When Katie was on her annual trip to Cape Town in 2019, she met Marlon hanging out at a bar in Muizenberg. They clicked right away, bonding over travel stories, fine wine, music, and politics (her dream!). They then spent her whole trip together. She went back to the States to teach, and they said they'd go their separate ways. Katie came home and told her mom, "I don't know if I'll ever see him again, but now I know my standard. I will never settle for anyone less than Marlon Murefu."

Despite their agreement to move on, Marlon kept checking in, and nudged her to apply to the University of Cape Town for grad school, which she admitted to him was always a fantasy of hers.

After getting accepted, moving to Cape Town was one of the easiest decisions she ever made. She'd be lying if she said Marlon didn't play a role in that choice. Since she landed back in South Africa, they were inseparable! Covid hit not long after, so they really were forced together at the beginning of their relationship, and that's when they really fell in love.

After building a life together in Cape Town, with shared friends, camping adventures, dance parties, and too many wine farm visits to count, they created their own world. Marlon later moved to Sweden for his grad program, and proposed to Katie-- at her favorite wine farm nonetheless-- with promises of staying together despite the distance. Katie ultimately got a job back in NYC, but she then split her time between the States and Sweden so they could make it work!

Now, they are so honored to host all their loved ones, family and friends from all corners of the world, in their favorite place where it all began to join them in their matrimony.

Marlon and Katie's story started in Cape Town, but has already traveled across years and continents. They can't wait to start their family together and continue their journey forward, back where it all started!