Maxim moved to from Barnaul, Russia in 2004 and moved to Mesa, Arizona. Katie was born in Mesa and grew up there. Katie and Maxim both attended the same junior high school where they were in the same class and never spoke with each other. They spent the next 8 years living down the street from each other in Mesa (only 1 mile away) and still never said a word to each other. Katie then went away to college in Flagstaff. 4 years later Katie moved back home to Phoenix. Katie and Maxim matched on Tinder where they immediately hit it off. They went to their first date at Casey Moore's and the rest is history! <3