David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan’s 90 Day Fiancé relationship did have a rocky start and led to a $15000 dowry request from Annie's family that was tough for David to handle. Within just two TLC seasons, David and Annie rightfully earned the “fan-favorite” tag. The age gap between the American man and his Thai lover surely was a major worry, but then again, David’s financial difficulties and alcohol issues were a bigger concern. While David and Annie may be living their happily ever after in America right now, with a new TLC spin-off on the way, fans will never forget the dowry drama they went through in Thailand.
The now-iconic 90 Day Fiancé couple first showed up on season 5, after David had met and fallen for Annie at a karaoke bar in Thailand. Annie, 24, was sweet and made the 48-year-old Louisville, Kentucky resident feel younger at heart. He asked for her hand in marriage. However, a deeply-rooted Thai custom of dowry (or Sin Sod) stressed David, who was still struggling financially due to the 2008 recession. While Annie Suwan was aware of David’s dilemma, his soon-to-be in-laws expected an exorbitant dowry, although he had just $1500 to spare. However, David, who now stays with Annie in Fountain Hills, Arizona, revealed that the dowry has been paid off with some of his teaching job earnings. Now, with no money matters to worry about, a new English tutor position, and of course, their very own 90 Day Fiancé cooking show, David is free to joke all he wants about the price he paid for Annie.
On a previous episode of 90 Day Fiancé: What Now, David had shared the struggles he faced to be with Annie in America. “I went through a divorce after 20 years of marriage,” David revealed while talking about the first time he met Annie, as per CheatSheet. “I had just had a stroke. I had just lost my job. I had lost my home. I restarted my life in Thailand,” the TLC star had said. “I was sitting in a bar having a drink one evening, and I happened to hear someone singing, and it was like this voice of an angel,” David confessed as he spoke about how he’d approached Annie by getting her a drink, and quickly falling in love. David proposed to Annie after just ten days, but his love story hit a roadblock when her Thai family demanded the equivalent of $15,000, over $6,000 worth of gold, and two water buffalo. InTouch reports that David admittedly paid them a total sum of “between $23,000 to $25,000” after filing for Annie’s K-1 visa.
Times were initially tough for David from 90 Day Fiancé, who started off by staying with Annie in an apartment above a storage facility owned by his friend Chris. However, currently, David has a contract with a company where he teaches English to Chinese students. Plus, he and Annie have also bagged the spin-off Spice It Up with David and Annie. It seemed fitting for the Thai home chef to get her own show, especially after she’d launched her own business, Cooking with DNA, that offers her creative variations on dishes like shrimp fried rice, along with private cooking lessons and catering. In a preview for the TLC show, Annie whips up a storm by cooking Thai basil chicken, and while chopping some onions, David jokes, “This reminds me of when you asked for the dowry. I was crying the same way.” His 90 Day Fiancé co-star wife laughs along with him and shares a kitchen hack from her father that involves placing salt next to the onions while cutting them.
David and Annie gained instant popularity after their Pillow Talk appearances. Fans started talking about them having a solo spin-off. Turns out TLC snooped around the 90 Day Fiancé fan forums and answered their prayers with Spice It Up with David and Annie. David and Annie will host the show and it will be laced with their signature banter, witty one-liners, and smiles, now that their money worries have been left far, far behind.
Source: Cheat Sheet, In Touch Weekly, 90 Day Fiancé/Instagram