Don't Tell Me I Can't Secretly Elope

Sarah Britten Pillay, 43, never thought she would love again after her first marriage, but a whirlwind romance changed all of that...

- Leigh Hermon

I’ve always been the type of person who acts first and asks for permission later, so my parents weren’t entirely surprised when I ran off with my second husband-to-be and got hitched in Clarens. When my first marriage ended in 2009, I was adamant I’d never fall in love again – it was a traumatic event that left me broken and on medication to deal with my depression and anxiety. My ex and I got married when I was 26 and we went the whole nine yards when it came to the wedding – I even had a string quartet. We’d invited loads of guests to share in our special day, but all the stress of planning put me in knots. After I got divorced, the last thing that I ever wanted to do was plan another wedding. Fortunately I fell for a guy who’s never been one to follow the rules.