Going from strangers to spouses in less than five months, Mr Sumit Grover and Ms Annabelle Lee will spend their first Valentine's Day together as newlyweds.
They have Ms Lee's aunt to thank - she put them in touch with each other after she met Mr Grover at a party in the first half of 2020 and thought he would be a good match for her niece.
The couple met for coffee on National Day and the blind date led to a genuine connection between them.
After a whirlwind romance in the midst of a pandemic, the two took the leap and said "I do" in December.
Ms Lee, 30, a Singaporean, grew up with an elder sister and her two triplet brothers here while Mr Grover, an Indian national, came to Singapore in 2007 for his studies.
Mr Grover, 33, who is a money broker, said it was love at first sight.
"She swept me off my feet on that first date. Over time, I recognised her caring nature and appreciated her effort to understand me, whether it was my faith or my cuisine," he said.
Ms Lee, a former banking and finance executive currently on sabbatical leave, said: "My family is quite conservative so when they encouraged me to go for the initial date, I was surprised."
"When we met, I realised we had similar career paths and we just clicked. What struck me the most was how he paid attention to the little things and was respectful towards my parents."
Following a surprise proposal at Marina Bay Sands in October, the couple held a small function on Dec 12 after signing their marriage certificate.
They still hope to hold a multicultural wedding - complete with a visit to a Sikh gurdwara and a traditional Chinese bridal procession and tea ceremony - later this year.
Two months into their marriage, the duo are waiting patiently for borders to reopen so they can visit family members in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Although they plan to travel far and wide, the couple say Singapore will still be their home.
Ms Lee said: "Growing up in a multicultural society, we are used to understanding and appreciating different cultures. We look forward to the next few decades and raising our family here."
Chinese New Year will be another whirlwind - of visits - so the couple will be celebrating their first Valentine's Day with a meal at home.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/couple-celebrate-first-valentines-day-together-as-newlywed