By Nobuhle Nleya
Most people believe that once you have children, full-time jobs, and trying to hustle on the side, you might as well stop dreaming of a wedding, flowers, and endless calls with the caterer. With this couple, their love story is not only a reflection of how all things beautiful eventually work together but also a sign of how resilience, determination, and love eventually birth a solid and exciting marriage.
Natalie and Archibald, are your typical high school sweetheart, with, of course, Archibald being the dreamy, handsome sports player that every girl can only dream to date. Our miss Natalie at the time, finally got the privilege to be part of the young sportsman’s life and fast-forward to 20 December 2021, finally tied the knot to be Mr. and Mrs. Chimbuya.
Romantic isn’t it? Well, like any love story with a realistic journey, trials and tribulations spice up the story. The journey to the aisle was not an easy one, seeing that our couple quickly become parents to their first child during their teen years. As if that wasn’t enough, due to instabilities in the economy gathering funds for lobola and other monetary requirements was not easy. Henceforth, the idea of getting married was not a top priority. The couple tried to come up with means of how to make money and at least have a decent life for themselves and their firstborn. Our lovebirds went as far as being based in South Africa for a certain point in time for both educational and employment purposes. The journey certainly was not an easy one but through their commitment to one other, they eventually fulfilled the desires of their heart.
Initially, our lovebirds had decided to just have a court wedding with no celebrations afterward, but a sudden change of heart had the bride planning a wedding dinner in a short space of five days! Our dear Natalie managed to pull off an entire celebration with close friends and family and still manage to enjoy her day. The bride had originally planned her wedding the previous year, in 2020, but failed to see it through because she fell sick. It was devasting, seeing how she had already bought décor props and even the bridesmaids’ dresses. Fortunately, this did not go to waste as the same items she had previously bought were the ones she used for her wedding this year.
The wedding colour themes were navy blue, gold, and dusty pink. Her bridal team was comprised of her relatives, talk about supporting one of your own. The little bridesmaids looked marvelous and elegant in their dresses and were ready to share their happiness with the bride and groom.
The short-planned yet elegant wedding was set in a beautiful yard at a house in the couple’s neighborhood. The décor and catering were all handled by a local events company that certainly did an exquisite job and managed to create just the right perfect wedding for the couple.
When asked what advice the bride could give to future brides, she stated that she encourages brides to relax. “Stressing about the planning of a wedding may take away the essence and excitement of the actual wedding therefore giving your best and working with family members that are willing to make your day a success makes the planning of the wedding easier,” she said.
