Some stories start with a first date, but ours began long before that. Specifically, in 1999 when we were born just 3 months apart in California to parents who just so happened to be close friends. As fate would have it, both families moved to Nederland, Texas around the same time. What followed was a childhood filled with friendship, tormenting each other (which was typically one-sided and resulted in Ruhi crying) and every phase of growing up together - school, weekends, and everything in between. After graduating from high school as valedictorian and salutatorian, we both headed to the University of Texas at Austin. Although college gave us different paths with different degrees and friend groups, we found ourselves creating any excuse to stay close - grocery runs, errands, and small moments that became our favorite part of the week. Finally, during our senior year, we realized what had been quietly true all along: we never wanted to spend our lives apart. So we started dating, already knowing we had found our best friend in each other. Since then, life has changed in ways we never could have imagined. Aleef worked as an engineer in Missouri for two years while Ruhi stayed in Texas for medical school, and we made long distance an adventure through endless FaceTime calls and 11-hour drives. Once again by fate’s design, Aleef accepted a new job in Houston, Texas, and at the same time, Ruhi's medical school program shifted to be Houston-based. Just like that, we were back to our old routine and have spent the past few years doing the things we love most - trying new restaurants, traveling, spending time with friends, watching Love Island (Ruhi's decision), and hanging out with our senior dog, Cash. We’ve shared so many huge milestones together - Aleef buying his first house, Ruhi becoming a physician and starting residency, and of course, Aleef proposing to Ruhi in Guatemala. All of this leads to the one milestone that rules them all - our wedding! We are endlessly grateful and beyond excited to celebrate this next chapter with our favorite people, and to begin our forever, together, just as it has always been.