Our Story
Nikita's Story
Bride
We met freshman year at the University of Georgia through a 30-person research program where everyone lived together on the same floor of the same dorm. On move-in day, I was standing in the doorway of my close friend from high school's dorm room when his roommate, Charan, said hi. I barely said anything back. It was a long day, and at the time, I didn’t think much of it. We’d technically already met through the research program group chat, where I’d decided Charan’s jokes were strange and assumed we probably wouldn’t be friends. As the semester went on, I started spending more time in Ishan and Charan’s dorm. Somewhere along the way, our small talk turned into longer conversations. Without really realizing it, Charan became the person I looked forward to seeing. We could talk for hours without trying, and spending time together started to feel natural instead of planned. The shift from friends to something more happened quietly—but once it did, it felt obvious. Life eventually pulled us into different places, and we spent a few years long-distance. It wasn’t always easy, but it made us intentional and sure of what we were building together. What started with a quiet hello turned into a partnership built on time, patience, and the choice to always keep choosing each other. And now, we’re getting married.
Charan's Story
Groom
I went into freshman year not really knowing anyone. Through a small research program, I ended up randomly rooming with Ishan. On move-in day, Nikki stood in our doorway "helping" Ishan move in. I said hi. She didn't say anything back — first impression: unclear. She would stop by our dorm most days to talk to Ishan about their shared classes, and I slowly started inserting myself into their conversations. At some point, Ishan asked me, “Do you like Nikki?” Without hesitating, I said, “Yeah. Does she like me back?” The answer was no. Whether that was true or not, I decided not to rush anything. Ishan, being a committed night showerer (and determined matchmaker), would often disappear into the bathroom, leaving Nikki and me to talk one-on-one. As my connection with her grew stronger, so did the length of Ishan's showers. Most of what I remember from our early days are the small things - planning our mornings around which dining hall had the best hash browns, Nikki fixing her hair before knocking on my door every day, and late nights hanging out with our mutual friends playing board games or going out to eat. What started as a quiet freshman-year crush turned into something steady, intentional, and lasting. Over the course of 8 years, Nikki went from hallmate, to close friend, to my girlfriend—and soon (hopefully), my wife.
