradition.

Phurba - Our traditional method of marriage also gives us our unique sense of identity. We should treasure and preserve our unique traditional. Marriage opens the door to a new life and a greater bond between members of the society through exchange of love, care, respect and understanding. Our marriage was simple and yet unique.

Sherpa weddings have various processes; did you go through all of them?

Phurba - The traditional Sherpa wedding is a lengthy process lasting more than a week. We had followed some of the processes. Our marriage happened with an understanding between both sides of the family. So we didn’t have to follow all the traditional requirements. We first had a pechhang where a small meeting between the parents of the girl and the boy’s is conducted to make necessary decisions for the wedding. After receiving approval from girl’s parents we moved the process named demchhang, which is considered one of the important processes because after this process the girl is considered as a member of the groom’s family. It also marks the completion of half of the marriage process, and finally we had zendi (channdu) the wedding day. We actually had a customized short Sherpa marriage ceremony.

Both of you have different careers. How supportive are you towards each other? Is there any insecurity?

Phurba - We are very supportive of each other, and respect each other’s work. I am into film and media, and she is into tourism.  Quite a few times I am away from home for a number of days for film making and sometimes she is away related to her work. Recently, she came back home from Khumbu after 45 days.

Nima - Relationships are simply mirrors of the combined joy that two people have as individuals.  What you see in the mirror is what you see in your relationships.  Your disappointments in your partner often reflect your disappointments in yourself. Your acceptance of your partner often reflects your acceptance of yourself. Thus, the first step to having a healthy relationship with someone else is to have a healthy relationship with own self.

What is the best thing about Nima?

Phurba - The best part of her is that she is very understanding and I am fond of her. So far I have not noticed anything that I would dislike.

Share with us your happiest moment as a couple.

Phurba - I have many favorite memories. The day she said “I love you” for the first time, her birthday, all the anniversaries we had, all the time she picked me from my workplace and when she was there for me open heartedly.

What is your idea of romance?

Phurba - The word "romance" usually conjures ideas of a noble courtship: genteel chivalry, bouquets of roses, and time alone together. Creating magical moment in your relationship is something everyone thinks about, but few people act upon. Perhaps it's because they actually can't think of exactly what to do. Compliment your partner -- praise what she does, what she says, how she looks, and any effort she has made. But it is also really nice that your partner goes out of her comfort zone to be with you when you are doing something you like. I think romance should be filled with passion, but at the same time it should be balanced with a respect for space.