Campus sweethearts -
Groom’s dad picks out wedding dress
THEIR meeting could have been straight out of a scene from a romantic comedy.
First-year BSc student Sitha Ramsuchit caught the eye of commerce student Yasigen Naidoo when she tried to sink a nine-ball at the campus pool table while wearing high-heeled boots.
Sitha chuckled as she recalled: “It didn’t even strike me that Yasi was trying to make his moves on me. He even asked me for my number, but I didn’t give it to him.”
It took a mutual friend to open Sitha’s eyes to what was happening.
The student gave Yasigen her phone number and the two — who are now 25 — began their courtship.
Yasigen, who now works as an auditor, moved from Durban to Pretoria about eight years ago, around the same time that Sitha moved from her family home in Ladysmith to study at the University of Pretoria.
She says their courtship was very special, particularly because Yasigen’s family took her into their lives.
And this despite Sitha eating so much of her future mother-in-law’s legendary food at their first meeting that she was sick — in Theresa Naidoo’s car.
Luckily, Theresa was wonderful about the incident, said Sitha.
Yasigen finally proposed at midnight on New Year 2013. “We went to church to bring in the new year, and at the stroke of midnight he went down on one knee to propose to a very unsuspecting me.”
Of course she said yes and their wedding was set for June 14 this year.
“We were very fortunate in having Yasi’s mom plan and co-ordinate the wedding. However, we would say that planning a wedding in Durban from Gauteng is no easy task.”
They had two invites — an electronic one designed by a friend and a hard copy for family and friends.
Choosing the wedding dress was also memorable. Sitha was uncertain about her first choice and when Yasigen’s parents came into the shop to see, “Uncle Vish asked me to try one on”.
She said the dress didn’t appeal to her at first. “But I tried it on and fell in love instantly. Before trying it on, though, I remember Uncle Vish saying that was the type of dress he envisioned me in. And I must say, his vision was spot-on. I know that the dress he chose was the best.”
The couple were married in Durban in a Christian ceremony in front of 280 family and friends.
“We wanted to have a fun, joyous and memorable day for the guests and ourselves. We decided to invite guests who have had a positive impact in our lives, which ultimately resulted in close friends and family being invited,” said Sitha.
Their colour scheme was dusty pink, aubergine and grey.
For the groom, seeing his bride walking down the aisle is a moment he will cherish forever.
That moment came for Sitha when she heard Yasigen make his vows.
“I thought Yasi looked absolutely handsome. He made my heart skip a beat. He said that all he thought when he saw me was that he never saw anyone so beautiful.”
At the reception, the couple opened the dancing to Angel of Mine by Monica, after cutting their four-tier wedding cake. The white cake was decorated with purple flowers down one side and had figurines of a groom on bended knee in front of his bride on the top.
After the celebration, the couple spent two nights at the Sibaya hotel and will go on honeymoon later this year — to a destination Yasigen is still keeping a secret.
The couple gave their guests plant kits, which included soil, seeds and a biodegradable pot. These were put into custom-made gift bags with the message “love grows best in the care of family and friends” followed by instructions on how to grow the plant.
And it seems that this bug — the love bug — will be good for blossoming relationships.
How he describes her: Sitha is short and sweet, kind, caring, a treasure — a true gift from God.
How she describes him: Yasi is caring, loving, supportive, helpful and funny.