Going to Temple, meeting the girl of my dreams was never a part of the plan. Lucky for me, Riya and I had a bunch of mutual friends and lived in the same dorm freshman year. It was really the end of freshman year that we started talking around the pretenses of starting a medical fraternity. Our friendship went from strategizing organizational set up, to snapchatting all summer long. By early sophomore year, I asked Riya out, and the rest is history! After a decade of friendship involving surprises, pranks, Netflix/Spotify parties, schooling and exams, flights and drives, and bountiful love, we are excited to finally be getting married!

Dearest Reader, On a whimsical evening that whispered secrets of romance, Anuj summoned the courage to entreat Riya to a soirée of enchantment. At first, Riya hesitated, treasuring the harmony of their camaraderie, fearing the tempest of love might disrupt its delicate balance. Yet Anuj's earnest pleas wore down her resolve, coaxing her into the realm of possibility. After an interminable month of anticipation, amidst the clamor of academia and society's demands, their schedules aligned like stars in the firmament. Anuj, ever the gallant, commandeered his brother's chariot, ensuring Riya a carriage befitting her grace. With the destination set at the illustrious Maggiano's, Anuj deftly maneuvered into a parking space with the grace of a maestro, employing the oldest trick in the book to elicit Riya's admiration. Within the hallowed halls of Maggiano's, laughter danced like fireflies as they bantered over the menu, each vying to make the other's heart flutter without a spill to mar the evening's perfection. Despite Riya's protests, Anuj gallantly assumed the role of benefactor, leaving her protests echoing in the wind. As the moon cast its silvery spell upon the city, Anuj serenaded Riya with the dulcet tones of Bruno Mars, a melody as sweet as the promise of spring. Lost in the labyrinthine streets, Anuj sought guidance from the stars above and the wisdom of his kin, leading them to the hidden sanctuary behind the Art Museum. With a flourish worthy of a troubadour, Anuj unveiled a cornucopia of delights - sparkling cider and a bouquet of blooms - tokens of his affection. Hand in hand, they traversed the path to the gazebo, where the twinkling lights of boathouse row shimmered like a constellation of dreams. In the tender embrace of that enchanted night, Anuj wove a tapestry of memories that shall forever adorn the chambers of Riya's heart, a testament to the ardor of youth and the splendor of love's first bloom.

An inkling of a proposal felt up in the air. After years of dating, a romantic getaway in Italy felt like just the right time. Anuj had requested to plan the day of November 17th, in Florence, himself. He had asked me to get a blue dress for the day. I had strong suspicions of a proposal that day but had no idea how it would unfold. The morning started with me rushing to get ready (per usual!) and then quickly finding out that Florence was not a city where ubers came easy. I was not letting the day get dampered on, so I flagged down a taxi as though I were in NYC. We were in awe of the view of Florence and a replica of the statue of David looked over us. We walked around, and then Anuj helped me take my coat off. I got nervous and excited and awkwardly forced Anuj to also get a solo picture of himself. He then got down on a knee and popped the question. To my surprise, the photographer had brought a friend along who had a video call on and our parents were together in California watching us! After the most excited "yes" of our lives, we had a romantic fall proposal photoshoot. After that, Anuj surprised me further with matching fiancé t-shirts and a Fiat 500 Wine Tour, since I am a sucker for small vintage cars. Anuj had not brushed on his manual driving skills and he nearly killed us multiple times. Our love for each other only grew stronger when death felt on the line. After the wine tour, we dressed up nice, went to a fancy dinner, got aperol spritzes and gelato, and tried to get into a speakeasy (could not crack the code sadly). It was a magical day made so special by Anuj, and have you seen the ring!? He did good!