A Vibrant St. Paul Wedding Day That Put Tradition First

Dulari Roopnarine and Patrick Lo wed in a vibrant celebration that combined their cultures and personal styles. They started as co-workers, but after a few years, romance blossomed. Patrick pulled off a surprise proposal in Punta Cana after three years together. Fast-forward to their nuptials at Shri Gaatyatri Mandir, where the pair paid homage to the bride’s culture with a Hindu ceremony. Both bride and groom wore red, a color of good luck in both cultures. The bride participated in Hindu traditions, including application of the henna (mehndi) two days before the festivities, and the haldi kumkum, a social gathering the night before the ceremony, where she received blessings from her family and priest. At the end of the Hindu ceremony, guests blessed the newlyweds by sprinkling flowers on them as they walked around the sacred fire. The next day, to honor the groom’s culture, they held two virtual Chinese tea ceremonies with relatives in Hong Kong who couldn’t attend in person. Their modern take on two traditional weddings was a magical representation of their fused cultures and love for each other.