Just as in the Liquideep song, varsity sweethearts Rouge and Macmillan Mabaleka’s love story started with a text.

The meeting

Mac: We met in 2013 at the University of Pretoria. I was a year ahead of her and studying drama and film. The first time we laid eyes on each other was when we went for an audition. We ended up getting our parts and she played my mother. Since we had to rehearse we ended up spending time together, which allowed us to grow closer.

Rouge: He is from Zimbabwe and had to go home at the end of the semester. But before he left, he sent me a BBM [BlackBerry Messenger] just to say goodbye. I found that quite amazing; that he’d thought of me before he left. On his return, we ended up speaking every single day. He would often stay up with me over the phone until I fell asleep.

The friendship

Rouge: We became super close in 2014, but he wouldn’t make a move. All the girls on campus liked him, he was a hot commodity and, because I had never dated, I understood when he took his time. I was in no rush. But I knew I liked him, I even told my sister that he was the one and I might have to tell our parents about him. Everyone on campus thought we were dating, even the lecturers asked. However, he didn’t ask me out for a year!

Valentine’s Day

Rouge: I was asked to perform and that’s when my rap career took off. I got up on stage and, to my surprise, spotted him in the room. Shocked! I went blank and started freestyling. I ended up crying because I was basically confessing my love to a man in a pool of people. Afterwards I rushed off stage and called my mom to come pick me up. When I got home, he called me and asked if I would be his Valentine.

Mac: I didn’t get the hint that she was talking about me on stage. When I got home, it sunk in and I knew I had to do something about it.

The dating life

Rouge: I was new to dating and didn’t quite know what to expect. I watched a few movies to get an idea of what happens on dates, but I love how Mac just made it easier for both of us to enjoy. I learnt a lot about him and myself during this phase in our lives.

The lightbulb moment

Mac: When I first met her, I had no idea who Rouge was, I just knew her as Barbara [real name Deko Barbara-Jessica Wedi]. I then got to witness her growing in the music industry and go through her glow-up. I was there helping her push and last year — our 10th year of knowing each other — I knew she was the one for me. What’s funny is that I knew I was going to marry her a decade ago. On 27 February 2014, I wrote the words “Will You Marry Me” on a token that I gave her.

 The proposal

Mac: Before I could plan the proposal, I had to ask for her family’s permission. So, she already knew I wanted to make her my wife. After getting her father’s approval, I got her nephew and niece to help orchestrate the whole thing. They had to take pictures and distract her a bit.

That day, we both got baptised and I wanted to ask her in front of everyone at church, but I didn’t want that moment to overshadow the baptisms. So, I waited until we got to her home. In front of everyone, I went down on one knee and gave her back that token I’d written 10 years ago. 

Rouge: He took back the token a couple of days after he first gave it to me. He said he wanted to keep it safe and would give it back to me when the time [was right] ... Because he’d asked me not to open it back then, I never knew what was written inside. I was so happy that he finally asked and that my family was there to witness it all.

Lobola negotiations

Rouge: It was quite challenging because my family are here in South Africa and his are in Zimbabwe. Our cultures are different. He is Ndebele and I’m Congolese. There was a bit of a back and forth with my uncles until they came to an understanding. The process was a culture shock.

Traditional wedding

Rouge: Since we couldn’t have many people at our white wedding, we turned our lobola-negotiations day, 2 December 2023, into a traditional wedding that we celebrated at The Bamboo in Pretoria East.

White wedding

Mac: On 9 December last year we had our main wedding at the Chez Charlene wedding venue in Pretoria. That day was the best day of my life. I was the happiest man.

Rouge: I was the happiest that day. I loved how happy everyone was for us. We danced, had performances, and really celebrated our union. My dad and I didn’t even get to do our dance because of all the fun we were having.

The dress

Rouge: I had so many ideas of how my dress should be. I was going from one boutique to another and started getting worried when I wasn’t finding what I was looking for. One day, when I was with my sister and mother, we walked into a boutique in Pretoria and the moment I fit my dress, I was in tears because I knew I had found the perfect dress. I went for a detailed mermaid dress that made me feel like Barbara and not Rouge. Urban Zulu designed my traditional dress and his suit. We wanted to look regal and chic and he nailed it.

Tips for the bride

Rouge: Don’t get frustrated when things aren’t coming together. Go back to the plan and see how you can make it work. Don’t forget, the wedding is your moment as a couple more than anyone else’s.

Tips for the groom

Mac: The process of planning a wedding isn’t easy. While you may have systems in place, the most important thing is to never forget to enjoy every stage of it.