Karissa met Ian on her first official day of college at San Diego State University in the Fall of 2014. Ian had just changed his major from Engineering to Graphic Design and was looking forward to a much needed respite from his previously grueling classes. Their friendship developed over the next two years, but eventually, Ian started to realize his best match may be found in a close friend - he took a chance on Karissa and the rest is history. They dated for two months before Ian asked to make their relationship official. Six years later, they now live together in Bend, Oregon with their golden retriever.

Ian planned a surprise proposal for Karissa in November of 2020 at Mammoth Lakes, California - the same location in which he had asked her to be his girlfriend four years prior. He tricked her into thinking he was two years out from marriage, but only because Karissa always said she wanted everything to be a complete surprise. Despite the family's secret keeping abilities, Ian pulled off the ultimate surprise proposal, dropping to one knee at Lake Mary amid a snow capped mountain. Karissa couldn't have been happier to say 'yes' and officially become Ollie's dog mom.