Our story started at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Justin and Zahra were living in the same dorm on campus, Yerkes, when we first met in its study room. We quickly became friends but did not start dating until spring of sophomore year in 2018 after Justin returned from a semester abroad in Reading, England and Zahra from a January term in Brazil.


In 2020, after graduating from Centre College, Zahra started graduate school at the University of Kentucky while Justin was living in Madison, Wisconsin working full time. After two years of long-distance, Justin moved to Lexington to be closer to Zahra while she entered her final year of school.


In winter of 2023, we moved to Atlanta, Georgia for Zahra’s last clinical placement. On March 24, 2023, on our 5-year anniversary, Justin proposed!


Prior to the proposal, Zahra had a feeling that Justin might propose since he had mentioned he had a surprise for her but hadn’t decided when to give it to her. The day of the proposal, we went to lunch across the street at a pizzeria called Humble Pie before heading to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. On this hot and sunny day, Justin insisted on wearing his black windbreaker. After walking around for a while, Zahra wanted a photo in front of the Earth Goddess sculpture. Justin (very reluctantly) removed his jacket that he had tied around his waist to the side of the water for the picture (find this in the Photos section of the website). While Zahra thought his behavior was slightly odd, she did not know that the ring was actually in his jacket pocket.


Later that evening, after returning home from dinner at The Optimist, Zahra was finally convinced that she was wrong and Justin was definitely not proposing - so much so that she didnt think anything was amiss after noticing and asking why Justin’s computer in the kitchen was on and seemingly recording. Justin quickly responded that he had no idea why and shut the computer. A few minutes later, Zahra was curled up in bed in her pajamas, scrolling through old photos and videos of us when Justin asked if she wanted her surprise now or later. Of course Zahra said now, and when Justin returned with a very slim box, Zahra knew she was wrong yet again. Earrings..., she thought to herself. Then Justin said Zahra’s full name and time stopped at 11:01pm. She blinked and the box was open, showing a beautiful yellow diamond ring, the exact ring she wanted.


In May 2023, shortly after graduating, we went on a trip to Europe and visited France, Switzerland, and Italy. While in Paris, we took our engagement photos by the Eiffel Tower. This is when we knew for certain that we wanted a destination wedding. Then, after visiting Venice together, Zahra decided that they were going to get married in Italy.


We moved from Atlanta to the Bay Area, California in July 2023. After much research, we found Castello di Celsa in Siena, Italy and Zahra knew right away that this was where she wanted to get married.


Currently, Justin works remotely as an application analyst and Zahra works for a private practice as a speech-language pathologist. We are still living in California.


We are so excited for you all to join us at Castello di Celsa on May 24, 2025 for the celebration of our wedding. Andiamo a Italia!