Rajiv and Soni officially met at Mohan Matchmaking in Chicago April 2023—a large South Asian dating convention. They crossed paths briefly during speed dating, exchanged Instagrams, and went their separate ways. When Rajiv got back home to Philly, he decided to shoot his shot… but Soni left him on read. A few months later, fate (and another matchmaking event) brought them together again—this time in Philadelphia July 2023. When Rajiv noticed Soni, he hesitated at first, remembering that “read receipt,” and assumed she wouldn’t be interested. But eventually, he decided to take another chance and start a conversation. To his surprise, Soni was friendly and engaging—though she admits she thought Rajiv looked much younger than her. Ironically, he’s actually six years older! (Must be those Kannada genes) The very next day, Rajiv invited Soni to a Nora Fatehi concert—and they had an amazing time. From that point on, they decided to stay in touch and see where things might lead. Their first official date was at Buddakan in Philadelphia, and one of their most memorable early dates was when Rajiv surprised Soni by telling her to meet him at a “secret location,” which turned out to be a salsa dancing lesson. Over time, their bond grew stronger. They connected over their shared love for fashion, family and friends, binging true crime documentaries, and trying new restaurants together. Soni even surprised Rajiv by taking him to a Philadelphia Eagles pep rally—a date that ended with an unexpected twist. During dinner at Bar Hygge, Soni was convinced Rajiv was about to break up with her because he looked so nervous and ghostly. Instead, he asked her to be his girlfriend. (Surprise, surprise... She said yes!) As their relationship grew, so did the adventures—meeting each other’s families and friends, celebrating milestones, and dreaming about the future. Eventually, they decided to plan their first big international trip together: Morocco in June 2025. Little did Soni know, something special was brewing. After booking the trip, Rajiv realized Morocco would be the perfect place for a proposal. He spent weeks researching photographers until he found one who matched his vision for the perfect moment—at the stunning Madrasa Ben Youssef in Marrakech. To pull off the surprise, Rajiv even designed a fake letter from their riad offering a complimentary “couples photoshoot.” He secretly planted the letter in their room so it would look like a genuine offer. When Soni found it, she read it quietly, and Rajiv had to act surprised, asking if she wanted to do it—and she agreed. The plan was in motion! But as the big day approached, everything started to go sideways. The photographer texted that his flight was canceled, and his assistant would have to take over. Then, just an hour before the shoot, it started pouring rain—something that almost never happens in Marrakech in June. Rajiv decided that no matter what, the show (and the proposal) must go on! Miraculously, as they left their riad, the skies cleared and the sun came out. Throughout the shoot, there were moments that could have been “the one”—like when they walked past a spot decorated with rose petals and Soni’s heart started to race… but no proposal came. Finally, they arrived at Madrasa Ben Youssef, where Rajiv got down on one knee and popped the question. In his nervous excitement, he blurted out, “Will you marry me? Now you’ll take care of me—wait, I mean, I’ll take care of you.” Soni said yes—and the rest is history!