Our Story
The matter of how we met
It began quietly, like most good things do.
Chantel and Vajra had taken to Hinge in hopes of finding someone special, unaware that somewhere in the endless scroll, a simple and cheerful hello would set everything in motion.
It was Chantel’s vibrant smile that first caught Vajra’s attention and prompted that first message.
On her profile, in response to the prompt “What are you looking for?” Chantel had written: “A friendship to last a lifetime.” Vajra, spotting both romance and opportunity, replied, “A friendship to last a lifetime is something I’m looking for too.”
From there, the messages flew back and forth; playful, thoughtful, and full of curiosity. Weeks of late-night conversations eventually led to the inevitable dinner date and the start of something that felt like it had been waiting for them all along.
The rest of the story, should you care to read it
What began with that first dinner soon became many. Long conversations over shared meals, laughter that lingered past closing hours, and weekend day trips to quiet corners of New England.
They explored winding trails, seaside towns, and any place that promised fresh air and good coffee.
Along the way, they started a small tradition of collecting postcards from every adventure, filling the backs with short journal entries to capture each days highlights.
With each new trip, the friendship deepened, and time together began to feel less like a plan and more like a rhythm they never wanted to end.
An offer of marriage
The proposal happened in the early hours of a late summer morning at the Arnold Arboretum, beneath the graceful drape of a willow tree.
The air was soft and the world perfectly still. The kind of quiet that seems to hold its breath for something wonderful.
Vajra led Chantel through the Arboretum, beneath the green canopy of the willow, where sunlight filtered through the leaves like a secret shared between them.
With heartfelt words and a ring that caught the light just so, Vajra knelt before Chantel and asked her to marry him. Through joyful tears, Chantel said yes and thus concluded the question upon which all happy stories depend.
