Our story
How we got here
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Before we met
Closer than we knew
Johan grew up in Kimberley while Stellie was in Jacobsdal, a forty-five minute drive away. She moved to Bloemfontein in the early 2000s, and a few years later Johan moved there for his studies. Stellie then finished school in Pretoria, started studying, and ended up in Johannesburg, living in Linden. Johan moved to Linden for work, two or three streets away, neither of them aware of the other. Both eventually moved back to Pretoria, where they finally met.
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March 2024
First encounter
A brief encounter at the CrossFit Taniwha braai, after the last open workout of the year.
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May 2025
Reintroduced
Back at Taniwha, their training times started to overlap more and more, with Saturday workouts turning into a friendly contest to see who could out-do the other.
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June 2025
First padel
Stellie technically made the first move by inviting Johan to play. Throughout, Johan looked for every chance to partner up with her, followed by a braai with Stellie’s (and now Johan’s) friends.
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July 2025
Making it official
Johan worked up the courage, then introduced Stellie to both his siblings straight away, so she knew exactly what she was getting herself into. Every day since has been spent together, and very few of them have been quiet ones.
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Early August 2025
First competition as a team
Their first CrossFit competition together, which they won convincingly. Just saying.
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August 2025
First trip together
Magoebaskloof and the Kruger Park.
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September 2025
Meeting the brothers
Johan met Duraan, Stellie’s brother. His verdict to Derick afterwards: “Nice ou, lekker gekuier… speel nie golf nie.”
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December 2025
First family holidays
Golf with the Sieg brothers in Dullstroom, then Kleinmond with the Joostes.
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April 2026
Doing things backwards
The hunt for a wedding venue began, well before there was a ring.
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May 2026
First trip abroad
Luxembourg and Portugal with the Siegs. "Hy speel nou golf... oorsee"
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August 2026
The proposal
Back in Magoebaskloof. Johan had a semi-elaborate plan to ask her somewhere with a view along a hike, but Stellie had forgotten her hiking shoes, so he adapted.
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March 2027
The wedding
South Hill Vineyards, Elgin — a new chapter, celebrated with the people we love.
