This South African Wedding Started on the Beach, Moved to the Winelands, and Ended in the Mountains
Funnily, physical therapy brought Tanya Masiyiwa and Lethabo Molobi together. The two met on June 5 in the summer of 2021 when one of Tanya’s sisters had an injury and Lethabo was the medic that treated her. “During one of her treatment sessions, she introduced us,” Tanya explains. “Who knew that simple introductions would be the beginning of our fairytale?” Tanya and Lethabo started dating on July 12, during the height of the pandemic, which meant they got to spend a lot of time together right from the beginning. “We were able to do a couple years worth of dating in just a few months,” Tanya, who is a philanthropist and business executive, says. “The chemistry was electric.”
The couple were engaged the following summer, after Lethabo proposed at The Ivy Chelsea Garden in London. “He professed his love for me and wrote this beautiful poem about how he really didn’t want to do this life thing with anyone else but me,” Tanya remembers. “While reading it, he slipped the ring across the table—and the moment I saw it, I was at a complete loss for words. I had never seen something so beautiful that meant so much.”
After the proposal, Lethabo guided Tanya on a stroll down Oakley Street to the famous “Love” door in London, where they took photos. Tanya was living in London and studying at Cambridge at the time, and Lethabo was based in Johannesburg. “I still can’t believe he flew halfway across the world to ask me to marry him with no guarantee of me saying yes,” Tanya admits. “I wish to have such courage in my life.”
The wedding took place over three days in December in South Africa, a country that has always held great significance to both Tanya and Lethabo. Some of the groom’s family were imprisoned on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, while Tanya’s parents—her father is the Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa—are committed to helping improve the lives of children living in underprivileged communities across Africa. “This motivated them to take the giving pledge, founded by Bill Gates and Warren, and promise to give away a significant portion of their wealth during and after their lifetimes to uplift the lives of people living in poverty,” Tanya explains. The bride’s job as part of the family charity, Delta Philanthropies, is to manage funding and ensure their work impacts as many lives as possible. Because of all this, South Africa was much more than just a wedding destination—it is a location that will always be near and dear to their hearts.
To showcase all that South Africa has to offer, the wedding weekend started on the beach, then the Winelands, and ended in the mountains. “Most of the guests were international so we wanted to curate each day to give them a different experience of the Western Cape,” Tanya says. The couple worked with Anne Mann of Anne Mann Celebrations to plan the entire weekend, while Heike Hayward of Fleur le Cordeur oversaw the flowers, and Hanru Marais handled photography. “Planning started off really fun, and it was something Lethabo and I could bond over after a long day in the office—but it quickly became stressful especially as we grew closer to the day,” Tanya shares. “I’m pretty sure we were still planning on our wedding day!”
The celebrations officially kicked off on the beach in Cape Town with a traditional ceremony. It was the coming together of two cultures—the Shona people of Zimbabwe on the bride’s side, and the Tswana people of Botswana and South Africa on the groom’s side. For this ceremony, Lethabo wore a custom Tswana-inspired suit. “This meant he could express himself while still honoring his heritage,” Tanya notes. The creation was brought to life with the help of Kevin Zhou.
The next morning started with a private Christian ceremony officiated by Pittsburgh-based Bishop Joseph Garlington Sr. in the Manor House at Quoin Rock. For the third ceremony later that day, the bride wore Viktor Rolf and jewelry by Anabela Chan. “For the rest of the wedding looks, I wanted to pay homage to the beauty of African culture and support emerging African designers,” Tanya says. “This was inspired by my little sister Joanna, who has launched her fashion brand Amayi. She designed the dresses for the bridal party, for the welcome ceremony, as well as the mother-of-the-bride ceremony look.”
Lethabo went very traditional with his sartorial choices, sticking to the timelessness of a 007-inspired look with a white blazer and black pants tuxedo combination. “When I saw Lethabo at the end of the aisle, it felt as though there was no one else there but us,” Tanya says. “The wedding ceremony was completely surreal.”
After the ceremony, the newlyweds joined their family members for some time alone before joining their guests. “This was one of the more special moments because it all really sunk in,” Tanya says. “And, we were able to have our loved ones with us.”
Meanwhile, guests had an opportunity to take the afternoon to rest and change before the evening reception, which was held in a glass marquee featuring an art gallery and secret after-party club. The bride’s reception dress was custom designed by Ese Azenabor, a New York– and Dallas–based Nigerian designer, who incorporated crystals and beading embellishments throughout the bodice. The groom wore a Dolce Gabbana double-breasted tuxedo, which allowed him to showcase his unconventional style.
After freshening up, guests were treated to a pre-reception packed with entertainment. There was a saxophonist, African dances, marimbas, and a DJ. “It was a party before the party and guests were unaware of what was coming next,” Tanya says. “At a particular time, guest were ushered to the reception along a wooden path across a little stream to the structure that we had built [for the reception]. As they arrived, they found their names displayed in the entrance as they were walking through an art gallery. Lethabo, the bridal party, and I entered the reception in steps. Steps is a traditional way of entering a room where the bridal party does a dance. Each step is unique to a person’s wedding."
From the MC to the DJs, Tanya and Lethabo worked with the top talent in South Africa. “Our MC, Maps Maponyane, is one of the most well-known presenters in Africa,” Tanya explains.
During the reception, there was also a live band. At this point, the reception felt more like an after-party. During one of the songs, a curtain dropped, revealing popular amapiano DJ Major League on stage. “We provided slippers for women to change out of their heels,” Tanya says. “And the waiters wore masks to give a an elegant carnival feel.” Late night snacks like burgers and pizzas were served, and there were ice cream and crème brûlée stations, plus a tequila fountain. This was followed by a lineup of other performances including Soul Nativez. “We stuck to the genre Amapiano for the first few hours, and then had a diverse playlist afterwards,” Tanya says. “And, the party went until 4 a.m.”
The day after, the wedding guests gathered once more for an afternoon brunch hosted in a small town in the mountains of the Western Cape. “Seeing and hearing about our wedding from other people gave us such amazing insight,” Tanya remembers. “We are so blessed and grateful to have been able to have our dream wedding but also share it with those we hold dearest.”
Photo: Vivid Blue Photography1/66In Tswana tradition, the groom’s family welcomes the bride with song and dance. The song they sang was translated: “Where did you hide such a beautiful bride.” I wore a Tswana-inspired custom dress designed by Amayi London. The dress was created with layers of pleating and beading. –Tanya
Photo: Vivid Blue Photography2/66A modern African setting on the Cape Town beach for the welcome ceremony.
