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Joshua & Sandrine

Kigali · 18 & 20 December 2026

A couple dressed in white on a grassy hillside

18 & 20 December 2026 · Kigali, Rwanda

Joshua& Sandrine

Let all that you do be done in love.1 Corinthians 16:14

Our Story

Our story began with a mysterious note in Grade 9. At least, that’s one version of events.

We met in high school, on my first day as a new student. Someone passed me a piece of paper asking for my phone number. I had no idea who it was from, but later that day, I received a WhatsApp message from Joshua.

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To this day, he denies having anything to do with the note. I remain unconvinced.

Fast-forward a few years. We had graduated, I had moved to Canada for university, and Joshua had moved to China. We kept in touch, loosely. A birthday message here, a comment on an Instagram post there. Nothing particularly remarkable.

Then, in 2020, Joshua transferred to my university in Canada. A coincidence, he might say. I have my own theories.

One freezing winter morning, I was walking to class, watching my steps, when I looked up and saw a very familiar face. There stood Joshua, in a red hoodie and a rather questionable yellow winter jacket.

My first thought was how much taller he’d become. My second was about the jacket.

Before I knew it, my feet had decided we were going to say hello, whether or not my brain had agreed. We hugged, and after three years apart, with any number of intelligent things I could have said, all I managed was “Warakuze” — Kinyarwanda for “You’ve grown.”

I don’t remember what he said back. I do remember his smile.

With mutual friends and the same church, we began seeing more of each other. It wasn’t until early 2021, though, that we finally spent time together without our friends. We went to the cinema, then ended up sitting in the car by the downtown waterfront, talking for hours.

Somewhere between that evening and the many conversations that followed, things began to change. Occasional messages became daily conversations. Busy university schedules and work didn’t stop us from finding time for each other every weekend.

And, well, here we are.

The story behind the story

  1. Who fell first?

    Sandrine:

    Joshua. Without question. In fact, I have reason to believe he’d had a crush on me since high school. Unfortunately, my strongest piece of evidence remains the mysterious note, which he continues to deny.

    For the record, I wasn’t very far behind.

    Joshua:

    No comment

  2. What’s something our friends would say about us?

    That we have a habit of leaving social events without saying goodbye.

    We have perfected the art of communicating an entire exit strategy with a single look across the room. No discussion needed. Although, to be fair, Joshua is usually the one ready to leave. Sandrine would happily stay another hour.

  3. When did you know this was something serious?

    Joshua:

    During a Lakers game. We were losing badly, and Sandrine was so upset she wouldn’t even entertain a little small talk. Watching her take our team’s defeat so personally, I somehow knew she was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

    Sandrine:

    It was a collection of smaller moments. I’ve always been inclined to avoid difficult conversations, while Joshua has always insisted that we talk things through. Over time, I realised that we weren’t just enjoying each other’s company; we were learning to understand each other and choosing to build something lasting.

    Different moments, perhaps, but the same realisation: somewhere along the way, this had become something neither of us wanted to imagine life without.

  4. What’s something you hope never changes?

    Our playfulness. The way we can laugh together, tease each other, and find humour in almost anything.

  5. What are you most looking forward to about marriage?

    The little things.

    Friday night dinners with a funny movie, a Sixers game, or whichever team LeBron happens to be playing for. Travelling together, creating our own Christmas traditions, building a family, and growing old alongside someone who knows us so well.

    And, of course, continuing to make fun of each other. We have a lifetime of material to work with.

When & Where

All times are local to Kigali · CAT (UTC+2)

Gift Registry

Your presence on our special day is the greatest gift we could ask for. As we will be returning to Canada after the celebration, we kindly ask that you do not bring physical gifts.

If you would like to bless us with a gift, we have put together a registry with items that can be sent directly to us. Monetary gifts are also warmly appreciated; please contact us directly if this is your preference.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

View our registry

Contact

Gusaba

078 876 9004078 565 2048902 393 2080

Wedding day

078 830 7830078 835 3322902 314 9251