Preetha's mom and her cousin set up an e-Harmony profile without Preetha knowing about it. Obviously, the profile piqued Jim's interest and he sent her a message - the day the pandemic was declared! They emailed and chatted through the worst of covid and finally met 6 months later in Annapolis. Sparks and playful japes flew. From there, it was a series of long car trips as they navigated a relationship between Philly and DC. Jim literally drove his car to death! That's how much he loved Preetha. In October of 2022, Jim decided that gas was too expensive and moved to Media, to live with Preetha. On to the 2 engagements! The first engagement happened on Duke's campus (obviously). Without witnesses or even a ring, the proposal was considered moot. So when Preetha's mother came to visit a month later, Jim laid some gravel on the patio and knelt down with a ring and a witness. That's the official engagement. Preetha and Jim started their relationship in the midst of a global pandemic, navigated long distance, the big C, and Jim's attempts at speaking Tamil - but all of that has brought us all together for their big day. In the spirit of coming together, we are using the wedding hashtag #PRIM - PReetha + jIM (coined by their good friend, Nayantara) Jim & Preetha look forward to celebrating with all of you.