It was a chance encounter during math class in school that led to Chandni Shah and Jack Dave’s storybook romance . The duo grew up in the same town in New Jersey, USA, quickly became friends in seventh grade, then each other’s first love; which blossomed over 15 long years as they experienced life’s special milestones together—from attending high-school prom to late night drives between their respective colleges in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and moving into their first apartment in New York City. Dave knew that their romance deserved a special setting for when he went down on one knee.
So, during a summer holiday to Positano, Italy, he popped the question to an unsuspecting Shah at sunrise while doing a couple's photoshoot. “No matter how many cappuccinos I drank afterwards, it still felt so surreal,” Shah says, referring to the surprise proposal, which involved whisking her away in a vintage car across Italy's sun-drenched coastline . “There was something so charming and serene about our time there that we wanted to bottle it up and share it with our loved ones.
We soon started brainstorming locations for our wedding,” she adds. After looking at venues in Italy and Spain, they decided on Sintra, Portugal for its sweeping mountain views and lush countryside laced with pastel-hued structures and historical charm. Shah, a content creator and Dave, an investment banker gathered 150 of their closest friends and family for a 3-day celebration at the luxurious Pen.