Caroline and Kabir are immensely fortunate to share their wedding celebrations with loved ones from all chapters of their lives and their families’ lives. For those of you who may not be familiar with their stories, please read on to learn where this love story began…
On May 5th, 1995, Kabir Vijay Samtani was born to loving parents, Sanjana and Vijay. He brought so much joy and light to their world, capturing their hearts instantly. His siblings, Pravir and Henna, soon completed their beautiful family. He adored his brother and sister, and took his role as big brother very seriously. He looked up to his mother for her endlessly loving and caring nature, his father for his dedication and heart, and both for their family values. From summers spent in Atlanta with his maternal grandparents and cousins, to New York City adventures with his paternal grandparents and uncle, to family trips around the world to visit family and friends alike, Kabir's childhood was full of warmth and excitement. He attended Trinity School where he made lifelong friends and memories. Following graduation, he headed to Washington University in St. Louis to study Systems Engineering and Finance.
On August 22nd, 1997, Caroline Elizabeth Meyer entered the world with wide, bright eyes. Her adoring parents, Lisa and Jerry, were overcome with happiness. They gave Caroline an incredible childhood in Baltimore, Maryland, where she flourished alongside her younger sister and built-in-best friend, Jillian, and their wonderful home full of pets. Caroline was endlessly inspired by her mother, a passionate animal advocate with a magnetic personality, and her father, a brilliant chemist with an insatiable desire to learn. While her parents’ own paths eventually parted, she was lucky enough to gain a bonus dad in the incredibly loving Rich Pototsky. She attended Krieger Schechter from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and then went on to Bryn Mawr School for Girls. After graduating, she headed off to Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Healthcare Management and Global Health.
Both Kabir and Caroline thrived at WashU and enjoyed endless happiness in their college years, but, for the sake of brevity, let’s jump forward to the summer of 2018. In the heart of Chicago, where recently-graduated Kabir worked, and where nearly-graduated Caroline interned for the summer, our two protagonists first met. From that moment on, they were inseparable.
Caroline and Kabir matched each others’ passion for exploration, spending every waking moment of their first summer together trying endless restaurants, venturing to new neighborhoods, wandering through farmers’ markets and street festivals, and identifying new and unique activities to try. What they quickly labeled as the “best summer ever” became their new normal… together.
Caroline returned to college for a final semester, and the two seized every opportunity to journey back and forth between St. Louis and Chicago. Before long, she was back in Chicago and long distance was a thing of the past. Their love continued to grow with each passing day, and their excitement for the future similarly grew as they became more enmeshed in one another’s lives.
Sadly in the spring of 2020, a devastating pandemic threw their story for an unexpected loop. The pair landed in Miami, where they resided for the next two years. Fortunately, Caroline’s mother, stepdad, and sister had previously made permanent moves to Miami and were always nearby. Kabir and Caroline made the most of their time in lockdown, trying new restaurants from home, connecting with friends remotely, enjoying the sunshine, and welcoming nearly 20 foster puppies and dogs over the course of the pandemic into their home to support local animal rescue efforts.
By December of 2022, the pair had relocated to New York where they continued their story surrounded by Kabir’s wonderful family and their many friends. They traveled voraciously, visiting family and friends in new places. Their love continued to grow with each new adventure. They enjoyed their travels so much that, much to their parents’ shock, they briefly became “digital nomads” in advance of their own wedding, taking advantage of this freedom by embarking on even more journeys across the globe… always together.
While this story could easily span volumes, consider this the abridged version. Caroline and Kabir are extremely grateful to have found that, wherever they are, they have a home in one another. They are looking forward to a beautiful weekend of wedding celebrations, followed by a lifetime of love, laughter, adventure, and many a sweet treat.
Cheers to happily ever after!
