CRUISING: Giritharan and Piriadarshni exchanging rings

PUTRAJAYA: Giritharan Jayapalan, 28, has always been someone who does things differently. This was evident in his engagement recently, held in style on a cruise boat at the Putrajaya Lake.

"I wanted to make this event extra special since it is one of the major events in my life," said the managing director-cum-chief executive officer of Kesuma Anggun, a construction company in Cheras.

Even his arrival at the venue of the engagement was classy — the Bentley that he was in was escorted by 18 cars and four police outriders. Upon his arrival, he readily answered media questions while flashing his pearly whites for the cameras.

"Initially, I thought of a hotel as the venue for the engagement ceremony.

But, somehow, the idea of having it in a cruise boat appealed to me. I planned this whole event with the help of many parties and I feel like a prince for the day."

Giritharan looked dashing in an orange, custom-made jippa (traditional Indian wear for men) in conjunction with the event's orange theme as he walked towards his partner, Piriadarshni Vellakannoo, 22, who looked equally resplendent in an orange and pink designer saree from India.

They boarded the cruise boat, where they exchanged a pair of matching 18-carat diamond platinum rings to declare their dedication to each other in front of their family members and close friends.

The couple's love for each other was further strengthened when they registered their union on the rooftop of the cruise boat before joining the reception held at the lake's jetty, which was graced by more than 150  people.

The luxurious affair ended with a dance performance from the group Era.

"I have never seen anything like this before. This is a totally extraordinary event and I would recommend the cruise-boat styled function to anyone looking for the perfect venue for their functions," said Sathiabalan Selvaraju,  34, one the guests.

With such a grand engagement ceremony, one should only expect the wedding to be a more spectacular occasion.

However, Giritharan refused to mention any details for the wedding preparation, stating that he does not want to 'let the cat out of the bag' just yet.

The wedding is scheduled for March 21.