Love always blossoms into something beautiful when it is carefully nurtured. For Usa Baleilautoka, 27, and Miriama Beratabua, 25, this blooming process lasted a good eight years before they decided they were ready to unite in marriage on August 11, 2023.
While Usa is from Susui, Vanuabalavu in Lau, his wife is from Namata, Raralevu in Tailevu.
The pair first met in high school when Usa attended Kelston Boys High School and Miriama at Kelston Girls College in Auckland.
“Usa first noticed me when I walked past his high school gate and I first noticed him when he would hang out with my older brother after school,” Miriama shared.
“His first impression was ‘wow, I really want to see her walk past this gate everyday while my impression was ‘OMG his dimples, and he was super kind as he was interested when making a conversation with me.”
Miriama said their dating stage was always fun. They often did things to ensure they were together most of the time even though that meant missing school or classes.
“We would go on holidays together, try new eating spots together and just enjoyed each other’s company.
“Usa soon moved to Japan for rugby but we kept in touch all the time.”
She knew he was the one for her because he would always put her happiness first before others and made sure she was heard and seen.
“For Usa, he realised I was the one for him through constant encouragement to better him as a person and in his career, helping a family member of his to settle into Auckland by arranging job offers, offering up my home and helping with that family member’s transition in a new country.”
Conquering their first year of long-distance relationship deepened their understanding of how much they loved each other.
“It just felt so easy and transparent. We did not feel worried or insecure about the other person and really learnt to communicate about anything and everything.”
After the traditional wedding proposal called i lakovi, planning the wedding took off straight afterwards. The couple made decisions about everything together.
“I did most of the liaison, with a friend in Fiji as well as with Usa’s family members,” Miriama said.
“We wanted a simple classic wedding with a simple colour palette of nude, beige, sage green, emerald, green, and white.”
The wedding ceremony took place at the historic Centenary Methodist Church in Suva followed by a reception at Harbour Point Convention Centre in Lami.
“Because Usa’s family proposed to me traditionally – we allocated time to complete the veiqaraqaravi vakavanua (traditional protocol) after the wedding ceremony which was done at Studio 6.
“Here we had the bride’s family do the i tautaunaki (traditionally handing over of the girl to the groom’s family) through the exchange of tabua, mats, balobi sulu (unused bale of material).”
Miriama said the groom’s family welcome her to their family by doing the ‘solevu’ which was when the groom’s cousin sisters brought masi, tabua, money and piles of materials to hand over to her.
“The money is specifically placed into the bride’s hair and the bride’s aunty who stands with her.”
The groom’s family also presented some gifts (yau) to the bride’s mother as a token of appreciation of the upbringing of the bride.
“This included mats, gallons of kerosene, tabua and the presentation is called ‘kali ni sucu’ (weaning of the child).
“The groom’s family also presented the “yau ni vanua” to my family – as part of the solevu process which is presented to the bride’s family also.”
Miriama’s outfit for the wedding ceremony was a Fijian Kuta. She later fitted into a white dress for the reception. Usa wore a Fijian masi for the ceremony and a three-piece navy-blue tux for the reception.
Their reception decoration was done by 7Design, the three-tiered cake with an assortment of flavours of red velvet, vanilla, and chocolate by Meyace’s, and live music was provided by the Police band. It was a night of well deserved celebration.
“Always pray about your plan.Communicate and ensure you are both on the same page,” the couple advised.
“Change the things you can change and don’t worry about the things you can’t – God will always come through for you.”
