Wedding Date on Aug 26, 2018

Through His eyes: My story starts about two weeks after I had moved to San Francisco for my new job. My best friend and best man, Justin, invited me to a beer fest with a few friends from UCSD. I had met one of them, but didn’t know the others in tow. When I showed up to the event I met Lipika. She was surrounded by a pleasant aura, a gorgeous face, and hazelnut brown hair. At first glance her beauty immediately struck me. I meekly introduced myself as I tried to size up her character. We immediately hit it off and I learned she was fun and easy to talk to. We chatted casually as we sipped all kinds of beers from all over the world. We grew more and more comfortable and when the DJ called people to the dance floor I asked for her hand to dance. The rhythmic and soothing melody of Usher’s “yeah” really sparked the romance of the night. By that time, I knew Lipika and I had a connection and started planning my first move. The group headed to a bar after the beer fest and as we talked I leaned in and kissed her. Obviously Lipika liked that and as the night drew to a close I walked her to the Bart station. We shared a sleepy and loving ride home snuggling on the fine leather linens of the Bay Area subway. Since that night, Lipika and I have been pretty much inseparable and I have never been more excited for her to become my wife. Through Her Eyes: August 29th, 2015. Agenda: Giants game with 3 other friends and then beerfest with potentially more. Let’s fast-forward the Giants’ really awful loss (0-6, us). My friends and I walked over to the pier where beerfest would be held and I was told another friend from UCSD would be joining us (one that I hadn’t met before). As we were waiting for the event to start…there he was, facing the sun. I saw gorgeous hazel eyes and his hand reaching for mine, “hi, I’m Alex”. As the evening continued the not-so-shy-anymore-but-incredibly-handsome Alex and I couldn’t stop talking and laughing with each other. He was smart, ambitious, and easy to talk to. We jokingly middle school slow danced to “Yeah!” by Usher and the spark between us started to flame. Before we knew it the event was ending and we started walking out, but the conversation kept flowing. August 29th, 2015, ~10pm: Agenda:…well you’ll see. [Waiting at the BART station] Alex: I don’t know if this is too forward, but do you want to go out sometime? Lipi: gets shy yeah, I’d really like that Alex: smiles cool Lipi:… Alex:… Lipi: so…are you going to ask for my number or…. Alex: trying to play it cool Oh, uh, we have so much time on the train I figured I would later…but yeah what is it? (Later when we look back at this conversation he said he was so focused on asking about the date, he just didn’t realize!) A little ways into the ride I rested my head on his shoulder, and he brushed the hair out of my face…out of a movie, right? I was on cloud nine, and little did I know that my best adventure was just getting started. From the day we met and every day since, we haven’t stopped talking, laughing, and falling for each other more and more. He is my perfect complement in every way, and I couldn’t be happier to share my life with my best friend and other half. Her proposal: I had been out of state for a weeklong work training and Alex was being very loving while I was gone. Every night when we would FaceTime, he would tell me how bare my left ring finger looked and how much he loved and missed me. I usually am so excited to come home to him, but this time more than ever. I was to fly home on November 17, 2017, around 10pm. This was also when Alex was expecting quite a few of his friends from SoCal for a video game tournament that was going to be held in Oakland. Alex told me the morning of my flight home he wasn’t sure about their plans in the evening, so for a couple hours I had a feeling that today might be the day. When I reached my layover destination he called me saying we were just going to dinner at a restaurant close by with all his friends because they were hungry, and so I figured, maybe another weekend since I had known about his friends coming over for a few months now. Excited to see the man I love, despite no ring in my near future, I hopped on the next plane and awaited my landing. I ran into his arms when I landed and we started our journey home, or so I thought. As we started pulling out of the airport he told me his friends were at a bar in Pacifica that we had been to a few months prior. So off to Pacifica we went. As we got a little closer, he mentioned he just got a text saying they are at the beach. And again, since last time we went to this bar we walked to the beach after, it all made sense. So off to Pacifica State Beach we went. Once we got there I noticed there weren’t any cars, but then I remembered his friends had walked, so their cars must have been by the bar. We walk a little ways into the beach and by three rocks, Alex points out a wine bottle, “what’s that?” he asks. I pull it out and notice a piece of paper in the bottle, he asks me to read what the message says, and all I can think is “oh maybe this is a game! I hope we win”. I pull out the cork and the message read, “will you marry me?” in beautiful, red calligraphy. I turn to look at Alex, and there was my fiancé on one knee with my ring in his left hand. I couldn’t contain myself; I hugged him and started crying. He kissed my face and put the ring on my finger and reminded me that I hadn’t yet answered him. I screamed, “yes, of course” and burrowed myself back into his loving arms. And in those moments, everything was perfect; I was home, I was engaged to the man of my dreams, and a new chapter was just beginning. Saturday, December 17th, started like any other. It was the weekend and Lipika and I were happy to be off work. We had only been awake for a couple of hours when Lipika explained she had a make-up appointment at Sephora. I thanked the heavens Lipika did not insist on me going with her. A couple of minutes later I get a phone call from Lipika telling me to look under my computer keyboard. “Huh..,” I wonder, as I find an envelope with my name on it. I open it and find a note from Lipika saying how much she loves me and how happy she’s become building a home with me. The last sentence hints that I can find my next envelope at our local sushi restaurant. Instantly, a wave of anxiety and excitement wash over me. It was the same anxiety and excitement I felt the day I was planning Lipika’s proposal. The jig was up and I knew what she was planning. I drive over to the restaurant with mild heart palpitations and elevated blood pressure. I walk in and to my surprise I see my best friend, Justin, sitting at a table waiting for me. I immediately try to coax some answers out of him, but he’s determined in keeping things a secret. I find another envelope under my napkin that says my next surprise is waiting for me in the city. Justin and I chat, eat some of my favorite sushi rolls, and then head to the Bart station. We arrive in San Francisco and head to our next destination. The long Bart ride and the beer I had with lunch help calm my nerves. Justin ushers me into a cute Mission district bar and there we meet Lipika’s brother, Sunny, and her two cousins, Rinku and Purva. They coyly keep the charade going as I try to pry into them for answers as well. More drinks and food are ordered and after sufficient insistence, Sunny gives me my next letter. It says that my final surprise is at “BREW CADE” written in glossy golden ink. Brew cade is the name of an arcade in San Francisco that serves alcohol, in other words, heaven on earth. It combines my life’s three passions: video games, alcohol, and my fiancée Lipika. I start walking across the street and I catch a glimpse of Lipika holding golden balloons. A big smile spreads across my face as I approach her. She gives a short and sweet spiel about how much she loves me and gets on one knee to ask me to be her husband.