Tracy’s wedding: All the moments you need to see
Photos and videos: The Slowveld celebrity wedding of the year.
MBOMBELA – For two days, Lowvelders could talk of nothing but the wedding of Roy and Tracy Heine. Tracy’s brother, Trent Sinclair, described it as the Slowveld’s celebrity wedding of the year.
Samantha van Niekerk rephrased his statement, dubbing it the wedding of the century.
From the second that the beautiful bride glided down the outdoor aisle at Kavinga Guesthouse on Saturday, wedding guests started snapping away on their smartphones. Their photos and videos were posted on Facebook and tagged #mrandmrssexylegs and #lifeisgood.
For the rest of the weekend, Lowveld social-media feeds were flooded with posts of the Heine wedding. And everyone loved it.
Lowvelders have been following the life of Tracy Heine (formerly Todd) with interest since she broke her neck in a car accident 18 years ago.
To Tracy, it was as if she had lost her former, wonderful life. Before the accident, she was the recently wedded 28-year old with the 10-month-old baby boy. In an instant, Tracy the quadriplegic was born.
Life had to start all over again. It was not what she knew and, at times, it was everything she never wanted. But she had a life ahead of her that had to be lived and a son that had to be raised. So Tracy tackled life, day by day. While doing so, she soon discovered that she had a community rooting for her.
“The people of the Lowveld have been by my side since the day of the accident,” she said recently.
A few years after the accident, Tracy became a motivational speaker. The slogan of her webpage, tracytodd.wordpress.com, is “living life paralysed from the neck down, out loud”.
She has travelled the country and inspired thousands of South Africans. The advent of social media has given her message wings. She became a source of inspiration for Internet users all over the world.
Read this to get to know Tracy:
– Tracy’s ladies – the women behind this local hero
In 2010, Tracy met Roy Heine online.
They clicked immediately. Roy, an avid runner, shared this passion with Tracy, who was an excellent sportswoman before the accident.
When Tracy remarked that she would have loved to be able to run the Comrades Marathon, Roy vowed to complete the race on her behalf. On the day of the Comrades, he sent her a text before the start: “I will slay this dragon for you, my queen”.
However, when the ultra-marathon started taking its toll, he wrote: “My quads are killing me”.
Her reply motivated him over the finish line: “Do it for this quad”.
Roy finished the Comrades holding a huge photo of Tracy with the words “for my friend” written on it.
Roy flew to Mbombela and handed his Comrades medal to Tracy. He ran off with her heart and was affectionately known, from that day forward, as Tracy’s Mr Sexy Legs.
He relocated to Mbombela and the two grew in their love for each other to such an extent that, when Roy did the Ironman race a few years later, he took an amended version of the Tracy Todd poster with him.
“For my friend” was replaced with “for my girlfriend”.
When they got married on Saturday, Roy ran a short victory lap holding the same poster. “Girlfriend” was replaced with “wife”.
A few days before the wedding, on April 28, Tracy posted this image online in anticipation of her big day:
Saturday was the big day. Hundreds of guests gathered at the stylish venue before 11:00.
Next to the altar waited a groom who could barely hide his excitement.
Roy was not alone. The guests craned their necks and kept their eyes peeled for the bride to make her appearance.
The bride was breathtaking in a Xela couture wedding gown. The white garment’s top was covered with exquisite chantilly lace and attached to a soft chiffon skirt with a beaded high-waisted band.
Tracy’s hair was styled into soft curls with a few white flowers tastefully pinned in. The relaxed bride went at it with bare feet and a beautiful smile, melting hearts as she made her way down the aisle.
Reverend Eddie Daniels of St Margaret’s Anglican Church in Port Elizabeth led the service.
“It is not love that sustains marriage, it is marriage that sustains love,” was one of his pearls of wisdom that reminded the congregation that the decision to be married is one that comes with a myriad of responsibilities. He said that it is a decision one makes for the long haul, come sunshine or rain.
Roy and Tracy’s exchanging of rings was a unique and special moment. Tracy’s ring was a necklace designed by Jenna Clifford. Once it was fastened around his bride’s neck, Roy held onto its purple gemstone, with his hand close to his bride’s heart, as he said, “With this ring I thee wed…”
He kissed he bride and then kissed her again, much to the delight of their guests.
The couple made their way from the altar to the reception area to the soundtrack of Chariots of Fire, also known as “the Comrades theme song”.
The master of ceremonies, Dave Walters, welcomed Mr and Mrs Sexy Legs Heine in a roaring carnival voice.
Much to the amusement of hundreds of onlookers, Dave hilariously attempted to open the day’s first bottle of champagne with a sword. However, The art of sabrage – that’s what the French call it – was a cut above him. André Moolman eventually managed to uncork the champagne bottle.
The guests were handed red and white champagne and the toasting began.
Tracy’s son, Chad, was first. To him, having a quadriplegic for a mother has always been normal. “Yes, I scratch your hair, put your phone to your ear and give you water. But you have done so much more for me,” he said, reminding guests that motherhood is not dependant on having the use of your arms and legs. “Mom, you are gorgeous and the most inspirational person I know,” he said and added that his mom could easily discipline him with a distinctive, “Chad Ross!”.
Phil Heine, Roy’s son, described his father in three words, “loyal, hard-working and sacrificial”. For Tracy, he chose “compassionate, generous and thoughtful”.
He said that they beautifully complement one another as a couple.
Tracy’s brother, Trent Sinclair, took a good look at the wedding guests and observed that the newlyweds had the ability to bring people together. “From Van der Merwe to Nkosi, from caregiver to shoe salesman. You two make people unite,” he said.
Roy and Tracy called the people of the Lowveld the “wind beneath their wings” and proposed a toast to the “breathing angels” who united to make their wedding day such a success.
“I have come to know and love you all. Whatever good words there are in the dictionary, you people are it,” said Roy.
Tracy thanked Lowvelders for their support over the past 18 years.
“I love the Lowveld. I love Nelspruit. And I love each and every one of you,” she said before raindrops started to drip softly from grey clouds.
“It’s a blessing!” she said happily before announcing, “It’s party time!”.
Watch this video of the couple’s opening dance:
View our gallery of more wedding photos:
And a video of some more dancing with the bride at the centre of things:
Photo’s: Helene Eloff and Facebook users.
Videos: Trent Sinclair via Facebook.
