Zimpapers Logo

Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Lifestyle Writer
The story of how a marriage was initiated is one a couple wears on their sleeves for the rest of their lives. Unlike in the old times where proposals used to happen in private, technology has involved more people in the processes. For the past months, social media had pictures of lovebirds showing marriage proposals and engagements.

Whether it is strategy or coincidence, some lovers have been lucky to gain popularity and subsequent donations to aid their impending ceremonies.

“Will you marry me?”

Countless girls are waiting for their mate to pop this very question, and the men are freaking out over how they will ask.

Some of the best marriage proposals are sweet and simple, and others are so elaborate it’s hard to plan a wedding that can actually top the excitement of the big question.

For gents it is true that once you’ve find the love of your life, you have to know the perfect words to say when you go down on one knee.

The only thing left before popping the question is picking the best place to propose.

Not to pile on the pressure, but your engagement story is one that will likely be shared for years to come with friends and family — and strangers, too! — so if ever there was a time to up the romance factor, it’s now.

Again, back in the days or still the issue of engagement is much of a surprise thing or most to say, believable in the white community, as according to some law, the rule of engagement should last not more than six months before the wedding.

Growing up, love birds were known to go and submit their token (nhumbi) from a boy to the girl’s aunt and it was much a respectable issue compared to now, where love birds go on with their plans in the presence of friends.

Who is to blame on such predicament ?

Do we still have the “tetes” or they have been replaced by social media?

Imagine, finding out about your daughter’s proposal on social media, as a parent what would you do?

Here are some of the trendiest engagement proposals surveyed by Saturday Herald Lifestyle, of which some of them, their stories have been told.

Belinda Nyoni and Makhosana Mguni
It is just the case that this couple has become celebrities overnight. Their story is already on the public domain after South African-based engraving specialist Makhosana Mguni proposed to Belinda Nyoni at a Chicken Inn outlet.

They later got the social media attention as their picture went viral resulting in well-wishers and some corporates not only congratulating them but started supporting, donating to them ahead of their lobola and wedding settings.

For the couple, it may appear to be a blessing that many are being generous towards them.

However, it appears some brands may have gotten excitement and pledged goodies despite having a questionable track record to deliver.

We won’t dwell much on fake promises and unreal pledges but Nyoni said she was much surprised with the gesture taken by Makhosana.

“I wasn’t expecting it, what we had planned on that day was to go for photo shoot after our meal.  Like any girl I was happy and soon after, the pledges and responses were awesome,” she said.

Nyoni said of all the pledges, she said they had agreed that Makhosana should pay lobola on his own as planned before, not rely on sponsors and donors.

“We had many well-wishers and Chicken Inn offered us wedding gifts. We are still to decide when to get married together,” she said.

Asked about her dream wedding, what would she want it to look like considering she has so many freebies, she said she is still in shock and yet to decide what to work with.

The couple got a donation of wedding gowns, cakes, groom and groomsmen suits, motor vehicles to use on the wedding day, food and décor among others. What is missing is the ring, of which it is justified, the groom should fork out and buy the ring because it should come from the heart.

The couple said they prefer being normal people rather than the celebrity status they are being given.

“We haven’t changed and we certainly don’t see ourselves as celebrities. It’s just fun having all the attention, frenzy and meeting people we haven’t met. It’s like a dream,” said Makhosana.

Well, just like how the engagement went viral, many await the “royal-national” wedding as some had described it though the couple prefer it to be simple.

All eyes are on the pledges and what the couple decides to go with.

Obvious they can’t have five cakes on their wedding day, unless they decide to move with the times.

Fingers still crossed.

Nunurai Ndawana and Ruvimbo Gumbonzvanda
Just like the above mentioned couple, these too are not popular but they got the public eye on their engagement day. The two have been dating for six years and it took Ndawana to kneel down and ask for her hand in marriage.

This time, it was done on an 800m skywalk at the Mutarazi Falls in Nyanga.

Ndawana with the help of a tour guide recorded the moments and later posted the video clip on social media.

The video went viral on Instagram and they became famous.

“I enjoyed the adventure in Nyanga. The place is so cool. I was walking in front at the skywalk and when I was at the far end side of the long bridge, he called my name though scared and nervous at the same time I turned around and I saw that he was on one knee,” Gumbonzvanda said.

Ndawana said although his fiancée said yes, initially that wasn’t the actual plan for the event to take place.

“My first plan was to propose in Victoria Falls but because of some logistics beyond our control, I ended up talking to guys from Visit Zimbabwe in the planning of everything. We took a long drive. So we got to the far end side and I proposed to her on our way back,” he said.

Ndawana said he can’t disclose the total amount of the proposal including the ring but only said he bought from Aurex Jewellery.

Nyasha Mushekwi and Arsema Ghebrehiwot
Chinese-based Zimbabwean footballer Nyasha Mushekwi got engaged to his stunning Swedish sweetheart Arsema Ghebrehiwot.

The couple who had been on vacation within the Seychelles took a helicopter ride to one of the many Indian Ocean island’s most stunning spots, sandwiched between mountains, for the engagement ceremony.

Photos have since emerged displaying Mushekwi on one knee and about to plant the engagement ring into the finger of his Swedish sweetheart.

Different photos of the love birds, with their arms locked to one another, having the time of their life in opposition to a backdrop of a astonishing waterfall are also awash on social media.

Varaidzo Nyakunika and Eliah
Model-cum musician Varaidzo in June last year made headlines after her boyfriend now hubby proposed to her at Sam Levy Village, Borrowdale.

Here is what she posted, “So this is how it happened. Having been with this man for five years, I know how much he doesn’t enjoy being around too many people especially for special occasions like his birthday.

“So it was total shock that he wanted to host our closest friends and family for lunch on his birthday.

“That’s when I knew something was up. He started talking about hiring a videographer to film the lunch. Everyone knows that Eliah stays as far away from cameras as possible and this makes me more suspicious.

“On the day of the lunch, I was dressed up in one of my dresses, he told me to change and to wear white jeans and white shirt which I wasn’t too keen to wear but just because it was his birthday.

“We were seated having lunch and he went outside and came back with disturbing call and told me to go outside. I went outside and his eyes were red and then, boom, he proposed with my music playing in the background and big screen outside with message,” read the post.