Raisa & Udit

We are Raisa and Udit. We met in 2018 while working at a winery in California—Raisa as a corporate engineering lead and Udit as the site engineering and maintenance lead, both working on a major project together. Working side by side, we quickly realized how naturally we connected. We bonded over our shared tropical roots, love of beans, family‑oriented cultures, and passion for hiking, camping and travel. Even our values—respect, integrity, hard work, and financial stability—aligned effortlessly.

Outside of work, our friendship grew into something deeper. One evening by the Pacific Ocean, Udit opened his heart, and as we continued sharing our dreams, Raisa realized how beautifully our futures fit together. We moved in together in California, later relocated to Illinois to grow our careers, and continued building a life rooted in love, laughter, and partnership.

We got engaged in 2022 and married in 2023. Every day, we find new reasons to love each other more, and we are excited to grow our family with the same joy we share together.

Family is one of our strongest values, and we both grew up surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Raisa’s parents live in South Carolina, her sister and family in Ohio, and Udit’s parents currently live in India. Together, we have four nieces and nephews who love sending us drawings, videos, and updates about their school adventures. We stay closely connected to both sides of our family and visit each other multiple times a year. We love vacationing together, celebrating birthdays with trips, cooking big holiday meals, and keeping traditions alive—like Raisa’s Christmas baking and Udit’s Diwali feast and sweets!

In Illinois, we have a wonderful circle of friends who have become our chosen family. They join us for game nights, outdoor activities, and celebrations. Your child would grow up surrounded by people who celebrate them, encourage them, and show up for them in every season of life.

Raisa was born in Brazil and Udit in India. Raisa moved to the U.S. in her teens, and Udit in his twenties. While our values are incredibly similar, we each bring unique cultural traditions that make our home vibrant and full of love. Raisa was raised Catholic, speaks English, Portuguese, and some Spanish, has Spanish and Italian roots, played competitive volleyball, and celebrates Christmas. Udit was raised Hindu, speaks English, Gujarati, and Hindi, has West Indian heritage, played competitive cricket, and celebrates Diwali (festival of lights).

We embrace both cultures wholeheartedly. If your child’s culture differs from ours, we will honor it with the same respect, celebration, and enthusiasm—whether that means learning new traditions, cooking new foods, or teaching them their heritage language.