Rug Influencer Simji’s Engagement to Kai

Simji, the creative force behind some of social media’s coziest homes, and her now-fiancé Kai, are a couple who’ve built a community around their love story. But before they became one of the internet’s favorite couples, their story started in a much more ordinary place: high school. We got the inside scoop on their incredible proposal and wedding planning journey from their recent interview on The Wedding Reporter podcast.

It may come as a surprise, but this dynamic duo has been together for 10 years! Simji and Kai met in high school and were just friends at first. Their mutual friends would even joke that they’d get married one day—a thought they both laughed off. After high school, their connection grew seamlessly, evolving into a relationship so natural that they had to sit down and choose an anniversary date after the fact! They officially settled on June 6th, marking a decade of love.

While their commitment was a given from the start—Kai even gave Simji a promise ring in their first year—the timing for a proposal wasn’t always clear. Simji said that after navigating the pandemic, they wanted to wait until they felt ready in their careers and finances. After a period of growth, they both felt they were in the right place to take the next step. What Simji didn’t know was that Kai had been planning their engagement for eight months!

Photo credit: Ajaleina Rose

Kai knew he wanted to do something special, and his initial ideas were nothing short of cinematic. He first considered a red-carpet event complete with a movie about their love story! Ultimately, he decided to stick to their roots by writing a song for her, a tradition he had upheld for years on special occasions. He decided to combine this personal touch with their mutual love for the ocean and boats, setting the scene for an unforgettable moment in St. Thomas.

Simji and Kai had already decided to take a trip to St. Thomas to celebrate their 10-year anniversary, which happened to be on June 6th. Simji didn’t suspect a thing, as they were both so busy with work leading up to the trip. She packed her favorite red dress and a special manicure for what she thought would be a romantic anniversary dinner.

Kai, meanwhile, had been secretly booking a private boat and hiring a photographer and videographer who would pose as part of the boat crew. On the day of their anniversary, they boarded a luxurious boat, and Simji thought they were there for a simple sunset dinner and photoshoot—a “platinum package” for their anniversary. Little did she know, this was all part of the grand plan.

As they enjoyed their meal and the beautiful scenery, Simji noticed Kai talking to the crew while she was taking solo photos. What she didn’t know was that he was getting the all-clear from their friends, who were secretly hiding in the boat’s cabin! These friends were tasked with delivering a special, tiny pink guitar (Simji’s favorite color) that Kai had purchased on Amazon.

Photo credit: Ajaleina Rose

Kai began playing the song he wrote for Simji. Though the guitar was new and kept going out of tune, the beautiful lyrics about their journey made Simji cry tears of joy. Even then, she still didn’t suspect a proposal was coming. She knew the ring wasn’t ready because she had changed her mind on the design multiple times before the trip.

After the song, Kai dropped to one knee and presented a temporary ring! It was a beautiful placeholder, but it completely caught Simji off guard, and she just kept asking, “What? What is going on?” Of course, she said “yes!” and they continued their photoshoot.

Just when Simji thought the surprises were over, Kai told her that “celebrations are meant to be shared with loved ones.” He let her go, and their friends, who had been hiding on the boat, came out to celebrate. The surprises didn’t end there! A few days later, while lounging by the pool, two more friends, who couldn’t make it to the proposal, surprised them with two of their favorite virgin piña coladas.