Joseva Sokovagone Tuitubou and Letirina Lutu, who had initially planned to marry in December, tied the knot yesterday at the Nasau Village Hall on Koro Island in the presence of relatives and government officials.
The wedding was facilitated by Deputy Registrar General and marriage officer Viliame Kubunameca, who accompanied the Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga, on his visit to Koro Island in the Lomaiviti Group.
Ms. Lutu expressed her emotions when asked if they had anticipated getting married yesterday. She hails from Tuvuca Village in Vanuabalavu, Lau, and has maternal ties to Naceva Village in Cicia.
“When we started living together, I always reminded my now-husband that we needed to get married because we have two children and we live in the village. To be married today is a dream come true for me,” Ms. Lutu shared. “I always told him that we didn’t need to get married in a church, as long as we had a civil marriage.”
Mr. Tuitubou expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am thankful that the Government brought the service to the people. It makes it easier for us and we don’t have to pay for the fare to go to Suva to get married. I am happy this happened, and I will cherish my wife and our two children.”
During the ceremony, Mr. Kubunameca emphasized the significance of their vows, explaining, “Marriage is a voluntary union of one man and one woman with the total exclusion of others. Marriage is like sailing in an open sea, experiencing different weather patterns. There will be times when the sea will be rough, smooth, and sometimes you will love the sail; that is how marriage is.”
He also provided advice for a harmonious marriage, stating, “There are rules in a happy marriage: never yell at each other unless the house is on fire, never bring up past mistakes, never be angry at the same time, criticize each other lovingly, and never go to bed with an argument unsettled.”