- Joburg couple, Lucia and Teboho Mahlako, got married in 2019, and their love story is sure to make any hopeless romantic's heart melt.
- Before they started dating, they met in church while the bride was not dating anyone, and had no intention to do so unless it was a man she'd eventually marry.
- When they got serious in their relationship, they had a meeting with their parents to let them know they are together and intended to commit to one another. This was long before the groom proposed.
- Today, they are married and raising their two boys in a loving home.
Meet Johannesburg couple, 29-year-old Lucia Mahlako and 27-year-old Teboho Mahlako. The couple met in church in 2019 but there were no fireworks or love at first sight for them.
“We didn’t become instant friends, we just occupied the same space for a long time before we became friends,” Lucia says sharing the details of her relationship, engagement and wedding with W24.
Over the years they got to know each other and the bond started to form until they officially started dating in July 2018. They dated for eleven months before Teboho popped the question. He proposed to Lucia on her birthday, 29 June 2019, at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens.
“We had gone to Soweto to the Hector Pieterson Museum, which was on her to-do-list, and we roamed around Vilakazi street. After viewing the Mandela house we headed to the Botanical Gardens and the rest is history,” he says.
READ MORE | Couple, who were set up by their mothers, ties the knot after winning two wedding competitions
Are you newly married? Tell us your story here.
Speaking of the proposal, Lucia says it was an ordinary outing with her partner and their friends until one of her friends directed them on how pose for pictures, only to land them in a position where Teboho was on one knee.
“The next thing I knew our friends were taking pictures of Teboho and me. One of them directed us and told us how to pose. We were standing with our backs against each other and they told us to hug. When I turned he was on his knee and he popped the question,” she says.
At first, Lucia went blank and then screamed out of excitement and shock. Then she cried as her emotions were all over the place even though she knew they'd get married at some point in their lives.
READ MORE | Six years on, high school sweethearts tie the knot in stunning intimate wedding for 50
Lucia's sister was just as ecstatic as the bride-to-be and cried with the bride as she witnessed the beautiful moment. Their parents were also happy with the news as they were already fond of the groom, and likely expected that one day the two would marry. This is because long before engagement day, the couple had sat their parents down, informed them about their relationship and let them know that they intended to commit to each other.
"It was for accountability and transparency. As a young man I was done playing games and living an indecisive life as it related to relationships and dating. I was ready to completely surrender my my life to this woman whom I was learning to love," Teboho says.
Lucia was very fixed on her priorities and goals and unwavering about her standards on sexual purity and waiting till marriage. "It was tough for me as a man but I knew it was the right thing to do. I can definitely attest that waiting for marriage is one of the best things we could have done for our marriage and future," he says.
Planning their big day was a bit of a challenge for the couple because they had differences during the process but what kept them sane and focused was the love they have for each other. The big day was six months after the engagement.
The couple lead very focused lives and have lot of shared values especially when it came to their spirituality, hence they were comfortable and joyful about getting married. “I had peace about marrying Teboho as I waited nine years without dating. I made it my choice not to date anyone except my future husband,” Lucia says.
READ MORE | Huge waves wash over wedding 5 minutes before Hawaii beach ceremony begins
Their wedding was held at Everwood wedding venue in Muldersdrift. The bride’s stunning mermaid wedding gown was designed by Mubarak Designers and her bridesmaids’ dresses were designed by Nothando.
After tying the knot the couple won a 3-night stay honeymoon at Mokoya Lodge and also got an offer to go to Margate from Pink Book who runs all sorts of competitions for couples.
In the years to come, the couple hopes to achieve great communication within their marriage and to see their two sons grow up to be respectful boys.