A couple from Tzaneen recently got married despite having fears of postponing their wedding for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Julese de Villiers, now Mrs Smit, and her husband Jan-Paul, shared moments of their blissful union with Herald.
“Jan-Paul and I met in Dinamus church in 2018. He was a drummer for the church band and I had recently returned from teaching English in China,” Julese said. “After one of the church services, he and I started talking and my enthusiastic mother sent us off on a coffee date,” she continued.
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She had no idea what was in store for her, as a year later, he popped the question. “We went on a couple’s photo shoot that I thought my mother had arranged as a Christmas gift, while all along he secretly arranged it,” she said. “He asked the big question in a field next to Magoebaskloof Dam and I must say, I have never been so happy in my life.”
The couple tied the knot on the 6 June in the Dinamus church with not more than 50 people at the ceremony. “We were planning on having a medium-sized wedding of about 85 guests, but the lockdown completely messed up all our plans. The uncertainty of what to do was unnerving as the lockdown rules kept changing.
“We considered postponing our wedding to next year. Our last plan was to get married in our pastor’s house, just the two of us. But that isn’t really something a bride wants. Then is was announced that church gatherings of 50 people were allowed and our plans changed again.”
Following the level 3 regulations to the letter, the couple set out to officially tie the knot in the presence of their loved ones, although the number was limited. “Believe it or not, but it’s possible to arrange a wedding in a week. I had a dress made, we arranged for flowers, ‘thank you’ gifts were made, the documents needed to get legally married were organised and so much more.”
Asked what advice she has for couples looking to get married but are affected by the lockdown regulations, Julese advised that couples get married now, start their lives together and have the party later. “The levels of stress, uncertainty, the arguments over what’s allowed or not, to wait or to elope, to have a big or a small wedding were intense, but if you can get through that then you are well prepared for life together.
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“My advice is for couples to support one another during this time and to never forget the main reason why they are getting married. Yes, the big white wedding is the ultimate dream, but don’t miss out on the happiness you could have because it couldn’t happen as planned. It is amazing to be married,” she concluded.
