Apr 1, 2021

Medicine, Sunsets and a Kiss - Somy and Aman

After having to cancel wedding plans not once but twice, Somy and Aman chose Las Vegas to tie the knot. Just the two of them in an intimate ceremony. They contacted Cactus + Lace Weddings to bring an intimate, tranquil ceremony to a reality. They both work in the hustle and bustle of Medicine, so a calming backdrop to a normally hectic life was just what the Doctor ordered (pun intended). They decided on the breathtaking picturesque location of the Valley of Fire. It's far from the crazy fast paced atmosphere of Las Vegas. It's serene, gorgeous and was a perfect backdrop to their intimate ceremony. Just take a look at their pictures!

Cactus + Lace Weddings did a little Q+A of their own, here is the outcome of this beautiful couple's story.

C+L: How did you meet? Fall in love?

Aman and I met eight years ago, as medical students at Saba University School of Medicine onthe Dutch Caribbean island of Saba. Saba is a volcano that rises straight out of the Caribbean Sea -there is only one road ("The Road") on the island/cone that takes you straight from one end of the island to the other, and the island can only be accessed by a twin-engine plane from St. Maarten (shortest runway in the world!), or ferry. Aman and I were out with a group of mutual friends, celebrating after exams when we both happened to step away from the crowd and run into one another in the resort's cliffside garden as the sun was setting. Neither of us really remembers what we spoke about -but afterwards, we started messaging each other online in the evenings as we studied. Conversation was casual: check-ins, memes, complaints, gossip. We made each other smile and laugh out loud, and long nights studying got shorter. We loved talking to each other. We both waited about a month until the next set of exams to go out again, and (unsurprisingly) "bumped into one another" again. Aman kissed me that night, and we've been together since then.

C+L: How did you get engaged?

In March 2019, we rented a beautiful house in Tulum - it was our first vacation together since our emotional "farewell" in Saint Maarten! We had spent the day exploring Chichen Itza, Coba, and the nearby town of Valladolid, and were relaxing on our rooftop patio admiring the stars when Aman proposed. He designed my engagement ring with a jeweler in his hometown in St. John's, Newfoundland, and had flown to Canada the week before to pick up the ring. I had no idea, and was so surprised! We spent the next day celebrating on the beach with endless mojitos and fresh guacamole - it was divine.

C+L: We would love to hear more of your love story. Tell us more!

Aman and I spent one year together on the island of Saba before we had to move home for clinical medical training. Aman is Canadian and I'm from the US, so there was always an understanding that we would be breaking up once we left. We booked a final weekend together in Saint Maarten directly from Saba, with plans to part ways at the very end, in the Miami airport. Our weekend started off amazingly, but we were both broken hearted by the end. Neither of us said much of anything as we traveled together to the St. Maarten airport, flew to Miami, and sat down together at my gate. Just before parting, I asked Aman if he wanted to try long-distance instead of breaking up, and he nodded yes - we still could barely speak in our shared grief. I cried all the way home to Chicago, and Aman flew back to St. John's, Newfoundland. We didn't see each other again for another 5 months. Sporadically over the next 6 years of medical school and residency, we met up for weekends in whatever US or Canadian city one or the other was living in. We were lucky to have 9 months in between, where we lived together in a teeny Manhattan studio overlooking a garbage alley - it was essentially a smelly closet, but we loved being comfortable together in a city, and it confirmed that our relationship was "the one". I completed my Emergency Medicine residency in 2020 and moved to Cleveland (where Aman is a general surgery resident) in July - after six years, we are finally together, forever!

C+L: What do you love most about each other?

Aman: I love Somy's endearing and captivating personality. She is a beautiful person who brings an extraordinary sense of happiness in my life. Whether it's a lazy Sunday afternoon or a hike in the desert, I know every minute will be an adventure. She is my soul mate and the love of my life.

Somy: I always have so much fun with Aman. He's always down for an adventure with me. He makes me belly-laugh, and he goes out of his way to make my day better - he surprises me in the ED with coffee, comes home with cupcakes, and changes my toothbrush heads when he thinks they look worn down. And beyond that - he's also one of the most brave and intelligent people I've ever met, and I feel lucky to have him in my life.

C+L: We'd love to hear about your dress.

When it became apparent a big wedding was no longer practical or safe (COVID), we made plans to elope locally in Cleveland on New Years Eve. We had less than a month to prepare, and I found my dream dress off the rack at Luxe Redux Bridal in Cleveland. The designer is Theia, and the dress name is Luciana. When I tried the dress on, I felt thrilled. I loved looking at myself in it, turning around in it, and running my hands down my body. I looked at photos of myself in that dress over and over on my phone - I knew it was perfect. It's so heavy and luxurious, and the beading flows over your body and makes you feel like a goddess. I smile every time I put it on! Unfortunately, that first elopement was also cancelled because of COVID complications - which lucked out for us, because we were vaccinated shortly afterwards and able to plan our dream elopement with Cactus and Lace!