Shail was living his best life! After Chirag, Shail's older brother, got married in December 2019, the eyes finally turned towards him shouting "You're next!!". After he got back from India, Shail decided to download Hinge and that's when he saw her...profile.
Anu had been in Chicago since 2017, when she started pharmacy school. After many rounds of downloading and deleting dating apps, she still hadn't found the one that made Chicago feel like home.
After the first few dates, they both knew this was different than anything they felt in the past. Their relationship continued to grow, despite the pandemic, crazy work and school schedules, and a whole year of long distance.
Anu LOVES dogs and was constantly missing her pup, Sophie, who was back home in California. Any time she saw a dog, her entire face would light up. Her love for dogs eventually convinced Shail that he was ready to get one with Anu.
After months of research, they finally found their little potato, Allia (aka Allu). She immediately had both of them wrapped around her paws and has been the apple of their eyes ever since.
Even though Sophie and Allia can't be there at the wedding, look for hints of their presence throughout the weekend!
After finishing up pharmacy school, Anu moved to Phoenix to complete a year of residency. A year of long distance was a challenge for both Shail and Anu but they made it work. They flew back and forth between Phoenix and Chicago and even spent time exploring Arizona throughout the year. Despite the difficulties, the long distance only made their relationship stronger.
After finally being done with residency, Anu wanted to go home to California and celebrate with her family. Suhani (Anu's older sister) suggested they take a weekend road trip to Paso Robles for wine tasting and some much-needed relaxation before Anu moved back to Chicago. Despite being invited multiple times, Shail "couldn't make it" on this trip because he had to prepare for a "big presentation", but Anu knew something was up.
The night before they took off to Paso Robles, Shail messaged Anu on Facebook messenger telling her he lost his phone! He said he left it at the golf course and couldn't find it. He had Anu check his phone's location and there she saw it was, in fact, at the golf course. But wait...Anu questioned him - why couldn't he use iMessage on his laptop then? And why couldn't he FaceTime her off the laptop either? Shail quickly ended the conversation by saying those weren't working either, and he had to take Allia out before going to sleep early ahead of that big presentation. Anu sneakily wished him "Good luck tomorrow, you'll do great!" knowing exactly what was coming.
The next morning, the Patel family got into the car and made the drive up to Paso Robles. They went to the first winery, a beautiful location in the hills with breathtaking views. "I wonder where he's going to pop out of?!" Anu thought while they made their way through a few glasses of wine. But as they got to the end of the wine tasting, Shail still hadn't made his appearance. Maybe he wasn't proposing today...
As the Patels approached the host at the next winery, she gave a certain look that made Anu think this was going to be the place. They were oddly sat away from most of the other customers at the winery. After a couple of tastings, the server brought a bottle of wine and handed Anu a card. As she read the first few words, her eyes filled with tears...happy, excited tears. She made her way to the roof of the winery, the stairwell covered in moments the two shared together. Anu felt it...the butterflies in her stomach that never left since she met him.
There Shail stood, feeling ecstatic. Moments prior, he was waiting on the Tooth & Nail rooftop appreciating the view of the vineyard surrounding him and bracing for this moment. The sky was full of color! The perfect blend of blue and yellow that you only come across when the sun is about to set. It was a beautiful summer evening, and he couldn't wait to share it with the woman he loved.
As Anu approached the rooftop entrance, Shail couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of her and that gorgeous smile! When he finally saw her, he felt a surge of emotions. He was excited, nervous, and happy all at the same time. As she made her way to Shail, she was impressed by the carefully planted decorations. "Damn, he really went all out..." she thought to herself. He took a deep breath and got down on one knee. He told her how much he loved her (and some other things), and asked her the big question.
She smiled and said yes. Shail then slipped the rock on her finger!!Shortly after, the Patels & Shahs ran up to the roof to congratulate the newly engaged couple and welcome each other to their families.
Anu had just moved back to Chicago and what better way to celebrate than an engagement party! Shail and Anu got their closest friends together to celebrate their engagement and the start of their lives together.