Our wedding will take place at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington, CT. In 2022, we stayed at the historic (and supposedly haunted) Captain Grant's Inn for Elissa's birthday. During this trip, we stumbled upon Saltwater Farm Vineyard (now affectionately known as SFV) and had a great time sampling the Cabernet Franc amidst the vines. When it was time to select a wedding venue, we sought a space with personal significance and unique character in a setting showcasing nature's autumnal beauty. SFV fit the bill, located on coastal Connecticut farmland in a former WWII-era private airport. We hope you'll love it as much as we do.

We met on June 19, 2021 (yes, we checked the records) at a dear friend's barbecue serving up Beyond Burgers and other vegan delights. Neel's friend and groomsman, Gregg, invited him to the barbecue, which was held on his building's outdoor patio just underneath the Manhattan Bridge. Elissa's cousin, Steve (infamously and vocally vegan), invited her to the party. For the record, neither of us is vegan; in fact, Neel is an obligate carnivore. Though we didn't talk much during the barbecue, when it was time for the groups to part ways, Elissa invited Neel to join her group at a nearby dive bar (169 Bar, for any dive aficionados). While the group had drinks inside, we settled on the outdoor patio where we talked the entire night. Moments before hopping into his Lyft home, Neel said something to the effect of, "I should probably get your number". And the rest was history.

Our official first date was 10 days later on June 29, 2021 in the West Village. We enjoyed drinks and oysters at Jeffrey's Grocery before heading to Rosemary's for some pasta and wine. We've made our pilgrimage back to Jeffrey's Grocery in 2022 and in 2023, where we plan to visit each year, to commemorate that bright beginning.

Neel proposed on July 29, 2023 in the heart of Bordeaux, the medieval city of Saint-Émilion, overlooking the vines and Tour du Roy. When we returned to the Château Fleur de Roques, where we spent the weekend, we enjoyed a bottle of champagne on the patio while sharing the news with our family and friends. We'll share our favorite wine from this trip with guests at our wedding, a red from Château Malartic-Lagravière which we toured with our lovely friend, Jess. For Neel, the city holds significance as a lover of Saint-Émilion wine and medieval history.