Love knows no distance.

Despite the struggles as a result of their long distance relationship, Luteru Junior Tanielu finally mustered the courage to pop the question on Makerita Talalelei Ieremia’s birthday, last year. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Last Saturday, Makerita and Luteru took the plunge when they exchanged vows at the E.F.K.S. Church of Apia-Uta.

The wedding service was conducted by Rev. Elder Siolo Tauati.

Makerita is the daughter of the late Rev. Ieremia Leautuli and Misimasefili Tu’uau.

Luteru is the only son of the late Masoe Matini Tanielu and Fetoloai Afele Tanielu.

The bride and groom first met in 1997. They were in the same class, from Year 2 English Speaking at Apia Lower Primary School, Malifa, up until Year 13.1 at Samoa College, in 2007.

Always friends, nothing ‘more’,  until one day she borrowed his biology book and a simple ‘thank you’ text from her later that night started it all. 

It was a young, innocent love, but was short lived due to family commitments. He also had to move overseas later that year.

He moved to New Zealand and she went to Australia. They kept meeting over the years but did not keep in contact as they went their own ways. 

Although being apart physically, and without contacting each other, they were both holding on to a sense of hope that one day, if it was meant to be... then it probably will be.

Fast forward seven years, April 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand and as fate would have it, it happened. She got sent to Wellington on a work trip, where he lived -- long story short, they rekindled their love and it was as if they never parted ways.

Mrs. Tanielu graduated from the University of Queensland in Biomedical Science, while Luteru graduated from Victoria University in New Zealand.

Susana Fanueli Paese was the bride’s maid of honor, while Steven Leitupo served as the best man.

Following a beautiful wedding service, a reception was held at Robert Louis Stevenson Museum where close to a thousand people gathered to celebrate the new beginning for Mr. and Mrs. Tanielu’s life.