The Dandashis

Ayman and Mikaylee’s story began two decades ago. They first met when they were six years old, in the same classroom, and quickly became inseparable. Playdates turned into afternoons filled with tetherball, video games, and a lot of laughter. After first grade, they went to different schools, and grew up on slightly different paths. Still, they would run into each other at community events or soccer games, always exchanging shy smiles and catching up, their families happy to see them reconnect. Years later, they found themselves together again in high school. They were close friends, shared classes, and stayed in each other’s orbit. Ayman flirted from afar, especially in Spanish and English class, and even confided in Mikaylee’s best friend, Viv, about how cute he thought she was. With the green light from Viv, Ayman asked Mikaylee on a date! Their first date was a hike up a mountain in their hometown, followed by their favorite...In-N-Out. Not long after, they went to a Sublime concert together, connecting on their mutual love for reggae, and from that point on, they became pretty inseparable. They spent months going on dates before finally making it official on December 6th, 2015, when Mikaylee, in true understated romance, asked Ayman, “Hey… do you want to do this thing?” (Note: Ayman had thought they were already "doing this thing"...but said yes anyways.) They spent the rest of senior year side-by-side and kicked off their relationship with adventure. That summer, they took their first international trip together to Japan, (which was Ayman's first time out of the country!) followed by a trip to Guam, where Mikaylee introduced Ayman to her entire Guam family. (Looking back, she now realizes what a bold move that was, having only been official for 6 months...thankfully, it worked out!) Both were accepted into their dream school, San Diego State University, where they got to experience college, independence, and real adult life together. They even both studied abroad in Spain, just a two-hour train ride apart. It was the most "long-distance" they had ever done, and they made it work through weekend trips spent wandering Europe, & falling more in love along the way. Travel became the heartbeat of their relationship. For them, the secret to lasting love is always doing something new together. A new city, a new country, a new restaurant, a new hobby. They’ve since traveled the world together, visiting Japan, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Amsterdam, South Korea, Vietnam, and many Guam trips - bonding deeply over food, culture, and shared experiences. They adopted a cat named Enoki, created a home together in La Jolla, and continue to choose each other every day. They are true best friends. On the surface, total opposites. At the core, perfectly balanced. Fire and water. Grounding and elevating one another exactly when needed. Their family and friends often describe them as a real-life fairy tale, a love that feels rare and deeply genuine.

On December 6th, 2025, exactly ten years after making things official, Ayman proposed. Ayman had been conspiring with Mikaylee's inner circle to originally set up the proposal at a later date. But in true Ayman fashion, his heart moved faster than his plans, and the excitement and impulse he felt to ask the big question was too much for him to wait any longer. Within 24 hours, he traded the long-range strategy for a whirlwind of spontaneous romance—pulling off a proposal that was perfectly, uniquely "them." What started as a simple plan for drinks before dinner turned into a walk along the bay, a carefully chosen bench, a golden sunset, and words so meaningful that Mikaylee says she blacked out! With tears flowing, shaky hands, and their best friend & wedding photographer, Max, there to capture it all...Ayman got down on one knee and asked the love of his life to marry him. They are so excited to keep building a life together, traveling the world, chasing new adventures, and making memories that feel just as meaningful as the very first ones, 2 decades ago.