It all began with a retreat. Mina, who was serving as the president of his OCCM chapter, had planned a trip to Chattanooga. He wanted the retreat to be inclusive and welcoming, so he opened spots for friends of OCCM members. Although only a couple more guests were invited, one of those guests happened to be Sarah. Mina and Sarah had crossed paths before — they’d grown up just a few miles apart and even attended the same church for a short time — but Chattanooga was the first time they officially met. Although they had not fallen in love just yet, the retreat became the foundation of a friendship that continued to grow. Throughout their undergraduate years, Mina and Sarah’s friendship blossomed. They found themselves in the same friend group, sharing memories and laughter whenever they hung out. One summer, Sarah left for Egypt with her family. Funny enough, on the very day she got back to the U.S., Mina and his family were heading to Egypt. When Mina finally got back, their friend group planned a bunch of hangouts, and Mina and Sarah naturally gravitated toward each other and started spending more and more time together. Soon, they began meeting outside of the group — studying together, grabbing food, enjoying each other’s company, and building a bond that felt different from before. A couple of months later, on Mina’s birthday, he made a choice that changed everything. Instead of celebrating with friends or family, he finished work, went to church, spoke to his father of confession about Sarah, then invited her out for ice cream. There, he finally confessed his feelings. From that moment, everything clicked. What started as a retreat invitation turned into a friendship, then into love and a relationship full of joy, growth, and laughter. Now, a few years later, we are overjoyed to be stepping into the next chapter of our story — our wedding day. Surrounded by family and friends, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate our wedding day with all of you!