Clear Cut Couples: Teny and Ashwinn
Teny and Ashwinn met their sophomore year of college at NYU—10 years ago! Both of them were planning to go abroad to Prague in the Czech Republic for their spring semester. They both were at the Czech consulate at the same time applying for their visa. Teny’s best friend, who she went to the consulate with, introduced them because she and Ashwinn knew each other from school. They met again in Prague where they were living in the same dormitory. Though they didn’t start dating until more than eight years later, they developed a strong friendship that continued throughout college and the years after.
Ashwinn says, “We were friends for so long and that kind of naturally transitioned into dating so there was no hard and fast first ‘date.’ Teny surprised me with tickets to a Jack Johnson concert, so I guess you could consider that our first date. It was awesome.”
Because they have been friends for so long, they’ve had such great memories along the way. For example, when they were abroad and traveling to Berlin, Teny was almost going to get kicked off the train because there was an issue with her ticket. Ashwinn sprung into action, finding someone who could translate between her and the conductor. Their time in Berlin was amazing!
They also love to ski/snowboard, so they're always in search of the best powder. Ashwinn’s parents live in Utah so they love Park City and the nearby resorts. Teny is more of a cautious skier while Ashwinn likes to “shred,” so they don’t always see eye to eye on their trails down the mountain LOL! They also love playing tennis together, and making funny ‘shows’ on Instagram. From time to time they host a morning show and cooking show, which has kept them and so many others entertained during quarantine!
They also think that being together in such close quarters during the lockdown has solidified their commitment to each other. Though they could have driven each other crazy, instead they made the most of it and have enjoyed every minute of each other’s company. AWW!
Ashwinn proposed at the end of May, when they were still very much in quarantine. He had set up a “socially distant” dinner with a few friends of theirs at Teny’s dad’s office building, which is just a few blocks from her apartment. They had done this a month prior so Teny didn’t think much of it. He had the roof of the building setup to mimic a mini-restaurant: string lights, candles, a personal chef, and a violinist! When they got to the building, their friends “called” to say they were on the roof having cocktails. The second they got up there and she saw the lights, she was like WHAT’S HAPPENING?!?!
Teny says, “It was a total surprise! I was not expecting it that night at all and it made it all the better. I absolutely loved the ring. The stones were part of my grandmother’s ring, which is so meaningful to me. A few years ago, my cousin’s husband recut it and then when Ashwinn was planning to propose, he took it to the Clear Cut to reset it in a modern and beautiful setting.”
As for their wedding, they will (hopefully) have their wedding July 4th weekend of 2021 in Los Angeles, where Teny grew up. They plan on doing both an Armenian wedding and a Hindu ceremony. Both of their cultures are very important to them and were critical to their upbringings and they are excited to not only marry each other, but also marry the two cultures! Congrats you two! We are SO happy for you!!