WELCOME

A wise man once said: the Hunger Games are the equivalent of modern romance. When Akhil joined Coffee Meets Bagel in 2017, he didn't realize he had stumbled upon one of the world's top five dating applications for single women in 2017. Around the same time, Khushboo joined the same app - not realizing she had signed up for a platform with 65% female members. Membership rates aside, the odds were ever in Khushboo's favor. Within a month of joining, Akhil and Khushboo's carefully selected height-related preferences and university filters aligned... and they matched! Sparks flew on the first date, despite Akhil's impending month-long business trip. Upon returning to Chicago, Akhil's first call was to Khushboo to schedule a second date. The only reason the rest isn't history is because their story has just begun!

Akhil knew from early on that Khushboo was the one – and after a few months of dating, everyone who followed the couple on social media knew too! Their love was clear to anyone who crossed their path, and it was only time before he put a ring on it. Akhil, being the perfectionist we all know and love him to be, grappled for months on the right place and time to pop the question. Winter was coming, and after much deliberation he decided to plan a “simple” surprise culminating in an “intimate” rooftop cocktail party with 60 of the couple’s closest friends and family during Chicago’s last warm weather weekend before the icy tundra would begin. As the big day approached, Khushboo was thrilled to hear Akhil had planned a surprise night out on the town for the two of them, including dinner and a show. Khushboo’s sister, Devanshi, was able to subtly steer Khushboo’s look for the evening toward a freshly done manicure, beautiful floor length dress, heels and a necklace gifted from Akhil’s travels. An outfit fit for a bride-to-be (and the surprise photos she wouldn't find out about until afterwards)! Their evening began with a romantic half-mile stroll along Lake Michigan – luckily Khushboo’s threshold for walking in heels aligned perfectly at the moment Akhil’s nerves peaked enough to get on one knee. Akhil looked up into Khushboo’s eyes and asked if she would be his best friend for life and marry him. Before he could finish his question, she said yes! The happy couple continued their journey to the elusive surprise dinner with a ring on Khushboo’s finger and a blindfold covering her face. She could not have been more surprised to walk into a party where her friends and family were eagerly waiting to celebrate the wonderful news. The evening was perfect, and if that’s any indication of what’s to come for Akhil and Khushboo’s journey then you are in for a treat! We look forward to celebrating together in August – see you in Chicago!