Like any modern romance, this love story begins with Anna's dating apps, where her dating preferences were seeking someone no younger than 35 years old. On this night, she was out for drinks on the DC Wharf with her (arguably) “most fun friend”, Brittany Roellig. They reached the point when it was probably time to go home, but it was Pride Weekend in DC, meaning there was plenty of opportunity to prove they were still young and fun. Brittany texted her friend from kickball, Adil. She prefaced that he always seemed to have fun plans, and sure enough, he was out with his friends. Anna and Brittany headed to Hawthorne with high hopes and low expectations for the decidedly below 35 year old crowd. Adil had spent the day with his Hokie crew attending the DC Pride festival and parade. Several friends were visiting from out of town, and so the group decided to head to the closest place with enough space for a large crowd. Anna met Adil and surprisingly wasn't scared off (by his rowdy friends or the purple parade glitter still covering his face). They danced the night away and ended the night like every modern romance, enjoying Jumbo Slice with friends. Since then, they often reflect on that night, realizing the perfect storm of lucky events (Thanks Britt!) brought them together when they least expected it.

Adil and Anna knew early on they were destined for a future together. Anna loves to solve a good mystery, and the timing of the proposal was no exception. Adil knew he would have to be sneaky if he was going to pull off the proposal with any element of surprise. Getting Anna's family to town without them revealing the secret (looking at you Emily!) added difficulty to the task at hand. The perfect opportunity presented itself as Anna and Adil prepared to move into their new Condo over Labor Day weekend. Anna's parents would be coming into town to help with the move, and Anna didn't think anything of their visit to DC. Adil also took advantage of the timing of their dating anniversary, which was a week earlier. He claimed that he had a big work project due, and asked if they could postpone their anniversary dinner to the following week, and made reservations for a date night. Anna was understanding and agreed to the plan. The night of the Proposal started as a work day just like any other. As Anna got ready, she grabbed a bright neon yellow dress and asked Adil if it was ok to wear to dinner. Adil hesitated to make a recommendation as he didn't know if Anna would regret wearing neon for such a momentous occasion. He simply shared the restaurant had a dress code. Anna’s suspicions quickly rose… and she struggled to hide it. It was a long walk from Rosslyn into Georgetown, with Anna reading into every movement. Adil stopped a couple times to "tie his shoes" and had finally thrown Anna off the scent when they got to a clear spot on the Georgetown Waterfront. A photographer popped out from behind a tree, Adil turned to Anna and said "Okay - it's happening" before dropping to one knee and forgetting everything he'd rehearsed for days. Anna was overwhelmed with pure surprise and bliss. They continued on to a special dinner and were thrilled to celebrate the news with their family and friends.