Katlego and Tumelo Selikane say ‘I Do’
It all started with a DM.
Katlego and Tumelo Selikane’s love story didn’t just unfold — it was written in the stars. From a Twitter message that lay dormant for a year, to vows exchanged under a gentle rain shower, theirs is a journey marked by serendipity, depth, and unwavering connection. After seven years of nurturing a love rooted in honesty, communication, and divine timing, the Selikanes tied the knot in a celebration that was not only blessed, beautiful, and perfect — but profoundly theirs.
Their wedding day wasn’t just about a union — it was a declaration of purpose, love, and legacy. From the sacred symbolism embroidered into Tumelo’s suit, to a joyous starlit dinner where each table danced to its own soundtrack, the day reflected every part of their journey.
Now walking hand-in-hand into forever, the Selikanes define it not by perfection, but by intention: a commitment to grow, build, and pass on a love story destined to echo far beyond a single day.
Read their love story in our latest cover feature below.
Opening Reflections
“Written in the Stars” — can you take us back to the beginning? When did you first realise that this love was destined?
Katlego: Tumelo and I met via Twitter DM’s. He says that he realised that our love was destined after I responded to his DM after ghosting him for a year. He DM’d me in December of 2016 and then came back again in December of 2017. However, for me, I felt that we were destined to be with each other after dealing with a lot of harrowing challenges and going through our pregnancy and how connected we were throughout. It was two years into the relationship but just seeing us so young in the relationship and taking on as much as we did, made me feel like we really were destined to be with each other.
How would you describe the foundation of your relationship across those incredible seven years together?
Katlego: We believe it’s centred around honesty, communication and support for each other’s needs. That equation has gotten us through our best and challenging moments, and helped us build trust for one another. I believe that this has been the healthiest and safest love I’ve ever experienced romantically.
Seven is often seen as a symbol of completeness and divine perfection — did the number feel significant to you as you planned your future together?
Tumelo: Looking back, the number didn’t really have any significance in our lives until of course the birth of our daughter which was on the 7th of May when it really started to mean something. Then when Katlego wrote her vows, she really connected it all to something truly meaningful and sacred for us.
Katlego: I grew up with the number 7 being my favourite number and seeing it thread into my favourite moments has been special. It was not deliberate and I think that’s what makes it precious. In my vows I did pay ode to this.
The Journey to the Aisle
Your relationship once trended on social media, capturing so many hearts — what was it like navigating a love that was celebrated both privately and publicly?
Katlego & Tumelo: Well funny story… the first time it trended was literally one month into our relationship. Katlego (who was already active and had a large social media following at the time) was celebrating this milestone whilst Tumelo got a little baptism of fire with all the comments and notifications which was all new to him. We didn’t think we’d be in the spotlight, but since then, it’s been heartwarming to know that there are people that remember that moment and still follow us and stand in our corner in support of relationship until today. And it’s also been special to have our relationship create a positive idea of longevity in love.
In terms of how this affects us privately, it’s been quite a relief that we have not looked to social media standards or how we are perceived on social media to change our dynamics and how we relate to one another.
Looking back, were there any particular milestones in your journey that felt like a “preview” of the life you knew you would one day build together?
Katlego: Definitely our pregnancy – it was during Covid, Tumelo’s career had crumbled under his feet in a matter of weeks after being promoted and we had moved into our new apartment in Melrose. I was a first year medical intern and I was constantly stressed out and exhausted and it just didn’t feel like an ideal time to be pregnant. We had so many challenges throughout but seeing us overcome them and in the manner we did, made me reassured that we can do life together. And we can do it well, not barely surviving but thriving.
What lessons or values have anchored your relationship over the years, especially in moments away from the spotlight?
Tumelo: Recognising that we simply just need to be there for each in moments of need and despair and having each other’s backs.
Katlego: Having trust and respect for one another and most importantly expressing empathy. I think when we truly struggle is when we don’t extend empathy and grace to each other. When we don’t see each other beyond the roles we are expected to play. When the inner child is not regarded.
And lastly, our community has been crucial to our growth. We constantly conduct social audits because the environment you place your relationship in and the people in it can make or break it.
The Wedding Day
You described your wedding in three words: blessed, beautiful, perfect. What made the day feel like such a divine moment for you both?
Katlego & Tumelo: When everything came together just how we imagined and curated. We didn’t realise it at the time but everyone says it was a beautiful moment to have the rain shower down as we walked down the aisle. So to relive that moment, we appreciate and love the symbolism as well as the connection to God in what was a moment that will define us for the rest of our lives.
Was there a moment during the wedding that felt especially surreal, almost as if time stood still?
Tumelo: It was definitely was when the doors to the chapel opened and I set foot down the aisle – no words can truly explain the emotion I felt.
Katlego: This is retrospective because I failed to connect in the moment: but it was when I walked towards the aisle, rain just started pouring down on me. I was a little annoyed because I didn’t want the rain, and my dad was crying and then the doors opened and everyone was there and Tumelo was at the altar, it was pretty overwhelming to a point that I stopped half way down the aisle so that I could take it in.
Tell us about any special elements woven into the ceremony or reception that held personal or symbolic meaning for you.
Katlego: There were actually quite a few, but one of them definitely has to be the “voice over” that Tumelo was surprised by. It brought tears to his eyes whilst standing at the altar.
Another moment would be our special “totem” which is the insect “Grasshopper” (there a whole story behind that IYKYK 😅) which was embroidered in Tumelo’s suit Jacket – a closed loop from the word being engraved in my engagement ring.
We also had a quiz which allowed our guests to get to know us better and we played a “movie” of us answering the questions. It was not perfect because of the sound but it got the room so energised.
Sibu Mabena gave us a great idea to make the dinner service fun because we served a buffett instead of plated. So instead of calling out table numbers (which we didn’t even have, we used the names of stars 🤣) we assigned songs to each table and we had Maremo the violinist play the songs and it was a magical moment, people were dancing and so excited to get up, they were singing along. Loooooved it!
Lastly, I think the idea of breaking away from the traditional MC experience and doing pop up MC’s (my bizarre idea), so instead of having 1 we had about 4/5. We specifically handpicked our close friends that had played significant roles in our lives. It also kept our guests guessing as we didn’t provide them with a program and they didn’t know what to expect – it played out beautifully and they were so “present” in the moment. It was also beautiful to see our friends show up for us in this way and we’ll be eternally grateful to them.
The cheat code here is that if you are struggling to choose one friend to do the friend speech, the pop up mc approach can help you make your friends feel like they are contributing without making the program too long.
If you could bottle the feeling of your wedding day and keep it forever, what would you name that feeling?
Katlego: Not sure if this is a feeling, but the word “Purpose” would best encapsulate that day.
What advice would you give to couples who are waiting for their own “written in the stars” moment?
Katlego & Tumelo: Curate the day to tell your story, and make sure it’s YOUR dream wedding, not Pinterest or family. Create your own rules and your own traditions, and trust in God and put him in the detail.
Looking Ahead
Now that you’ve said “I do”, what are you most excited about as you step into this new chapter together?
Katlego & Tumelo: Building on what we have already started, creating a solid foundation for Nia and pouring into our shared name. Seeing us reach more milestones together and just grow in the safety of the love we have nurtured.
On a lighter side, we are both curators at heart, and love creating experiences so one day we want to build our dream boutique hotel together.
In one sentence, how would you define forever now that you’ve found it in each other?
Katlego & Tumelo: Forever looks like the culmination of two people who are driven by purpose and a desire to continue a legacy of love and benevolence.
