What do you get when you cross a Miss Universe stunner and a former pro-footballer? A match made in heaven.
South African stunner Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (now Tebow) and husband Tim Tebow have had a whilwind romance. Here is where it all began.
The pair met through an event Tebow was hosting for his non-profit, the Tim Tebow Foundation.
“Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa,” Tebow said during an interview with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. “We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped.”
Their relationship moved pretty quickly, and they confirmed their relationship in July 2018.
“She is a really special girl and I am very lucky and blessed for her coming into my life,” Tebow said in an ESPN interview. “I am usually very private with these things but I am very thankful.”
In January 2019 after less than a year of dating, Tim popped the question with an elaborate and sentimental proposal. Tebow had flown family members from across America and South Africa to Jacksonville, Florida to be a part of the proposal. Demi-Leigh was told they were attending a late Tebow family Christmas dinner at their family farm and was surprised when it ended in a proposal.
“Ever since I first saw you, you gave me so much hope. When I first heard your voice, you gave me so much belief. When I first met you, I knew you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And I will spend the rest of my life fighting for you and fighting for us,” said Tebow before going down on one knee to propose.
Tebow also flew Demi-Leigh’s favourite South African performer Matthew Mole to Florida to serenade them post-proposal. Watch their proposal here:
They came to Demi-Leigh’s home country, South Africa, to tie the knot. Their pre-wedding festivities kicked off with a ‘Welcome to Africa’ cocktail dinner in the Cape winelands to introduce Tebow to South African culture. The bride wore a stunning white dress by Gert Johan-Coetzee featuring a criss-cross neckline and cut-out detail, while Tebow wore a blush-toned suit.
The following day, the couple held a stunning rehearsal dinner. They went for a sophisticated colour scheme, opting for rich purples, reds and black. Demi-Leigh stunned in a strapless wine-coloured dress with beading by Anel Botha. The couple’s weekend events are all planned by celebrity planner Zavion Khotze.
The pair got married at the La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on January 20, 2020. South African celebrity wedding planner Zavion Khotze organised the day. The former Miss Universe wore an off-the-shoulder cowl-neck dress by Davids Bridal and Tim wore a tuxedo by Antar Levar.
According to PEOPLE, their ceremony lasted 30 minutes and was attended by 260 guests. The couple wrote their own vows.
The wedding blended South African and American wedding traditions, because their cultures are very important to the couple.
“We’re both very traditional,” Nel-Peters told PEOPLE. “We wanted to look back at the wedding and see that it was intimate, elegant, and traditional. We definitely wanted it to be something that we could look back on and know that nothing was dated. We want to remember this day for the rest of our lives.”
Demi-Leigh’s favourite performer, Matthew Mole, performed his original song ‘Pennsylvania’ for their first dance.
Feature image: Instagram / Demi Tebow
