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It turns out even political love stories in New York start in the most 2020s way possible: Hinge. And yes, something good can actually come out of dating apps – here’s one.
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani recently opened up about how he met his now wife, Syrian-American artist Rama Duwaji, and yes, it was, in fact, on Hinge – and it was long before either of them became headline-making names.
It all began with a match and a profile screenshot from his end.
In a recent interview with Complex, New York’s mayor opened up about that beginning in more detail than he has before, giving fans a warmer, more personal look at how the relationship actually started.
He described the pull as instant, telling Complex, “I fell in love when I first met my wife, and I had to kind of just hold it in for a little bit because I think I was in love from the moment I saw her.”
When it came to planning their first date, he leaned on a small detail from their chats: she’d mentioned loving crème brûlée. “My hands were shaking,” he admitted, saying he spent a couple of hours agonising over where to take her.
That nervous energy didn’t last long, though. After just a few dates, Mamdani said he knew he was in it for the long haul with his now wife.
“We talked about that after a few dates, and that’s when I made that decision,” he said. “It’s a very rare thing, but I am very much of a romantic, so I fantasise about things that are like weeks and months and years away, and will likely never happen.”
The pair went on to get engaged right here in Dubai, where Duwaji’s family is based. The couple then officially tied the knot in early 2025 in New York City, in a beautifully understated civil ceremony.
Less than a year later, they became the mayor and first lady of New York City. Who would’ve thought?
