OranjeEverAfter

Like all great love stories, it began with a spark: the kind that dances in the air and lingers like the promise of magic. It was 2016, the sun warm over Pretoria, and amidst the roar of a rugby crowd, Raegan spotted her. Zanele, radiant and unaware, was just a few rows ahead. In that moment, time slowed, and as Raegan tells it (or rather, as Zanele enjoys reminding everyone), he fell in love then and there. A year passed. Zanele was now in her royal era—Miss UJ, living her soft-life dreams. Fate, always fond of timing, brought them into each other’s orbit once more at another university game. This time, Tuks was playing, and their paths crossed in a way neither could quite recall. What they do remember is this: sometime after that encounter, one of them followed the other on Instagram, and the other followed back. It was subtle at first, but as every modern fairytale goes, hearts can meet long before words are exchanged. Then came THE message. Surrounded by his friends on a laid-back afternoon, Raegan declared, with the boldness only destiny can inspire, “If she replies, she’s my wife.” And reply she did. Love, like any good romcom, took its time. It wasn’t until May 2018 that the universe brought them together properly. After a unexpected road trip to Pretoria and a this time a hockey tournament where Raegan arrived fashionably late, a detail Zanele still loves to highlight; from the moment they finally connected, something just clicked. Their first date? A culinary classic: Uncle Faouzi’s Rapper Special because even student budgets can serve up romance when shared under campus lights chemistry and laughter. Zanele already considered them a couple. Raegan, ever the gentleman, made it official a few weeks later in June 2018 when he asked her to be his girlfriend. Since then, they’ve weathered storms long distance, lockdowns, and life’s unpredictable twists and yet their love has only grown more unshakable. Like any true fairytale, theirs is a love built not just on romance, but resilience, laughter, and the kind of friendship that lasts a lifetime. Like the best fairytales, theirs is one of laughter, loyalty, and love that endures. And now, with hearts full of gratitude and eyes fixed on forever, Raegan and Zanele are ready to begin their next chapter: "I Do."