Mahfouz and Caitlin met at a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity formal in December 2018. Caitlin's sorority sister in Zeta Tau Alpha was dating someone in Mahfouz's fraternity and asked if she would come with her to the Pi Kappa Phi formal. Ironically, Caitlin was not Mahfouz's date on this formal, but they quickly became friends. They were friends for a little over a year before they started dating March 8, 2020. Just a couple days before the world was shut down. Due to this, their first dinner date was not until Valentines Day 2021.