After weeks of a mutual friend (and now Officiant) trying to set them up on a blind date, Arlene & Salim repeatedly rejected the other for reasons that cannot be disclosed (i.e. career choice) so cupid was ready to call it quits. When, in a sudden turn of events just three months later, Arlene & Salim meet on their own accord as competing attorneys at a networking event. This was the photo submitted to cupid that same night, and the first of MANY Arlene & Salim selfies.

After three weeks of silence from Salim who thought he was being respectful of Arlene's nonexistent Facebook boyfriend, Salim asked Arlene on their first date. It's the night after Thanksgiving and Salim takes Arlene to the new rooftop in town for a night to remember when plot twist: the fire alarm goes off (twice) during appetizers and the entire building evacuates so they regroup and head down the block for an unexpectedly romantic night at a raunchy Mexican Restaurant instead...mariachi men selling colored roses and all. Nothing short of a night to remember.

After roadtrips to Newport, Boston, Montreal, etc., Arlene & Salim take their first overseas* trip (the one they'd joked about on their first date) to Greece, with a pit stop in Amalfi, Italy, accompanied by Arlene's cousins (and now bridesmaids). It was in Mykonos, after the most perfect day, where Salim tricked Arlene into saying those three magic words FIRST, and he will never let her forget it. Nonetheless, still no regrets.

Salim proposes at the speakeasy wine cellar of Arlene's dreams, and she says yes without hesitation, of course. Not only were her closest friends and family involved in the proposal but Salim went as far as making sure Arlene's father flew in from Colombia to surprise her afterwards at her future father-in-law's house, surrounded by all of Arlene and Salim's closest friends and family.

Arlene & Salim celebrate their engagement with quite literally ALL of their beloved friends and family in the most extravagant Colombian-Syrian party possible.