Nicole and Bilal both grew up with a love of literature and storytelling, but neither could have predicted the adventure that life would take them on once their stories intertwined. At the time they met, Bilal had recently returned to New York after a few years teaching in China and attending graduate school in Massachusetts. Nicole, on the other hand, had traded her start in arts administration for a career in teaching. After living and working in Manhattan for years, she was now a middle school English teacher in Long Island. Bilal wrote the first words in our story, nervously asking Nicole about her favorite (albeit extremely obscure) Shakespeare play. Nicole was impressed with Bilal’s message, and his love of yet another extremely obscure Shakespeare play. The two of them fell for each other, and realized in unison, that they were nerds. Over the next few days, the two would learn that they both grew up in Queens, loved to travel, and believed that X-Men: First Class was a severely underrated film in the franchise. It wasn’t long before Bilal suggested that they meet for a first date at Lady Mendl’s Tea House, which Nicole happily accepted.

Bilal first noticed Nicole’s rain boots. It was bright and sunny outside, but she had chosen to wear a pair of clunky galoshes. True to her character, Nicole had studied the weather forecast beforehand, and deduced that a passing shower could coincide with their date. As the sky darkened and the forecasted rain began to fall, the two remained deep in conversation. It was not until the rain had stopped, the tea had grown cold, and the sun reappeared that the two left the tea house, still laughing and chatting. They began spending more time together, exploring the city and sharing their favorite spots. Both were ardent foodies. They also enjoyed exploring museums, listening to live music, and strolling in Central Park. Their overlapping work schedules meant that they had no mutual days off in a seven-day week, but they were determined to navigate the logistical difficulties. When their work schedules finally aligned, they realized how much they truly treasured the new time they could now spend with each other. Although they initially bonded over their similarities, Bilal and Nicole soon learned of each other’s differences as well. Nicole was an avid Disney adult, while Bilal had never been to Disney World. Bilal loved biking and even built his own bike, while Nicole had never learned to ride. On a road trip to Maine, Bilal was eager to share his love of hiking towards expansive views, only to find that Nicole had a severe fear of heights. And so they decided to share. Over the next two years, Nicole introduced Bilal to Disney World for the first time, and Bilal took Nicole on her first camping trip. Nicole shared her love of flowers and music, and Bilal showed Nicole the intricacies of birding and art. Bilal also spent four hours attempting to teach Nicole how to ride a bike (she proudly maintains that she can now stay atop the bike for 10 whole seconds before falling), and Nicole joined Bilal in hosting his weekly Dungeons and Dragons game.

On February 10, 2024, Bilal brought Nicole to Lady Mendl’s Tea House under the guise of a Valentine’s Day date. It was an effective ruse, and Nicole was given the best surprise of her life when Bilal popped the all-important question that would begin their next chapter. We look forward to our future together traveling the world, trying as many cuisines as possible, and sharing all of our love and happiness with our family and friends. Thank you for joining us to celebrate our marriage with us!