Just days after announcing their engagement, Mamdani launched his campaign for mayor. The couple celebrated their nikah and engagement party in Dubai that December, a rooftop ceremony overlooking the Burj Khalifa, filled with white roses and trailing greenery.

“This engagement and Nikkah were more than an event — it was a floral installation set against Dubai’s dusky skyline,” LMF Dubai, the event designer, wrote on Instagram.

A civil ceremony in New York

Two months later, in February 2025, they made it official in a civil ceremony at the City Clerk’s Office in Lower Manhattan. Mamdani later shared photos of the day, writing:

The lead photo captured the couple in a candid black-and-white moment on the New York City subway at Union Square. Smiling as they held onto a pole, Duwaji stood out in a white dress paired with black boots, clutching a bouquet, while commuters around them went about their day, seemingly unaware they were sharing a train with the city’s future first couple.

“Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office. Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race — which should be about you — about her. Rama isn’t just my wife; she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms. You can critique my views, but not my family.”