On Love Is Blind, fans saw Deepti Vempati get her hero's moment at her own wedding, where she turned down then-fiancé Abhishek “Shake” Chatterjee. But this summer, she said yes to a very different set of nuptials — going as the wedding date to one lucky Love Is Blind fan, Sharad Gami. The result was an evening of carriage rides, dancing and maybe even romance. 

Sharad, a 29-year-old pharmacist from Los Angeles, won the Plus One contest that promised to pair one Netflix reality fan with the dream date of their choosing for wedding season. Sharad’s heart was set on taking Chicago-based Deepti to his longtime friends’ August wedding reception in Louisville, Kentucky. He tells Tudum, “I picked Deepti because of her character and the bravery she showed during the season finale on Love is Blind Season 2. A person who can stay true to themselves during any adversity is someone worth knowing.” Sharad was also moved by the strides Deepti made for women from their shared culture. 

“Deepti trail-blazed a platform for other South Asian women to shine bright,” Sharad says. “Anyone who holds these types of attributes and values is a 10/10 in my book. Plus, she's really attractive and was out of my league from the start.” 

So, off to Louisville they went. The pair initially met at the Omni Hotel Louisville for a drink. Deepti ordered an old-fashioned (thereby sampling some local bourbon); Sharad went with his standby, a gin and tonic. “When first meeting Deepti, I was nervous! I’m pretty sure I was stumbling across my first few sentences,” Sharad admits. “Deepti was exactly like who she portrayed herself to be. She was humble, funny and just down to earth.” The conversation eventually flowed so well, Sharad forgot he was speaking to someone he first saw on TV. 
 
Deepti and Sharad then took a horse-drawn carriage to the reception, which was set on a classic riverboat. This moment was Sharad’s “favorite,” and he was stunned by Deepti’s red dress. He says she “shined even brighter” than he could have even imagined from seeing her on-screen. 
 

From there, it was an evening of dancing and getting to know Sharad’s many friends. While Sharad stuck to his gin and tonics, Deepti switched to “champagne vibes” for the boat bash. When Sharad was the first person on the dance floor, Deepti left the boogying to him. “I’m pretty sure she was scared of my dance moves and that’s why she didn't join me,” Sharad jokes. 

Still, Deepti was the belle of the ball. “This night has been wonderful. I did not expect Deepti to be this personable,” says Sharad, who had an ex at the wedding. As he charmingly suggested in his initial audition video for the Plus One opportunity, only having Deepti on his arm could assuage the sting of seeing a former flame at the bash. He was right. “Everybody likes Deepti more than me, so that’s where we’re at,” he says. 

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Just like Cinderella, Deepti ended the night hopping back into her carriage for the trip home, albeit with Sharad by her side. After such a magical date, another one might be in their future — at least if Sharad’s wishes are fulfilled once more. “I do hope to see Deepti again. I hope to be able to grab a drink in the future,” he says. Wilder things have happened in the pods.