Nikhita & Rafee
Wedding Party
Maria Johnson
Maid of Honor
Maria will forever be “Mother Maria” in my contact list because she is truly one of the kindest, strongest, and most down to earth people I know. I met her junior year of college, and from the moment we became friends she has always been my right hand. Whether it’s the necessary dark humor, the most loving scrumptious hugs, or answering calls at literally any hour of the day, she has been my safe place through every phase of life. We’ve gone from chaotic trips and late night adventures to happily being in bed by 8 pm, and honestly I wouldn’t want it any other way. Maria is the kind of friend who makes people feel loved just by being around her, and I truly cannot imagine this chapter of my life without her by my side.
Somya Swarup
Bridesmaid
Somya is technically my cousin, but despite our 7 year age gap, she has always felt like the sister I never had. It all started when she used to copy my Limited Too outfits growing up, which honestly should’ve been my first sign that she was trendier than me even back then. Between family vacations and life in general, she’s easily become one of my favorite people. Somya is effortlessly funny, charming, and has this signature awkward little laugh that somehow makes everyone else feel less awkward too. She’s my built in travel buddy, my go to for fashion trends and current slang, and the reason I stay somewhat in the know. If I seem remotely cool these days, there’s a good chance Somya coached me first.
PJ Noghrehchi
Bridesman
PJ is quite literally one of my favorite human beings. Despite being a grade below me, he somehow always had the answers to life. Honestly, him finishing up his PhD feels very on brand because his rough drafts read like everyone else’s life’s work. We are anxiety twins just chugging through life together. He was there through friend drama, helping me make medical mnemonics at 2 am on facetime on the island, and somehow is still helping me plan my life to this day. After 14 years of friendship, he still reminds me daily how lucky we are to have each other. Also, he is Kobe’s favorite dog sitter :D
Kelly Meyer
Bridesmaid
Kelly is the life of the party and also a total badass in both the ER and the OR. I met her during our surgery rotation in New Jersey and immediately knew we needed to be friends. While the rest of us were dragging ourselves through 4 am rounds, Kelly was somehow still cheesing and thriving. Outside the hospital, she’s completely unhinged in the best way and will always make sure you have a good time. I know we’re basically the same person because we’ll spend months planning intense trips and 11 mi hikes, only to decide once we get there that the scenic drive is honestly prettier anyway.
Helen Loli-Sloan
Bridesmaid
Helen is the physician, friend, daughter, and sister we all aspire to be. As co-residents, we have definitely trauma bonded through some of the most chaotic days and nights together. No matter where she is, Helen somehow makes everyone feel included and comfortable. She has the kindest soul, but she’s also just a goofy gal at heart. Somehow we always end up making the least professional noises possible in the most professional settings. Wedding planning together only added another layer to our emotional trauma bonding.
Parisa Noghrehchi
Bridesmaid
Parisa and I became friends in high school, and even though we had completely different friend groups, we somehow became “seesters” for life. Then college came around and I immediately latched onto her #BearDown A core memory of ours is being biology lab partners in college and being absolute dimwits together. I would try to follow the instructions while Parisa socialized with other groups to figure out what our data was actually supposed to be. Honestly, that pretty much sums up our friendship. Parisa is quirky, hilarious, and always tells it like it is. No matter what, she’ll always be firmly in your corner <3
Eman Al-Fiky
Bridesmaid
Eman was my literal random (emphasis on the RANDOM!!) roommate when I moved to the random island of Grenada, and within two days of living together she somehow convinced me to move into an off campus apartment with her. Naturally, I said yes immediately, and we stayed attached at the hip all four years. Eman is the kind of person you can absolutely die laughing with, while also knowing she will always advocate for you no matter what. She somehow made sure we never overpaid for a taxi ride from IGA, always made sure we were best dressed as the fashionista she is, and could uncover information better than the FBI when needed. No matter how much time passes, we still pick right back up where we left off.
Harneet Grewal
Bridesmaid
I originally knew of Harneet as the girl from back home who also happened to go to my medical school, but I never realized at the time that she was also very close to Rafee. We survived medical school together and somehow ended up in the same residency too, thank God. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Harneet’s birthday during our first week of residency, Rafee and I may have taken a little longer to find each other... maybe. Harneet is incredibly smart, hardworking, and one of the most loving people to have in your corner. She’s the type of friend who will always show up for you, while also being the perfect person for late night vent sessions and unfiltered conversations. My ride or die.
Sonali Karandikar
Bridesmaid
I’m still not sure if I bullied Sonali into becoming my roommate in college, but thankfully it worked out because she somehow also became my roommate again when I moved to Arizona. Over the years, she has become one of those friends who is effortlessly part of everyday life. Sonali is smart, quietly sarcastic, and the kind of friend who will always show up for the people she loves. We’ve stayed close through so many phases of life, and honestly the funniest part is that we still don’t hug. That’s how you know the friendship is real.
Ifeanyi Ummuna
Best Man
The first memory I have of Ifeanyi is on the track at Gilbert High School, running 200s for conditioning before basketball tryouts. We had just sprinted a 200m, and I looked to my left and saw this guy bent over a trash can. I wasn’t sure who he was, but I gave him a fist bump and we finished up practice. That was 15 years ago, and Ifeanyi has been there for me ever since. From kayaking the Colorado River to signing up for a sprint triathlon on a whim, he is creative, brilliant, and a true renaissance man. Any conversation you have with him, you will leave it feeling 10x smarter. One of the best people I know!
Sergio Valladolid
Groomsman
Sergio has been my brother since high school as well. In 2016, I needed some extra players to join a charity basketball tournament. Sergio answered the call and came from Flagstaff with 5 extra players. We won the tournament (Our team name: Bluth's Frozen Bananas)! The best part of Serg is he is always down to push the ideas from being basic to hype. From grabbing sushi, to rating pizzas, to sending the best music playlists, and taking the best concert photos on his Fujifilm -- Serg is HIM. One day he will be living his life in the fields of Kyoto, so I appreciate him being my groomsman first.
Uzo Nwaturuocha
Groomsman
Uzo is our CFO, our connoisseur of good music, and my ultimate FIFA nemesis. 7 years ago, Uzo moved to AZ and we were introduced by a mutual friend (shoutout Aric). Ever since then, we have seen Uzo become a husband, a homeowner, and just an awesome homie that is down to ride bikes, debate the best pizza shop in AZ, celebrate our birthdays together, and rank movies for hours. When you hear an afrobeats song at the wedding, look for Uzo on the dance floor to learn a move or two.
Saad Imam
Groomsman
Saad is the dad of the group and now I often only facetime him to really talk to his 3 year old who calls me Momo :') Pre-dad life, Saad and I went to ASU and got electrical engineering degrees in which we don't use today. Those day's Saad would be that friend who always somehow knew someone who had the best "study guides" for Emag or Circuits exams. Today he's still my go to for anything in life. If you want to know the best watch to buy, talk to Saad - he will take the time and give you 3 recommendations. If you want to talk cars, find him when the dance floor opens up and ask him about how we drove to Gallup to pick up his Mach-E. If you want to talk cricket, find him when he's talking to me so I can leave the conversation lol!