We like to say our story began because Ajay’s brother, Paul, had a feeling about us. As a doctor, he often referred patients to the office where Ashley was the office manager, and when he opened his own practice, he invited her and her team to his launch party. That was the first time we met. It was only a brief conversation, but something about it stayed with both of us, and apparently with Paul, who kept checking in to see what we thought of each other.

We didn’t expect anything to come from it at first. Ajay was living in Los Angeles, and Ashley was in San Diego, and the idea of starting something long-distance felt like a lot. Paul didn’t let it go, though. On Ajay’s birthday, he added us to a group text and told Ashley to wish him a happy birthday. It was such a small thing, but it opened up a conversation that felt easy and natural from the very beginning.

Even with the miles between us, the connection grew quickly. Within a year, Ajay knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Ashley and moved to San Diego. Now we’re getting married, grateful for the unexpected way our paths crossed, and grateful for the brother who trusted his instincts and gave our story a gentle push.

We're excited to share this special occassion with friends and family at the Japanese Friendship Gardens in Balboa Park, San Diego.

https://www.niwa.org/

The Japanese Friendship Gardens are located in historic Balboa Park, near downtown San Diego.

Due to limited parking, we recommend carpooling or using a rideshare service.

The Gardens include two sections, an upper garden and a lower garden. Our wedding will be held in the lower garden, and the upper garden will be closed during the event.

For rideshare arrivals, please set your destination to Gold Gulch Parking Lot rather than “Japanese Friendship Garden.” Drivers can drop you off at the back gate near the Pavilion, where a turnaround area is located.

Guest entry opens at 5 pm. If you arrive earlier, feel free to enjoy a short walk through Balboa Park.

For those who prefer to drive, we have two options:

1) Lower Garden Parking Passes

If you plan to drive, please let us know in advance, and we will send you a parking permit. These limited spots are first come, first served and reserved for guests who require accommodations. Set your GPS to 2220 Paseo De Oro, San Diego, CA 92101.

2) Public Parking (short walk)

You may park in the Organ Pavilion Lot or any other public lot in Balboa Park. From there, walk down Paseo De Oro to the Lower Garden gate near the Pavilion. Please refer to the attached maps.