A love journey that started all the way in 1979 between Mildred Shubane (46) and Eric Shubane (47) has culminated in marriage this past Sunday on Our Perfect Wedding.
The couple from Boksburg, East of Johannesburg, met in town when they were only about seven and eight years old. Mildred was catching a taxi on her own while Eric was accompanied by his mother.
Mildred's independence left Eric in awe, that sparked an interest in him. However the duo only started dating a few years later. But in 1982, the pair lost contact when Eric visited Gauteng.
"When I arrived back home, I found her house vacant. There were no phones back then, so I couldn't call her," said Eric, and was therefore left with no way of finding her. But 4 years on, fate brought them back together and 39 years later, the couple are now parents of four.
They had planned to celebrate their wedding in 2012 but that idea failed due to the bride's mother's passing. But now they finally walk down the aisle to say their I dos.
Mildred shares a special bond with her daughter. So sweet that she shares a dance with her. https://t.co/sTEXSwjQgZ #OurPerfectWedding pic.twitter.com/ndXvWRFxz6
— Our Perfect Wedding (@OPWMzansi) April 8, 2018 For their eldest daughter, their big day signifies the purest meaning of love because in her eyes they were kept together by love and not marriage. "It means a lot to me to witness this day," she said.
Onto the celebration, the theme colours were gold, white and a touch of glass done by the now very popular decor supplier Molly.
WATCH: Sis Molly has outdone herself. Mildred and Eric say the décor looks like it was crafted in heaven. https://t.co/UrVI6uNzlb #OurPerfectWedding pic.twitter.com/q4z09U5heZ
— Our Perfect Wedding (@OPWMzansi) April 8, 2018 The reception hall was draped in white and yellow which left the bride in wonder. "It was just unbelievable. She really knows her stuff," said Mildred.
Their garden reception was dominated by yellow and a lot of greens, creating very fresh environment to say their vows.
The bride wore a ballgown dress, with a Chinese collar design, and flower and diamond embroidery on the top part. Her six bridesmaids wore yellow and silver dresses chosen by the wedding planner.
Eric on the other hand wore a cream suit, yes cream, a black glittery shirt and finished the look off with a white tie. His groomsmen were in multiple types of suits with some wearing black suits, white shirts and yellow ties, some grey jackets and the best man wore a white tuxedo.
Walking down the aisle, Eric was astonished by her wife's transformation. "when she walked down the aisle, she looked so different. Her dress was beautiful, she looked like a doll," he said.
And even after so long together, the couple exchanged their vows, promising to stay committed to each other.
"I feel like a man among men," said Eric.
Their wedding was graced by about 500 people, 250 catered for inside the hall while the other 250 outside. And because of the large number, extra catering had to be organized.
The only mishap for the day was when they fetched the cake, the daughter realized the bottom part was destroyed but managed to keep it together somehow.
Check out Mildred and Eric’s wedding pictures here https://t.co/1vuCJtuSOY #OurPerfectWedding pic.twitter.com/drqbxovxAP
— Our Perfect Wedding (@OPWMzansi) April 8, 2018"It was our desire to have a white wedding, but we didn't know where to begin. But she (daughter) is the one who showed us how to go about it. That's where we saw that God had blessed us with a smart daughter," said Eric thanking their daughter.
The end of the reception marks the end of the day’s activities and the Shubane’s agree that this was their perfect wedding. https://t.co/sTEXSwjQgZ #OurPerfectWedding pic.twitter.com/WKib4tlwGw
— Our Perfect Wedding (@OPWMzansi) April 8, 2018 The couple changed into their traditional attires and the rest of the day was spent in dancing and celebrating their special day. In the end, the couple declared that this was their perfect 'slay' wedding