Everything About Neal and Saloni’s Wedding Proposal In Chicago

Love is in the air and today we're excited to share Neal and Saloni's love story! Read on to see how they met and what advice they have for couples.

When did you get engaged?

June 22, 2019

What was your proposal story?

We had been dating for about a year, and we both knew that we were meant to be. Saloni was finishing her first year of residency and decided to spend a few days with my family. I told her that I was working that weekend and there was no way I could get it off. My mom and sister took Saloni to get her nails done under the pretense of it being my mom's birthday treat (My mom's birthday is June 20th).

Then, on proposal day, my sister Nirali took Saloni to downtown Chicago to show her the sights. I flew from Pittsburgh to Chicago that morning and headed straight to the proposal site. As they walked behind Adler Planetarium, I was waiting with the proposal setup. I knew that Saloni wanted something Bollywood and her favorite movie was Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She particularly loved the gazebo scene towards the end of the movie. I set up some of our favorite tunes to play on a speaker system and had pictures of our set up on easels and a red carpet of roses. When Saloni heard the music she got curious and started walking towards the setup. I got down on one knee and popped the question - and the rest is history!

Following the proposal, I had arranged for a quick photoshoot and horse carriage ride to take us to Buckingham Fountain. There I surprised Saloni by having both of our families ready and waiting to celebrate with us. We enjoyed our time with our families and had a quiet post-proposal reception at my house with our closest friends and family.

Pic Provided by Neal Shah

What is the best or most frustrating part of your wedding planning process so far?

As with many couples, COVID-19 has thrown a lot of uncertainty into the wedding planning process. The most frustrating part of the process has been trying to figure out how to coordinate COVID restrictions amongst all of our vendors and pair down our guest list.

What advice would you give to someone who is ready to propose?

A proposal is one of life's most beautiful memories. My advice to anyone who is ready to propose is to make it personal and thoughtful. And definitely plan ahead in case there are any hiccups! It is a way to commemorate your relationship and should make a lasting impression on your future spouse. Another pro tip: I added some drone coverage last minute and to this day it is still one of our favorite memories of the day.

Were there any resources that helped you during proposal planning or wedding planning?

We're both dreamers and have a million ideas for our wedding. It was helpful to go through wedding blogs to see what ideas other people had for their weddings and how they coordinated with their vendors to make it a special day. We also decided to use an online website for our wedding that includes RSVP, save the date, and wedding invite features. It saves us a lot of time!

Pic Provided by Neal Shah

Want to check out their incredible proposal? Watch it here!

Stay tuned for more love stories coming up and if you're interested in sharing your love story, contact us!

Love,

Two Love Birds

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Found your S.O., but not sure how to propose? Check out our proposal checklist: https://pyaariweddings.co/proposal-checklist/