Thomas & Hansika

The Early Days (2015-2017)

Our story began in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2015, when we both found ourselves as relatively new transplants working for the same company. Hansika joined the solar finance team, helping evaluate energy projects, while Tom was the engineer responsible for building them. Our official introduction was memorable. Tom walked into the office loudly exchanging heated words with a subcontractor over the phone. Not exactly a meet-cute, but certainly noteworthy.

Between happy hours, the annual holiday party, wine country excursions, concerts, and weekends at the company cabin in Lake Tahoe, our friendship grew. On one of the Tahoe trips, Tom invited a mix of work and personal friends, including Hansika, and somewhere between Zephyr Cove hikes, an ambitious cold plunge in the alpine lake, amazing meals, and sharing life stories by the fire, something shifted. We left that trip with a strong sense that a page had been turned, and more chapters were waiting to be written.

Over the months that followed, we explored that feeling with a greater sense of purpose. We said "yes" to a lot of opportunities to spend time together, whether concerts at the Fox Theater in Oakland or happy hours at Hello Stranger (RIP) or unscheduled visits to the ER (last one quite scary but affirming the ride-or-die partner status early). The following Thanksgiving in 2018, Hansika was invited to meet Tom's family — and so began the adventure. Tom's parents gathered the whole Ede family together — picture Hansika in a room full of big gray heads. They were immediately charmed by her infectious positivity. She started seeing more of Tom on weekends and his Oakland apartment practically functioned as a pied-à-terre.

The (First) Hawaii Trip (2018)

Following about 10 months of dating (and keeping it secret from HR) we finally decided to blow the top off operation 'Tomsika'. Enthused by the planning of a three-week Hawaii vacation later that Christmas, we felt it smart to disclose our relationship. Having found nothing in the employee handbook about intra-office courtship, we walked over to HR's office and declared boldly that we were dating. The words had barely left our mouths when there was a visible relaxing of shoulders on the other end, followed by a massive sigh of relief (she thought we were going to quit).

Our time in Hawaii still feels like a core relationship memory. We learned about and from each other constantly — Tom got to see Hansika's spirit of adventure (who displayed a sudden penchant for goat yoga) and Hansika learned that Tom had amazing survival skills (his tentcraft ensured our tent stayed upright while beach camping on Oahu during 20 mph winds!). His displeasure with the wild chickens that roamed on Kauai left Hansika endlessly bemused.

That trip to us was unbelievably special — we hiked through the cavernous Waimea Canyon, kayaked on Wailua river and then jungle-hiked to Secret Falls on Kauai, took a catamaran tour along the Nā Pali Coast marveling at spinner dolphins surfing our boat's wake, hiked into the Haleakalā Crater that sits at 10,000 ft on Maui, went snorkeling off the coast of Big Island at "Two Step", and explored Volcanoes National Park during a government shutdown. Each one of these experiences on its own elicits a sense of wonder, but having done all of this in one trip surely brought us closer than we'd imagined. We left the islands with a much deeper understanding of ourselves and with gratitude for the new space the other had filled in. We believe our foundation was forged in those volcanic islands.

International Travels — Starting in Banff (2019)

Over the next year, more travel adventures ensued — while waiting in Calgary for Hansika's visa renewal, we took a spontaneous trip to Banff. We explored the historic Cave and Basin site, hiked to the Lake Agnes Tea House in Lake Louise, soaked in the natural mineral waters of the Banff Upper Hot Springs, and completely fell in love with the Canadian Rockies. The mountains felt mystical and grounding all at once, and the seed for our future destination wedding was planted.

From there, our adventures took us through Peru and Brazil, including a hike to Machu Picchu. The trip was not without drama: inadequate vaccine documentation prevented us from entering Colombia, leaving us stranded in São Paulo for several days while Hansika's luggage apparently continued on its own adventure to Bogotá. Fun times.

But through every missed plan, unexpected detour, mountain hike, coffee plantation tour, and travel mishap, we learned the same thing: we're pretty good at figuring things out together.

India, Kona, and Our First Home (2020-2024)

When the world shut down in March 2020, we did what any sensible couple does: found our own place in Oakland. The pandemic years brought their own challenges and ultimately deepened our partnership through tolerance, understanding and love. In March of 2022, after the world started to reopen, we traveled together to India to visit Hansika's family and for Tom's first introduction to her family — and a visit to the Taj Mahal.

We eventually traded Oakland for the quieter life of Walnut Creek, and in 2024 took on two major commitments: an eight-week-old foster puppy named Kona and our first home purchase in Martinez. With invaluable help from Tom's parents, we renovated the second floor and slowly made the house our home.

The Cliffside Proposal (2025)

In early 2025, Tom made the decision that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Hansika and started looking for an engagement ring, after getting Hansika's parents' blessing. It just so happened that we had planned a two-week rugged adventure through Utah's six national parks starting from Arches National Park in Moab to Canyonlands to Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon and finally, to Zion. This is where things got interesting.

When we arrived in Zion, Tom had planned an amazing yet secluded hike on the eastern rim of Zion Canyon. To keep Hansika in the dark about exciting plans that were afoot, he casually mentioned to her that he'd found an off the beaten path hike for the following day, May 10^th. The day began just like any other during that trip — we packed hiking essentials, grabbed coffee at a café outside the park, mapped out our drive, and set the playlist to whatever mood the morning presented. We arrived at the trail head, which due to the secluded nature of the hike, required some heavy off-roading (nothing our AWD Taos couldn't handle). After hiking in 90 degrees through some of the most arid trails that exist on earth, we came upon the spot that looks directly below onto Angels Landing and the main Zion Canyon — Observation Point, perched at 6,500 feet. The photos don't begin to capture the grandeur.

Tom had been babbling to Hansika about how he'd managed to get the GoPro camera to record remotely using only his phone. Half listening due to fatigue and dehydration, Hansika was barely keeping pace with the conversation when the Canyon seemed to appear out of nowhere. Tom encouraged Hansika to walk out to the edge to take in the view. Thinking nothing strange of that request (bless her), she started to walk out to the edge, not looking back even once. Standing at the edge, after a few moments of admiring the view in silence, as she turned around to scout for Tom — her gaze trailed downward to Tom, who was kneeling with a small velvet box displaying a ring. Stunned by the moment, all thought escaped Hansika's brain.

Then after several moments of what was clearly shock, Tom got up and asked Hansika if she would marry him, and as the words ("of course") had barely left her mouth, Tom, without missing a beat hugged her tightly. All around us, hikers and strangers erupted into applause and congratulatory yelps. It made the moment that much more special — their solidarity was palpable. A few even offered to take impromptu engagement photos. It was sweet — gratitude and love poured in all directions. We looked at each other and down below at the canyon — leading up to that day were weeks and years of hard climbs like the one we'd just completed to get to this viewpoint. And we will never forget to remind ourselves of that.

The Best Adventure Yet

On November 25, 2025, we officially married in an intimate civil ceremony in Martinez, California with close friends and Tom's family by our side, while Hansika's parents joined across the world to witness the milestone moment via video. But we always knew we wanted a larger celebration — and there was only one place that felt right. So here we are, returning to Banff: the place where our love for the Canadian Rockies began. Truly, we have always loved being in nature at this scale because it affords us the ability to disconnect from distractions and connect with ourselves deeply. We are so grateful to each of you who is looking to make the trip to Banff.

We will see you in the mountains. Let's celebrate BIG-LY!

With love,
Tom & Hansika