The journey began in 2018, at a village reunion. Although their father's grew up within a few miles in rural Gujarat (Raaj District), they had never met. It was pure fate that both Shiv and Sanam decided to attend.

On the first day, Shiv, alongside his charismatic friend Butter, approached Sanam while she was hanging out with her sister and cousin. Unprompted, Butter performed the splits, which was unintentionally the perfect icebreaker and made him the ultimate wingman. Later that night, despite Shiv's "really bad game," he won Sanam over with his dorky charm by showing off constellations using a starfinder app.

A few months later, Shiv visited Sanam in Austin, where they had an unforgettable weekend filled with laser tag (where they might have taken a little too much joy in outmaneuvering a group of ten-year-olds), kayaked on Lady Bird Lake, and wandered the UT campus where they cheekily added googly eyes to statues.

Their connection deepened quickly, and within six months, they decided to take a bold leap — traveling the world together for a year. During this time, they explored over a dozen countries, navigated through unexpected lockdowns, and even hitchhiked in Laos, confirming that if they could handle these adventures, they were ready for anything life could throw their way.

Upon returning, the realization that they were meant to be was undeniable. In a beautifully orchestrated proposal in July 2020, Shiv proposed in a greenhouse in Austin, surrounded by a romantic setting of roses, candles, and Sanam's favorite books. He surprised her with a ring they had crafted together in Bali — which she thought was lost — cleverly hidden in a custom-made copy of her favorite book.

Despite long-distance, with Shiv moving to D.C. and Sanam living in Texas, their adventures continued. They explored national parks, traveled, and cherished their moments together until they finally closed the distance by moving in together in Boston in 2023.

They are thrilled to continue this beautiful journey with each other and can't wait to celebrate their union with all of you.

Here's to the start of forever!