Within a day, internet sleuths tracked down the couple, who had initially gotten married in a small ceremony in 2012, as that was all they could afford at the time, though they had always wanted something better (via CNN). Their story clearly resonated with romantics across the internet, as more than 5,000 individuals and brands stepped up with pledges and offers to help with various aspects of their wedding, according to Edelman. KFC South Africa provided the couple with a wedding planner at their request, and later added an all-expenses paid honeymoon to the US, in addition to updating everyone on the progress of the engagement and wedding (via Twitter). Other offers included everything from wedding rings, accessories, and spa treatments to mobile phones, furniture, groceries, and more (via Bored Panda).
The happy couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony on December 31, 2019, and were thankful for the strangers that helped their dream wedding come true. “We couldn’t be more grateful to God and every single person that shared in our little story,” Mkansi told CNN. “Our dream has come true, we never in a million years thought something like this would happen to us.” Happily, true love conquers all, even haters on the internet.
