Joseva Sokovagone Tuitubou and Letirina Lutu, who had originally planned to marry in December, exchanged vows yesterday in front of family and government officials at the Nasau Village Hall on Koro Island.
Their wedding was facilitated by Deputy Registrar General and marriage officer Viliame Kubunameca, who was visiting Koro Island with Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga and his team.
Lutu expressed her emotions when asked about the timing of their marriage. Hailing from Tuvuca Village in Vanuabalavu, Lau, she also has family ties to Naceva Village in Cicia. Lutu said, “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.” She added that she believed a civil marriage was sufficient and did not require a church ceremony.
Tuitubou shared 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, Kubunameca emphasized the significance of the couple’s vows, comparing marriage to sailing on an open sea with varied experiences. He advised, “Marriage is a voluntary union of one man and one woman with the total exclusion of others. 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.”