Mariah & Alex first got introduced through a mutual friend at a house party in April 2021. Alex had a little too much to drink and was sick all night in the bathroom. The following morning Mariah slid into Alex's DM to make sure he was okay - which he responded by sending his phone number. The two continued to talk and hang out in a group setting. On May 16, 2021 they went on their first official date at Scissor Tail Park which lasted over 12 hours. Mariah taught Alex how to ride a skateboard and the two had a picnic there with food from Nashbird. The two ended the date watching a double feature of Midsommar and Open Season at Alex's apartment. On May 19, 2021 Mariah told Alex that she liked him. Alex took a WHOLE day before responding but he felt the same way but wanted to wait since he was going to be in St. Louis for a summer internship. During that summer, Mariah visited Alex in St. Louis. The two continued to hang out on the weekends throughout the fall semester. On December 20, 2021 they became official after Mariah asked Alex "So what are we?" and he responded with "Well we're dating aren't we?" Mariah told Alex he didn't asked her properly to be his girlfriend, which he then proceeded to ask her to be his girlfriend.

During 2022, Mariah & Alex went through many milestones within their relationship - the first of many things! The first of holidays, tattoos, trips, concerts, music festivals, traveling, quarantining together, and living together. Their first year of dating was so significant that this sparked their matching tiger tattoos to represent their first year of dating which is the year of the tiger!

In May 2023, Mariah graduated with a bachelor of arts in Community Health from OU. To celebrate this accomplishment, Alex took her on a trip to Seattle. On June 23, 2023 he proposed to Mariah at Cannon Beach in Oregon. Alex was very intentional in planning the engagement. He had been designing the ring since February, picked it up May 12, 2023 (a day before Mariah's graduation ceremony). Mariah has a fascination with rocks so he proposed to her in front of the biggest rock - The Haystack Rock. Before leaving to celebrate her graduating and this surprise proposal, they attended the Taylor Wedding, where Alex had caught the garter! Mariah did not think much of it at the time but loves to look back at it where she claims that was the reason for him proposing!