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- Varsity sweethearts, Reabetswe and Tinaye Makoni chose to have a small wedding.
- They started dating in 2019, and they have been inseparable ever since.
- The Makoni's say love is beautiful; it is honest, fulfilling, gentle and heartwarming.
Varsity sweethearts, Reabetswe and Tinaye Makoni, recently stood before a priest at the Potchefstroom Methodist Church and made their union official. When they share the snaps of their big day with W24, it is clear they are in love, but it's the simplicity of their big day that catches our attention.
Reabetswe later tells that that wearing a white dress was not her initial plan. All she wanted was to marry her best friend, and all the other details were immaterial. But mommy dearest would not let her walk down the aisle in a dress that was not white, so, white it was.
Reabetswe Makoni wore a white dress her mom bought for her. Image supplied by Reabetswe
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"The dress caught my mom's attention while we were driving past, but I was on my phone the entire time, and I didn't see it. My mom went back to the store the following day to buy the dress," she says.
At first, glance, while on a video call with her mother, Reabetswe didn't like the dress. "My mom ignored me, and I'm so happy she did because that dress looked so good on me," Reabetswe says.
Their parents, Reabetswe's grandmother, siblings, friends, and a few extended family members joined in the wedding celebration which took place in the garden of Reabetswe's mom's house. For lunch, they had the bride's favourite food, braaied meat. They took pictures and videos on their phones.
Reabetswe and Tinaye Makoni made sure to get married on 2/2/22 as they believe in angel numbers. Image supplied by Reabetswe
"It was easy planning our day because not a lot went into it. Us having a small wedding wasn't a tough decision for us. What was difficult for us was keeping the numbers small. I would rather celebrate with people who love us and want the best for us, than have people there for the food and the vibes," the 25-year-old bride says.
"Financially it made sense because we have future ahead of us," she adds.
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The two met at North-West University in 2016, but it was only in 2019 that they started dating. The couple's love story may have started long before their wedding day, however, Tinaye made his intentions known in 2021 in a formal way when he sent his uncles to pay lobola.
Reabetswe wears a traditional Tswana bride attire on the day her husband officially sent his uncles to pay lobola. Image supplied by Reabetswe
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So what made her so sure he was the one?
"I didn't want to be in a relationship then, but the heart wants what it wants. Your brain can only do so much. He laughs at my jokes. Mind you, my jokes are terrible. He makes me laugh and tries to make my life easy. I can't imagine my life without him," she tells us.
Although she knew that Tinaye was 'the one', 2021 solidified that for her.
"I went through a terrible acne breakout that did a number on my self-esteem. He never stopped looking at me with love and awe, and he still found me beautiful even though I didn't feel like that. We drove to Pretoria to dermatologist appointments, and he never complained once," Reabetswe says.
The Makoni's on their wedding day. Image supplied by Reabetswe
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"Love is beautiful; it is honest, fulfilling, gentle and heartwarming. It also teaches you to be patient. Having a companion for this thing called life is amazing. You get to achieve so much together, and you have someone to see the world with and grow with," the Makoni's say.
In love, you get to share your dreams with the person you love and conquer challenges with your soulmate. "Companionship has also taught us that there are people that genuinely have your back and want nothing in return for that," they say.
Would you consider having a small wedding? Tell us here.
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