Kayli and Sam met online, and mutual friends gave us the first push to meet up. Sam was studying at Iowa State and Kayli was living in Des Moines, Iowa, having just graduated from Drake University. They bonded over a mutual disinterest in the football game they met up at — Sam wooed Kayli with his travel stories and tech knowledge, Kayli talked about her design goals and popped some sick dance moves, and the rest is history. We moved to New York City together in 2016 for our careers (which we have both since abandoned), and built a life here full of friends, passions, and favorite spots that we love very much. We live in Jackson Heights, Queens, with our two rescue dogs Olive and Pico. We love rock climbing, eating our way through the boroughs, cooking together, and travel.

In college, Sam studied architecture, which took him to Rome for a study abroad program. There he fell in love with Italian culture, ate lots of white chocolate croissants, and took unforgettable trips along the coast with his friends. Fast forward years later, and Kayli found herself on an unexpected solo trip through Venice, Rome, and Positano. She hitchhiked on the back of a moped down the coast, stayed overnight in a castle, made incredible friends, and had no regrets about daily gelato. It moved her so much that she came home, quit her job, and backpacked the region for two months. We've also had some wonderful trips here together and with friends over the span of our relationship, and we were engaged in Lake Como and Milan! Italy is also the halfway point between our families in India and Iowa. We can't wait to show you one of our favorite places on Earth.