Maranda and Matt's story began when Maranda received a photo from her brother, Checotah, who was being presented a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. The person presenting him with the award was none other than Matt, who was Checotah's Leading Petty Officer at the time. As soon as Maranda saw the photo, she knew she'd found her future husband. Just kidding haha. Maranda jokingly asked her brother who Matt was, and he immediately shut it down. Months went by, and Maranda thought nothing else of it until a girls night with her close friends. She told her friends about what happened, and they decided to find Matt on social media. With their uncanny detective skills, they were able to find his Instagram account. And with a little liquid courage, Maranda hit the follow button.

At the time, Matt had no idea who Maranda was. He didn't even know Checotah had sisters. But when he received the follow request on Instagram, he recognized Maranda's last name and immediately asked Checotah who she was. Checotah, being the loving brother he is (wink wink) told Matt not to follow Maranda back. Again, Maranda and Matt think nothing else of it, and a few months pass by before Maranda travels to Washington to visit her brother for her birthday.

Maranda attends a Halloween party in Washington with Checotah and his friends. She asks someone at the party if they know Matt. One of the girls decides to FaceTime him from her husband's phone, and Maranda and Matt see each other for the first time. Mesmerized by her beauty, Matt reaches out to Maranda on Instagram the next day and they exchange numbers. After a few months of talking, Maranda and Matt agree that she would go to Washington to visit for their first date. They make their relationship official a month later. After months of being in a long distance relationship, Maranda moved across the county to be with Matt. Maranda always imagined her family being a part of her engagement. And on Thanksgiving Day 2024, Matt made that a reality when he proposed. To this day, Maranda's brother believes that he deserves a gift every year on their anniversary for his "efforts" in bringing them together.