Kwame Appiah and Chelsea Griffin knew they would each say “I do” before the Love Is Blind season 4 finale.
“A couple days before I knew that I had to make up my mind because I felt like if I was on the fence on that day, I would’ve made a decision and regretted it later,” Kwame exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2023. “We went ahead and actually got a lease to an apartment in Seattle a couple days before … to know, like, ‘Hey, at least we’re willing to take this next step and see how it goes from here.’”
Kwame, who was previously based in Portland, met Chelsea during the Seattle iteration of the Netflix pod experiment. While connecting sight unseen, Kwame also developed feelings for Micah Lussier. Micah, however, ultimately dumped Kwame in favor of ex-fiancé Paul Peden. Kwame was initially heartbroken before realizing that Chelsea was The One.
After Kwame and Chelsea conquered a love triangle, they faced further challenges on the home front when his mother wouldn’t approve the union. Kwame’s mom ultimately came around after their May 2022 wedding.
“It was an amazing first visit. I went in with little expectations,” Chelsea told Us in March 2023. “I knew she was gonna be very observant of me, but it was a great experience. When I stepped foot into their home, I felt at home.”
Scroll below to see Chelsea and Kwame’s complete relationship timeline:
Credit: Netflix (2)
A Pod Love Story
Kwame and Chelsea quickly hit it off inside their respective pods. However, the reality TV groom was also smitten by Micah.
When the marketing manager ultimately broke things off with Kwame in pursuit of Paul, Kwame was heartbroken by the unexpected uncoupling. The Portland resident later realized that Chelsea had been steadfast in her love and refocused the remaining days of the experiment on their connection.
Credit: Monty Brinton/Netflix
She Said Yes
Kwame popped the question to Chelsea sight unseen and they only met in person after she accepted his proposal.
“I think no matter what, especially when you start looking at the life that you have now, but when you think about the connection I have with Chelsea — the pod relationship you have with someone [is] completely different from the actual relationship you have with someone,” Kwame told Us. “Like, when I went past the pods with Chelsea, I was just like, ‘OK, this is almost a reflex for us, the way we interact, the way we understand each other.’ I just don’t believe that would’ve ever been the case with Micah, and I can respect that.”
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Vacation Love Triangle
During the cast’s group getaway to Mexico, Kwame kept looking back on his past fling with Micah. He even kept caressing Micah’s hand during a lengthy conversation in the pool to Chelsea’s dismay.
“Oh my gosh, you have to understand it, like, you go on the show knowing that the person that you may be falling in love with is talking to multiple other women and that’s something that is not for the faint of heart, but it’s part of the experience,” Chelsea recalled to Us of her on-camera jealousy. “It wasn’t in my nature to insert myself in their conversations and in their kind of closure and what needed to happen for them. I respected Kwame’s journey and his vetting process and he wanted to be really sure.”
She continued: “I have no hard feelings for her [and] the way I see it, if somebody likes the person I like, they must be like-minded and cool and awesome. … I think that we came to a really good conclusion with it and I’m understanding that it needed to be a part of their journey.”
Credit: Courtesy of Kwame Appiah/Instagram
Back to Reality
After returning home from their post-pod vacation, Chelsea and Kwame worked on compromising in order to blend their lives.
“I definitely think we’re gonna settle in Seattle regardless of all the factors,” Chelsea revealed in an episode 7 confessional, after her man revealed he was hesitant to leave Portland. “I mean, it is where my family is. Family is really important to me and I don’t work a remote job. With Kwame working remotely, it just kind of makes sense.”
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Newlyweds
“I really wanted him to be authentic and truly want to marry me,” Chelsea told Us of deciding to marry her beau. “And yeah, I mean, there were moments when we were contemplating our families, right? When he was contemplating his mother[’s reaction]. I mean, there is no greater gift and love than your mom. And I understand that, and I believe that to be true as well. So there was a moment when it was like, ‘Are we gonna stay true to ourselves and let our parents know that we’re doing this for us?’ [Yes.] And thankfully, you know, he made that decision and so did I.”
Credit: Adam Rose/Netflix
April 2023
During the reunion, they revealed that they live together in Seattle — despite Kwame hating on Chelsea’s place of residence during the season.
“I think a couple days before [the wedding], I knew that I had to make up my mind because I felt like if I was on the fence on that day, I would’ve made a decision and then regretted it later,” he told Us of saying “yes” at the altar. “So I just wanted to make sure I was solid in my decision. So we went ahead and actually got at lease to an apartment in Seattle a couple days before — we signed the day before the wedding. So we kind of just put ourselves in a position to know, like, ‘Hey, at least we’re willing to take this next step and see how it goes from here.’ … I’m loving Seattle. I take back 99 percent of the things I said about it.”
Credit: Courtesy of Kwame Appiah/Instagram
May 2023
“For our 1-year anniversary, we went to Disneyland. Disney/Pixar movies are something that Chelsea and I both really love,” Kwame wrote via Instagram. “It was my first time, and it was the perfect way to spend our day. It emphasized the most important parts of our relationship. Going on adventures, discovering new things, sharing in our passions, and learning from each other. While sharing joy, love, and happiness through it. Excited to continue creating memories with you.”
He added: “What a magical year, and it’s only ‘UP’ from here baby ❤️.”
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
September 2023
Chelsea and Kwame’s relationship was still going strong in the Netflix After The Altar special, which even featured their families coming together for her pink-themed birthday party. Chelsea and Kwame’s sister, Barbara, teamed up to make jollof rice, which is Kwame’s favorite meal.
