They found love in a digital space.
Danielle Gross, 26, always knew she wanted to get married in a “silly” way — so when she saw a handsome man asking for a woman’s hand in marriage on TikTok, she jumped at the chance to say, “I do.”
The content creator reportedly started chatting to Gunnar Michels, 26, after seeing his videos, and he surprised her by coming down to her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to propose less than a week later.
“I always had the idea in my head that any way I got married, it would be something silly — like Vegas,” Gunnar told South West News Service.
“So when I saw Gunnar’s video I thought: ‘This is the silly way,'” the besotted woman recalled. “I had to jump on the opportunity.”
Two weeks later, the couple took a road trip to Las Vegas to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day 2021.
Despite the fact they had planned to divorce a week after marrying — thinking they’d become just friends — as their time together grew, apparently so did their love for one another.
“[We] thought let’s keep talking as friends and then it became something more,” she gushed, adding that their speedy wedding made them realize that sometimes love is not what you expect it to look like.
“Gunnar and I never would have gone up to each other in a bar,” she confessed. “It opened our eyes to other people.”
Michels was just as surprised that his TikTok-wedding idea turned into a life-long relationship, admitting that the idea to marry a stranger came to him during the pandemic in January 2021.
“I was looking for a way to make content and meet people,” he explained. “I came up with this idea of getting married to a stranger. It was pretty wild.”
Although he “wasn’t seriously” looking for a life partner at the time — adding that it was “more to have a life experience” — he was shocked at the volume of admirers who replied to it.
“So many people wanted to do it,” he told SWNS.
Michels asked his future brides to make a video for him on why they would be a good fit — picking Gross’ clip out from allegedly thousands of entries and admitting hers was “hard to miss.”
After chatting and FaceTiming twice, Michels surprised Gross by getting down on one knee — taking the blushing bride by surprise.
“When he said he was on his way I thought: ‘This is really happening,'” Gross recalled. “I was shopping with my friends and then all of sudden, I’m getting proposed to.”
Speaking of shock, their families and friends were initially skeptical of their TikTok meet-cute.
“My mom said: ‘What if he kidnaps you?'” she recalled.
However, the couple thinks the low-pressure situation — as they both assumed they’d get divorced — helped their relationship to blossom.
The duo decided to dive head-first into marriage, spending the last two years traveling around the 50 United States — in a converted ambulance.
“It was a tiny place,” Gross admitted. “We didn’t know each other — it was a lot.”
Forced into cohabitation worked out well for them, though, “forcing” the newlyweds into becoming comfortable with each other.
“There was nothing to do but talk,” Michels pointed out.
“We have the same core values,” Gross added. “Even though our personalities are different — deep inside we are the same.”
The loved-up took from traveling and moved to Pittsburgh in February 2023, and they now post about their unusual love story on social media, assuring followers they still appreciate spontaneity.
“My friends can’t believe we’re still together,” Gross told SWNS with a laugh.
“It is something I’d suggest for others to do,” she continued. “If you’re open-minded, it’s a really interesting concept.”