Like any good modern love story, ours started with a little bit of “we swear it was mutual friends”… and a little bit of pure chance.

Chandler and Marissa technically knew of each other for years, working at the same company. Chandler started at Mercer Landmark fresh out of high school, and with a six-year age gap (and Marissa being his HR Director… details, details), nothing ever came of it at the time.

Fast forward to late 2023. One night, both were out separately with friends at C-Town Wings. Marissa stopped by a coworker’s table to say hello, and as she walked away, her best friend Eric casually mentioned that Chandler had been staring at her. Naturally, Eric did what any good friend would do... he dared Marissa to message him.

So she did.

And that one message turned into a whole lot more.

Since then, life has moved pretty quickly.. of course, in the best way possible. Chandler and Marissa started officially dating in January 2024. Marissa already had Wrigley, her toy Australian Shepherd, who quickly adapted to Chandler as his new dog dad. In April 2024, they added a golden retriever named Chevy, to the mix. Not ones to shy away from a little extra chaos, they welcomed Buck, a miniature dachshund, in April 2026.

Somewhere in between all the puppy energy, they bought their first home together in November 2025, building a life full of laughter, love, and just the right amount of unpredictability.

What started as a random night, a big dare, and one simple message turned into the easiest “yes” either of them has ever said. And now, they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter... together.