Yaryna and Vedang’s love story begins in Cleveland, OH, where their paths crossed working together at a medical device company. Yaryna joined their Quality Engineering department, and Vedang was working on developing new medical technology. Through many team lunches and celebratory happy hours, Yaryna and Vedang became fast friends. Yaryna would stop by Vedang’s desk to talk about his experience at Case, as she was pursing her MBA, and he would stop by her desk at the of the day to chat about absolutely anything – except work, of course. After a birthday trip to San Diego with her friends, Yaryna couldn’t stop raving about how much she loved the city and how she wanted to move there after graduation. Vedang, who was eager to get back to California, chimed in that he’d love to move there someday too. And just like that, in the middle of their breakroom, they made a bet on who would be the first to make the San Diego dream a reality. The stakes were set: the loser would take the winner out to dinner.

Thankfully, they didn’t wait for the bet to be over for that “date.” After many missed cues from Yaryna, Vedang finally took the hint and asked her out! Their relationship quickly blossomed, even HR gave them the official stamp of approval. Vedang, who had once declared his disdain for cats, somehow morphed into the world’s most devoted cat-dad to Yaryna’s beloved Ponchik. It was truly a tale of unexpected love—mostly for each other, but also for the furry little tyrant.

During the pandemic, they quickly became experts at surviving together by discovering new hobbies. They took up golf, which involved more swinging and less actual "hitting the ball”, but hey, they got some fresh air.

The decision to move to San Diego marked a new chapter in their love story. Taking a leap of faith, they packed their lives into a U-Haul and embarked on a new adventure. As they settled into their dream city, their love continued to grow, strengthened by new experiences and shared aspirations. Meanwhile, Ponchik is living his best life—front-row seats to city views and unlimited opportunities to people watch from the comfort of his sunny windowsill. And yes, the bet technically ended in a ‘draw’, but Vedang being the gentleman that he is – still treats Yaryna to dinner dates.

In October 2022 Vedang decided to take things to the next level and propose to Yaryna. He invited Yaryna to a brunch, but as they waited for their Uber, a limo rolls up with their favorite champagne on ice. To pass the time, Vedang created a custom crossword puzzle about their relationship and dropped clues one by one. Romantic, right? Or just really good at keeping her distracted! They arrived at a beautiful winery in Temecula and made their way to a walkway by the pond. As they descended the stairs, they were met with their friends Frances and Carlos, each holding a rose and a crossword clue for Yaryna. As they continued their walk, Yaryna was stunned to be met by Vedang’s brother, Parth, and his fiancée, Shreya, who also had roses and more clues. The journey led them to a dock, beautifully decorated with flowers and their pictures, while a violinist played their favorite songs—the scene had been perfectly set! They stepped onto the dock, with Yaryna beaming in anticipation of what was coming next. As Vedang dropped to one knee, he reached into his pocket... and then paused. "Does anyone have the ring?" he asked, clearly having misplaced it in the most dramatic way possible. Enter Yaryna’s God-daughter, Adaline, who had traveled all the way from Cleveland to save the day. Adaline handed over the ring just as Yaryna was trying (and failing) to keep her tears in check. Vedang picked up where he left off, delivering a beautiful speech and presented her with a stunning engagement ring. Then, Vedang handed Yaryna the final clue to her crossword puzzle: "Will you marry me?" To which she answered with a heartfelt, "Yes!" As they were soaking in the congratulations, Vedang had one more surprise up his sleeve! Out from around the corner came Yaryna’s and Vedang’s parents—who had all flown in for the proposal! Because what’s a proposal without the love and support of your families?