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‘Below Deck Med’ Star Kyle Viljoen Secretly Married Partner Zachary Riley Last Year
South African television personality Kyle Viljoen surprised fans by revealing that he secretly married his partner, physical therapist Dr. Zachary…
South African television personality Kyle Viljoen surprised fans by revealing that he secretly married his partner, physical therapist Dr. Zachary Riley, almost a year ago.
On January 13, 2024, Viljoen surprised his fans on Instagram by revealing pictures from his secret wedding to Riley at New York City Hall. The first photo captured a romantic moment with the couple holding a bouquet and sharing a kiss.
Likewise, in the second picture, they proudly displayed their new wedding rings, and the third showcased them posing joyfully for the camera, radiating joy and love on their special day.
Alongside the snapshot, the Below Deck Med star captioned, “4.6.23. Yes, you saw that right. Almost a year of marriage before we spilled the beans.” So, that means that Viljoen and Riley shared their wedding vows on April 6, 2023.
Viljoen then took a moment to reminisce about a momentous day when their individual lives merged into a beautiful story. He also admitted that their love story might not be like others, but he emphasized its uniqueness, saying, “It may not be typical, but it’s our love story.”
Continuing, the television star shared that for many months, he and his partner chose to keep their marriage private because it didn’t align with their vision of what their marriage should be.
He expressed, “We desired something more grand, more memorable, something that truly reflected us.” However, this experience taught them a valuable lesson: a ceremony doesn’t define a marriage; it’s about the people surrounding them.
Later, when Viljoen and his now-husband eventually disclosed the news to their family and friends, the emotional response was overwhelming.
He conveyed, “It was an emotional overload. The support and love they showed us was everything we could have asked for. Now it’s time to wipe the slate clean and share it with all of you.”
The post quickly garnered an outpouring of support from numerous fans, who flooded the comments section with heartfelt well-wishes for the newly married couple.
Kyle Viljoen and husband Dr. Zachary Riley posing together after secret wedding (Photo: Instagram)
One enthusiastic commenter expressed, “Congratulations to you! Wishing you many years of happiness and blessings to come.” Similarly, another supporter playfully chimed in with, “Congrats to the newlyweds. Or should we say Happy Anniversary?”
Following the Instagram post, the couple further disclosed details about their wedding during an episode of their podcast, The Daily Serve. Viljoen shared, “And, yes, we got married in the courts. I love that journey, and I did consider our union, our marriage. A very important day for me.”
Even though they are now entering their second year of marriage, both Viljoen and his partner affirmed their intention to hold a formal wedding ceremony, possibly in 2025. Riley emphasized the significance of the celebration, stating:
“We still deserve the day. It’s gone through some iterations, and I think it’s still gonna go through some iterations. But yeah, we deserve the day, and that’s something we’re working towards very hard. We’re deciding what allows us to have that day for ourselves.”
Kyle Viljoen and Dr. Zachary Riley’s relationship timeline
Viljoen and Riley first met in October 2021. Just a month after their initial encounter, they leaped into a romantic relationship and, remarkably, decided to move in together within the following month.
Kyle Viljoen and his husband Dr. Zachary Riley share a beautiful bond. (Source: Instagram)
Despite the speed at which their connection deepened, the couple chose to keep their blossoming relationship private during its early stages.
Later, in July 2022, the television personality decided to make their relationship public during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live. At that time, he stated, “Right now, I am taken. I am officially in a very, very loving, supportive, charismatic, outgoing, adventurous relationship.”
Expressing his certainty about the future, he added, “This man, Zachary, is my future husband. There’s no doubt about it.”
Shortly thereafter, in November 2022, Viljoen proposed to Riley in South Africa. The television star shared this special moment on Instagram, officially announcing their engagement and expressing gratitude to the universe.