“I was vacationing in Trinidad [in the Caribbean],” Shiva Nataraj-Allen shares about when he first thought of marrying his now-husband Randy Nataraj-Allen. “I was having a tough time sleeping and really missed Randy. That’s when I knew he was the one. This was in October 2014; when I got back Randy said he couldn’t get me off his mind. The rest is history.”
“He was constantly on my mind, every moment of the day,” Randy says.The two met on Aug. 22, 2013. “We had been friends on Facebook but had not met face to face. My mom had just died at the end of July and Shiva messaged me that if I needed to talk, he was available,” Randy shares. “In messaging each other, we discovered that both of us were single, something neither of us liked. We talked on the phone and decided to meet at Ruby Tuesday’s at Tyrone. Things went well and we continued to see each other.”
Randy, who is from Fort Benning, Georgia, was the one who proposed to Shiva, a native of Battle Creek, Michigan.
It was a special day for the couple, who married at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg. “Putting the rings on each other’s finger was extremely emotional, as was exchanging of vows,” Shiva says.
The ceremony was followed by Cakes from Corey, which the couple enjoyed tremendously and highly recommends. Their nephew Ryan Bosher was the wedding photographer.
“I had always dreamed about having a legal marriage. I never thought I would have the right, legally,” Randy says. “The whole day was like a dream. I left the rings at home and had to go back and get them. Saying our vows and placing the rings on our fingers let me know it was the real deal: I was married and had a husband. It was nice to have members of both families as our witnesses.”
Engagement date: Oct. 22, 2014
Wedding date: May 22, 2015
Venue: Sunken Gardens
Colors: Maroon and gold
Wedding Song/Artist: “Grow Old with Me” by John Lennon
Caterer: Macaroni Grill
Officiant: Ron Holmes
Cake Bakery: Cakes by Corey
Cake/Cupcake Flavors: Rainbow frosted carrot cake
Theme: East Indian
Photographer: Ryan Bosher
Planning a wedding? Click here to check out our 2018 LGBTQ Wedding Guide to use as a great resource to find several LGBTQ wedding resources for your special day!
