Cikida & Ipeleng

Their love story is so unique that the couple has posted it on Facebook for eternity. And Cikida and Ipeleng’s wedding was just as extraordinary…

Cikida and Ipeleng describe their romance as “a story of distance, time and perseverance.” According to Ipeleng, “We met on Facebook whilst remarking on the status of a mutual friend. Cikida was very feisty – this was a good thing! She was also smarter than me, which was even better. I eventually charmed her into giving me her number. A random series of dates followed whenever both of us were in the country at the same time. When she went to study abroad, I recommended a book, Americanah, which is essentially our love story. Once we were in the country together for more than six months, I pounced – the end!”

This is what Cikida has to say: “I commented on a friend’s Facebook post and Ipeleng took the liberty of sliding into my DMs. He tricked me into giving him my number, saying he’d like to send me something funny about pretty girls (it actually wasn’t that funny!). We remained close for years whilst we lived across oceans. He recommended I read Americanah when I went to study in the US; it’s about a feisty young lady from Nigeria who travels to study in America, leaving her true love behind. They are later reunited. Long story short – he didn’t even wait six months after I returned home! I went along for the free lunches and good conversations and ended up falling into one of the sweetest loves I’ve ever experienced.”

The proposal was a wonderful surprise, says Cikida. “Ipeleng said we were going to his niece’s birthday party at a restaurant close to Grand Central Airport in Midrand. When we arrived at the airport, we boarded a helicopter that took us to a stunning resort in Hartebeespoort Dam. There, he got down on one knee and proposed.”

Cikida describes her wedding day as “magical – a true fairy tale. The theme was ‘Thy Kingdom Come: A Royal Affair’. It was a beautiful sunny day with clear skies. Ipeleng was accompanied down the aisle to a rendition of Daniel Caesar’s ‘Blessed’, whilst Grammy award-winning artist Manana sang his popular song ‘All I Seek’ as I walked down the aisle. Our guests enjoyed a live band and superb food prepared by Chef Andrew Draper and danced throughout the day.”

The bride’s wedding dress was designed by Valdrin Sahiti, who is famous for designing dresses for Beyoncé

The couple observed their cultural heritage by starting the reception by introducing the families. “This is a cultural representation of us welcoming each other as newly formed relatives and is a common practice in most African weddings,” Cikida explains. The bride’s wedding dress was designed by Valdrin Sahiti, who is famous for designing dresses for Beyoncé. The couple chose Inimitable Wedding Venue because “the style of the venue epitomises us as a couple in every way. From the open grass fields to the modern glass marquees, we felt this would be a true representation of our personality as a couple,” says Cikida.

The highlight of Cikida’s day? “Ipeleng’s vows. They even trended on Twitter!” Standing next to each other as husband and wife “felt like destiny taking its course,” she adds. They plan to enjoy a honeymoon in Monaco watching the Grand Prix at the end of May this year.

What advice would you give a bride-tobe? “Just relax and enjoy your day. Lose your script on how you had planned things to happen and just live in the moment.”

Venue Inimitable Venue | www.inimitablevenue.com Decor Zavion Kotze Events Company | www.zk-ec.com Food Andrew Draper | www.andrewdraper.co.za Wedding planner Colossal Productions | www.facebook.com/colossalproductionsatl Photographers Figure of 8 Photography| www.figureof8.co.za Videographer Bucketlist Studios | www.thebucketliststudios.com Wedding gown Valdrin Sahiti | www.valdrinsahiti.com Groom’s suit Suitability | www.suitability.co.za