A couple have married in a virtual wedding ceremony as avatars – to allow the bride’s late father to “attend”.
Dinesh Sivakumar Padmavathi, 25, and Janaganandhini Ramaswamy, 24, married on Sunday (6 February) in a ceremony attended by more than 3,000 guests.
Held entirely in the metaverse, the couple tied the knot while in Tamil Nadu, India – but guests joined from across the world using digital avatars who appeared in virtual reality.
They decided to host the event online in order to have Janaganandhini’s father attend – after he died last year.
They created a special avatar of him to appear at the reception.
Speaking before the reception, Dinesh said: “He will be in the avatar to welcome the guests and that’s the gift I can give to her, which altogether will be an emotional moment for both of our families.”
Dinesh got the idea after watching a YouTube video about the metaverse and he thought it would work for their wedding.
He said: “My fiancée also liked the idea.
“I have been into crypto and blockchain technology and since blockchain is the basic technology of the metaverse, when my wedding was fixed, I thought of having a reception in the metaverse.”
Guests chose a generic male or female avatar and entered their name for identification by using their unique credentials and logging in.
They were then able to navigate around with a keyboard, mouse or touchscreen controls – and were even able to virtually shake hands and interact.
In a video of the event, the couples’ avatars can be seen standing on a stage and waving at their guests.
The event is believed to be India’s first-ever metaverse marriage and is part of a project at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
Dinesh said: “It’s indeed a special feeling for us. It’s unique and we’re delighted to go ahead.”
The virtual aspect also allows them to celebrate with all their friends and family despite lockdown restrictions in Tamil Nadu.
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