Springbok scrum-half Faf de Klerk married his long-time girlfriend Miné van Niekerk at La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on Saturday, 1 October, surrounded by their closest friends and family.
Faf, who plays as a scrum-half for English Premiership club Sale Sharks, has been living in Manchester since 2017. The couple has previously spoken out about the difficulties of making a long-distance relationship work.
In an interview with Huisgenoot last year, the couple said things got tough amid the pandemic. “We are so good when we are together, but the long distance makes it difficult,” Miné told the publication at the time.
Faf told the publication they realised they had no idea when they would see each other again after his two-month Postmasburg stay with Miné just after the World Cup. After his return to Manchester, they kept in contact, but the conversation later ran dry.
The 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa played a big part in rekindling the couple’s romantic relationship.
In October 2021, Miné said that while they are reluctant to make their rekindled relationship official, they were “going to see how it works”.
After spending Christmas and Valentine’s Day together, it seems like Faf decided he just couldn’t spend another minute without his beautiful girl and finally got on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage in May.
ALSO SEE: ‘Fighting over conditioner for life’: Faf de Klerk engaged to his Miné
Surrounded by friends, family and some of Faf’s team mates who weren’t on the rugby field, the couple exchanged their wedding vows.
Miné looked radiant in a Lenalisa wedding gown while Faf looked dashing in a dark green three-piece suit, which might just become more popular than his South African flag speedo amongst the ladies.
The newlyweds have spent the last week honeymooning in the idyllic Maldives at the Kandima resort.
Faf took to Intagram to give fans and followers a little peek into their romantic honeymoon, sharing a video of their journey to the magical island, their romantic room with a stunning view of the beach and a frame of him and his new bride popping a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the start of their new journey together.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.