It all began with a little help from fate—and my best friend's older sister. I, Amel, had brought my best friend Nouhad (who is now my maid of honor) as my plus one to a wedding in New Orleans. We were enjoying the excitement of the city, when Nouhad got a text from her older sister, Khadija. She wanted to know if I’d be open to going on a date with her friend, Raneem. I, of course, was open to it but didn't think much of it as I was enjoying wedding festivities in New Orleans.

What I didn’t know was that on the other side, Raneem was being thoroughly vetted by Khadija. She was asking all the right questions to see if he’d be the perfect match. I had no idea any of this was happening!

Eventually, we added each other on Instagram. From there, things unfolded naturally. Raneem set up our first date in Philadelphia, where I was living, and drove 4 hours to meet me. It wasn’t until date number two that we laughed and realized the lengths Khadija went to, to get us together.

Our relationship grew into something beautiful. We quickly realized our connection was worth the efforts of long distance. What started with a simple text turned into a relationship filled with shared adventures, and an undeniable love. Now, we can’t wait to celebrate our love with all of you.