Our Story
It all started when
At the end of 2020, when everyone started to settle into their pandemic routine, Ahmad got a call from his friend Molly. She said “you owe me big time.” Long story short, Molly had reposted one of Ahmad’s short films on her instagram story and her coworker Juliana saw it, and it piqued her interest. Months before, Molly had tried to set up the two after having an epiphany that Ahmad and Juliana would make a perfect match. They both initially turned down the offer, but after Juliana saw that video, she became open to the idea of meeting Ahmad. Fast forward a couple months, and a handful of delayed texts later, Ahmad and Juliana went on their first date on December 4th, 2020 at Darwin’s Cafe in Cambridge.
First dates
The first date went great even though they had to keep pulling their masks up and down to take sips of their drinks. The second date ended in a broken down car in the middle of winter, and thankfully Ahmad’s cousin Yehya came to the rescue. The third date confirmed that they were both heavily invested in developing their relationship, and that’s what they’ve continued to do, almost 5 years later.
The following years
In the years since their first dates, Ahmad and Juliana have traveled the world, moved in together, traded hobbies with each other, and learned that Arab and Latin families are two sides of the same coin. They’ve visited their respective families’ homelands in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Lebanon. Everywhere they go, they’re drawn to cats, clouds, sunsets, flowers, card games, and of course, ice cream.
The proposal
After years of trying to convince his family to spend their summer back in Lebanon, Ahmad finally had the perfect excuse to get everyone on board. He told his family that he wanted to propose to Juliana at his favorite spot in Lebanon. And just like that, the tickets were booked. Ahmad got to finally show Juliana all the sites that he had told her about, from the Mediterranean Sea, to the mountains of Kefraya, and everywhere in between. Juliana usually plans their trips together while Ahmad executes on the day, but this time Ahmad told Juliana he’d plan everything and that she could sit back and enjoy the food. All of this planning culminated on their longest day halfway through the trip. The family packed into the car and headed for the Cedar’s of God to roam around the Cedar forest. Afterwards they stopped at some breathtaking overlooks in the Qadisha Valley, and right before sunset, stopped to eat some amazing Lebanese food. Once Juliana was full and recharged from the day, they drove to their final destination, Ahmad’s favorite view in the world. This location, though it might seem random being on the side of the road, holds a special place in Ahmad’s heart, being one of the last views he experienced with his Jidou (grandfather) years ago. He had told Juliana this story many times, and they even have a 5 foot wide panorama front and center in their dining room in Somerville. As the sun started to dip behind the mountains in the valley, Ahmad asked Juliana to marry him. At least that’s what his family said, because he may or may not have blacked out during the proposal….
The wedding
Ahmad and Juliana can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you, their dear friends and family!