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April 24, 2021
Coral Pink Sand Dunes, UT

Emily & Youssef

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Youssef

Ait-Khouya

and

Emily

Arnold

April 24, 2021

Coral Pink Sand Dunes, UT

The Story of Us

A Desert Destiny

We first met when Emily went on a trip to Morocco in September 2017. During her brief stay in the Sahara, Youssef was one of her tour guides, and we initially hit it off talking about the culture and landscape of the desert. We both felt a spark but didn't think we'd ever see each other again. Fast forward to Emily's return to the US, and Youssef had somehow "slipped into her DMs." We started a text conversation that grew over hours and days and weeks and months until we had fallen madly in love with each other. Emily knew she had to return to Morocco to see Youssef again in person, and we had not one, not two, but three reunions in Morocco, visiting places that Youssef calls home, meeting his family, and getting to know one another better. We got engaged in November 2019 during a wonderful trip to Bali. We've had the pleasure of experiencing some of the best moments with one another, and over the past year we have also endured the pain and frustration of being separated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our lives were put on hold while we waited for the world to reopen, and we were so lucky that Emily could brave the shutdown and travel back to Morocco in December 2020. Just a few weeks after her return, Youssef had his K-1 visa interview and traveled to the U.S. so we could begin our lives together permanently. Throughout our epic love story, we have been supported by friends and family who marveled at our cross-continental love story and epic romance. Through it all, we have proved that the power of love can transcend borders, and we are excited to share this next chapter of our love story together at last.

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For all the days along the way
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