Meet us in Roma

They say when you know, you know — but for Dan and Sameen, it all started with a swipe on Hinge. On April 13, 2023, they met for their first date at Woodie’s Flat. What was meant to be a casual drink quickly turned into the kind of night you secretly hope for but never expect. The night continued at Declan’s Irish Pub where the date took an unforgettable turn. Two of Sameen’s best friends, Amy and Maddie, fresh from girls’ happy hour, crashed the evening and challenged Dan to not one, but two beer chug-offs. He accepted without hesitation. Somewhere between the laughter, the chaos, and that perfectly Chicago kind of night, something clicked. Declan’s would later become even more meaningful. The iconic Old Town Irish dive bar served as their engagement party venue on January 10, 2026 (the night their guests watched the Chicago Bears defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in a thrilling NFC Wild Card playoff game) bringing their story full circle in the very place it first gained momentum. From their very first date, they were inseparable. On May 19, 2023, Dan asked Sameen to be his girlfriend, and from that day forward, they have chosen each other in the big moments and the quiet ones. They quickly bonded over shared passions: exploring Chicago’s vibrant food scene, booking reservations at every new restaurant they could find, and savoring glasses of red wine. Many of their early dates fell on Wednesdays, which they lovingly dubbed “Wine Wednesdays” — evenings spent cooking (or ordering in), sipping wine, and listening to their favorite music like they were the only two people in the world. On June 9th, just two months from their first date, Dan told Sameen he loved her, and she said it back. The very next day, Sameen told Dan that they were "endgame." Music and travel soon became cornerstones of their relationship. In August 2023, they took their first trip together to New York City to see one of their favorite DJs, Oliver Heldens, at The Brooklyn Mirage. That weekend sparked three years of unforgettable adventures. Since then, they’ve skied mountains across Colorado, celebrated their first anniversary with two magical weeks in Italy (the place that captured their hearts so deeply they decided to bring everyone back to celebrate their wedding), hopped around bistros and beaches in Paris and the South of France, danced their way through Munich's Oktoberfest over their birthdays, explored the many yokochos, bars, and cherry blossom parks of Japan, soaked up the sun and historical sights in Greece, and spent Christmas 2025 in London. It was there, beneath the uncommonly blue skies of the Tower of London Bridge, that Dan asked Sameen to spend forever with him — beginning their next chapter in one of the most historic cities in the world. Through every trip, music festival, ski run, Wine Wednesday, and new restaurant reservation, the constant has been simple: they're happiest side by side. At home in Chicago with their dog Winnie and cat Mason, they’ve built a life that feels equal parts adventure and comfort — a love story rooted in true friendship and choosing each other again and again. From a Hinge match to a beer chug-off… from Declan’s to London… their story has always felt meant to be, and they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter surrounded by the people they love most in one of their favorite cities.