They met in January of 2022 in Global Studies class at Liberty University and very naturally became friends. Everything was pretty platonic until around Easter of 2023 Marcus & Cheney and some of their friends went to Pigeon Forge and Asheville for the Holiday and they began getting to know one another outside of the school setting. In May of that year, Marcus needed a ride to the airport to fly back to Canada for the summer and Cheney offered to take him. Before he left, they spent a full day together in downtown Asheville and at the Biltmore house (practically on a date but they didn't know they liked each other), and that night Marcus laid out his feelings and asked her on a date (30 minutes before they headed to the airport to say goodbye for 3 months). At this point, they were best friends and they were both sad about the reality of only knowing each other for one more year before Marcus graduated college and left Lynchburg. Before Marcus & Cheney could even go on their first date, Marcus flew out to California to see Cheney on her birthday! Come their first date in August, they knew dating was the next right step, and after that, it always continued to be the "right step". They dated until June 8th, 2024 and that's when they instead became FIANCES! Marcus took Cheney all over the Blue Ridge Mountains, keeping her on the edge of her seat, until he popped the question!