When planning his proposal to Poppy Thekdi, tech entrepreneur Ajay Mehta decided to get down on one knee where they first met. That initial date took place during the summer of 2020 while the world was in lockdown. “We’d spent the weeks prior exchanging long, unhurried messages—sending each other long essays about the state of the world, recommendations for grocery stores and hikes, and reviews of films we had watched during quarantine,” remembers Poppy, who works in marketing at A24. “One day, Ajay told me he was planning on making kombucha popsicles. I wanted to try them. We decided to meet up.” The two met for a picnic in Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles and stayed until the sun went down. “We talked about our dreams, our families, the films and artists we loved, and both left feeling like we’d known each other our whole lives,” shares Poppy.
The two would see each other every week after that first meeting. “We both worked from home at the time and spent those months between each other’s apartments, cooking elaborate meals just for fun, going on long hikes in the Angeles Forest, and taking weekend trips around Southern California,” says Poppy. “We always joke that we know we’ll handle retirement just fine—that first summer together was good practice.”
After four years together, Ajay and Poppy were taking a walk together back at Echo Park Lake. “We lived in the neighborhood and probably walked around the park hundreds of times, but never once took the adorable and romantic swan boats out into the lake,” says Poppy. Ajay suggested that they should be spontaneous and take a ride. After making their way out into the water, he got down on one knee. “I was so surprised! I said yes, of course, and jumped up quickly to give him a kiss,” remembers Poppy. “With two abandoned drivers, our swan quickly drifted far into the water lilies. We had to quickly reclaim our posts and pedal back to safe waters to avoid further disturbing the natural flora (and being permanently banned).” Once safely back on land, the couple properly celebrated. A passerby even shared that he saw a fish jump out of the lake the moment Ajay proposed. Says Poppy, “Apparently it’s a sign of good luck!”
Ajay and Poppy spent their first Valentine’s Day together on a trip to Oaxaca City, where they fell in love with the region’s art, food, and culture. So, when deciding on their wedding destination, they decided to take their guests on a journey back to that sentimental place over Valentine’s weekend in 2026. “It was wonderful to do a destination wedding because it felt like everyone was on holiday—ready to explore, enjoy Mexico, and let loose,” says the bride.
The pair would host four days of events, including welcome drinks, an outing to Monte Alban, a sangeet-inspired welcome dinner, the wedding ceremony and reception at the Jardín Etnobotánico, and a farewell brunch. “We’re both from Indian-origin families, so long weddings and lots of celebration are in our blood,” adds Poppy. Guest experience was paramount for the couple, who took a few visits to Oaxaca City to craft the perfect recommendations and itineraries for everyone to enjoy on the trip. “We designed a custom website that matched our invitation suite and had a digital map of all the wedding event locations and must-see places in the city,” shares the bride. “We wanted guests to arrive and feel immediately at home and taken care of.”
