Lakshmi and Diwakar

From the USA, to a wedding in Singapore. Lakshmi and Diwakar are the success story of meeting online – and a popular matrimony site which happens to be shaadi.com. Scroll below to find out more about this adorable couple!

Despite all of the random stories Lakshmi and Diwakar tell people, Lakshmi and Diwakar met in March 2016 on shaadi.com. Dating wise, both Lakshmi and Diwakar were in a desultory spot. Both had exhausted all other means of trying to meet someone, from being set up by well-intention friends and relatives – to joining the alphabet soup of dating websites, with little success. Lakshmi made the first move after reading Diwakar’s profile, and it went unanswered for several weeks. Diwakar finally responded, and after several e-mails and only one telephone call later, they decided to meet on April 1, 2016 in Columbus. Lakshmi arranged a weekend-long date where they truly fell in love; a tribute concert to M.S. Subbulakshmi, a spin class, an art show, great meals, and enough time in between to talk. And thus began a long-distance relationship (she was in Ohio, he was in Pennsylvania) that lasted until they were married. Lakshmi moved to Pittsburgh in January 2018.

Lakshmi is from Ohio, born and raised in the U.S. Lakshmi is a corporate attorney at UPMC Health Plan in Pittsburgh, PA.

Diwakar is from Singapore, by way of stints in Brunei, Australia, and now the US. Diwakar is an oncologist, specializing in melanoma and Phase I drug development at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Lakshmi and Diwakar were married on December 14, 2017 at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Singapore. However, the couple had a week-long celebration in Singapore, beginning with a henna party at the historic Singapore Cricket Club on December 12, a “making of the groom” ceremony (the nalangu) on December 13, a house party at Diwakar’s parents home (complete with famous Malay and Indian dishes of Singapore) on December 15, and a finale dinner reception at the Fullerton Bay Hotel on December 16, 2017. We even had about 100 guests come from all around the world, – from Columbus, Ohio to Sydney, Australia! It was truly an event where people from all different paths of life were able to come together to celebrate love.

While the way we met may not be as unique as it was once, our relationship, and our love for each other is very unique. We both had doubts about meeting someone that would complete us in every sense of the word. For me (Lakshmi), I was coming off a tough time in life; my father had passed away in August 2014, and I was really struggling to meet someone that could sympathise with what I was going through. On top of it all, I felt like I had such a tough time connecting with someone that was on par in terms of intellect and common interest. Diwakar also faced similar challenges in meeting the right person – he’s intelligent and driven in every part of his life, that it was hard for him to connect with someone. I his words, “someone to share life’s many pleasures with while shouldering the responsibilities, obligations and duties intrinsic to both our callings.” When we started talking to each other, we knew that there was something special and different – I knew the moment I saw him that he was the one – something clicked inside of me. When my father was dying, I asked him to give me a sign that he was still with me – and I truly believe that sign was Diwakar. How much Diwakar loved me, and how much Diwakar values the importance of family, was solidified in July 2016. After going to Singapore to visit his parents, we flew to Bangalore to visit my grandmother. Diwakar proposed to me in front of my grandmother – with a ring that his mother initially back in the day purchased with her first paycheck as an attorney, that he purchased from her with his first paycheck as an oncologist. A moment that will be forever cherished, in addition to our wedding – which was a celebration of family (as you will see in the pictures). Our two cultures (me – Kananda Brahmin, Diwakar – Tamil) came together to have one of the happiest South Indian wedding ceremonies I’ve ever seen.

WEDDING IMAGES

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FEATURED VENDORS

Photography: Subra Govinda
Decor: Kuna Wedding
Planner: Shamini Suppiah
Makeup Artist: Gayathri Menon
Wedding Ceremony Location: Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Singapore
Wedding Reception Location: The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore
Sarees: Angadi Silks, Bangalore
Groom’s Wedding Outfit: Raymond’s, Bangalore
Groom’s Reception Outfit: P.N. Rao, Bangalore
Wedding Catering: MTR
Wedding and Reception Jewellery: Family pieces (heirlooms) from both Diwakar and Lakshmi’s families
Henna Artist: Heavenly Henna

Tie The Thali would like to thank this lovely couple for sharing their big day with us and our readers. We wish them nothing but the best for their married life!

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