Kanakavalli Bride : Niveda

Niveda weds Dinesh

Kanakavalli Bride Niveda and Dineshan met through ‘Coffee Meets Bagel’ a thoughtful dating app that values intention over endless swiping. On a cloudy fall day in 2018, she came across his profile and was struck by his eyes, confidence and sense of adventure – the latter captured in a photo of him surfing in Hawaii. Niveda initiated the conversation and Dinesh later told her that her sense of humour made him laugh on a day that hadn’t been going so well for him. He lived in San Francisco but often visited his family in Toronto where Niveda lived. They went on their first date a few weeks later, to an Italian restaurant where they discovered many shared connections which brought them a feeling of familiarity. It was effortless and warm, Niveda says, and truly felt like love at first sight.
In 2024, Dinesh proposed to Niveda at the same Italian restaurant where they had their first date – a beautiful, full-circle moment. 

The highlight of wedding planning was an India trip Niveda and Dinesh took before their wedding. They flew to Chennai with their close family, where they visited boutique stores and explored Chola and Pandya-era temples. The experience of walking through these heritage spaces and learning their history helped the experience of planning the wedding feel filled with meaning and reverence. 

Their wedding followed Jaffna Tamil Saiva traditions in a beautiful greenhouse with cascading florals. A musician played the couple’s favourite Tamil melodies on the flute and the couple curated an abundant culinary experience celebrating the fruits and delicacies of their roots.

Niveda remembers walking into the venue and seeing Dinesh seated at the mandapam with her brother at his side. In that moment, she says, time slowed down as she pictured the rest of their lives unfolding together. Niveda says that married life feels like having her best friend at her side at all times – someone to laugh with, share inside jokes with and travel the world with, while witnessing every chapter of life together.

While shopping in Chennai, Niveda tried koorai saris at many stores, but she says Kanakavalli’s kanjivarams stood apart. She was struck by the depth of the colours, the workmanship and the richness of the zari that shimmered in the sunlight. “From the moment I stepped into the beautiful bungalow, I was struck by the warmth of the space, the attentiveness of the team, and the exceptional customer service,” she adds.

A big thank you to Niveda for being a beautiful Kanakavalli Bride and sharing the story of her wedding with us. We wish her and Dinesh a lifetime of love and laughter.