Our Story
A Bag Changed Everything
In her senior year of college, Emily went to the Grace Hopper Conference for women in computer science. As she gathered SWAG, she realized she needed a bag to carry it all. Luckily, Allstate was handing out free bags! The recruiter asked about her career interests. Since she was planning on pursuing her PhD in cryptography, Emily said 'cybersecurity.' The recruiter got excited, set her up with an interview, and offered her a job that same day.
First Impressions
Before accepting the offer, Emily wanted to visit Allstate, so she flew to Chicago. Abdel was tasked with showing her a good time so she'd accept the offer. There was an instant attraction when they first met in the Allstate lobby, Abdel wearing a blue Allstate t-shirt among business men in suits. Abdel had asked his boss what the budget was for entertaining Emily, and the boss said 'no budget,' so Abdel took her indoor skydiving.
Fireworks
Emily accepted the offer and moved to Chicago. For the month leading up to her start date, Abdel saved the seat next to him, so that once she started they'd be sitting together. They immediately became great friends and colleagues. On the Fourth of July, they went on a booze cruise on Lake Michigan. At the end of the cruise, they had an intimate talk that almost ended in a kiss, but they had to deboard the boat. That night, Emily invited Abdel to her rooftop to watch the fireworks. After dinner with her visiting parents, Emily had to run in heels to meet him in time. Out of breath, she led him upstairs to the rooftop. They shared their first kiss surrounded by fireworks.
Official
Although Emily didn't want to jump into a relationship, by the fall they started dating officially, still keeping it secret from their coworkers until the winter.
South Loop Days
Abdel and Emily moved in together in the South Loop of Chicago. Emily, still in her early twenties, wasn't ready for the commitment, and so they entered into an open relationship that lasted for two years. This was difficult for Abdel but a good decision in the long run so Emily could have more experiences before settling down.
The Road Trip
Abdel and Emily decided it was time to leave Chicago but they didn't know where to go, so they embarked on an 8-month road trip around the country. There were so many amazing places and adventures, but they loved Denver most of all. They finished the road trip back in Chicago. Unbeknownst to Emily, Abdel rented out the planetarium and invited friends and family. Their friend invited them to a 'ball for doctors,' but when they arrived, the planetarium was empty. Then Abdel proposed. Emily was completely blindsided. After she said yes, friends and family rushed out from behind the curtain and it became their engagement party.
Watch the video →
Through the Storm
After the engagement, they moved to Denver. Emily quit her job to work on critical mental health challenges. She had a health crisis that caused 2023 to be the most challenging year of their lives. Although the difficulties greatly outnumbered the exciting or peaceful times, friends might never guess this based on their social media, because they still shared many adventures. At the end of the year, they got legally married for tax reasons in New York City with their parents and a couple friends. The legal wedding was chaotic and stressful but overall worth it because they didn't want to have the actual wedding for a few years.
Watch the video →
A New Chapter
Although it was a long road to recovery, Abdel and Emily were able to resume their normal lives, still in Denver. Now Emily works in cryptography and writes fantasy novels. Abdel works full-time on his startup (OpenA2A) and nonprofit (CSNP). They enjoy boba dates, tech meetups, mountain towns, hiking, and Lil Wayne.
The Wedding
We can't wait for you all to share in our story!
