Joseva Sokovagone Tuitubou and Letirina Lutu, who were originally set to marry in December, exchanged vows yesterday in a ceremony attended by family members and government officials at the Nasau Village Hall on Koro Island.
The wedding was facilitated by Deputy Registrar General and marriage officer Viliame Kubunameca, who accompanied Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga on his visit to Koro Island in the Lomaiviti Group.
Emotions ran high as Ms. Lutu reflected on their journey. She hails from Tuvuca Village in Vanuabalavu, Lau, with family links 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 expressed.
“I always told him that we didn’t need a church ceremony, as long as we had a civil marriage,” she added.
Mr. Tuitubou expressed gratitude for the government’s efforts, stating, “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 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. He described marriage as a “voluntary union of one man and one woman with the total exclusion of others,” equating it to sailing through varying weather conditions.
“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,” he advised the couple.