HGTV’s Brian & Mika Kleinschmidt Open Up About How They Met & Fell in Love

Long before they were building dream homes on HGTV, Brian & Mika Kleinschmidt were two teenagers in Tampa, Florida, who first met in a high school chorus class. “My schedule was messed up,” Brian told HGTV. “But I said, ‘Hey, take your time; I will sing soprano all semester — because I was seated next to Mika.’”

Inside Their Sweet Love Story

What started as a scheduling mistake became the beginning of their love story. For Brian, it was love at first sight. “It took me a little longer to convince [Mika],” he later told The List.

Mika remembers him as the class jokester and says the timing wasn’t right back then. “I would say the timing wasn’t quite right then,” she said. “But we rekindled 10 years after we graduated, and it’s been an adventure ever since.”

HGTV

The couple married in 2015 and built a life together in Tampa, where they now create dream homes for clients. Their hit HGTV series “100 Day Dream Home” premiered in 2020 after they submitted an audition tape filmed on an iPhone by Brian’s father. Since then, the show has aired six successful seasons and inspired the spinoff “100 Day Hotel Challenge.”

“We’re still the same two crazy kids having fun on camera,” Brian said. Read more about their sweet love story!

Fate Steps In: The Accidental Email That Changed Everything

Years after high school, fate brought the couple back together in the most unexpected way. Mika accidentally sent Brian a chain email, reigniting their connection.

“As fate would have it, she accidentally sent me one of those chain emails, and of course, I responded immediately,” Brian told Tampa Bay Parenting in 2024.

At the time, both were living separate lives. Brian had married Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap, and the two competed on “The Amazing Race” in 2009 before divorcing soon after. Mika had become a mom to her daughter, Jade.

After receiving Mika’s email, Brian didn’t hesitate to reply. “He responded, and he was like, ‘Hey, if this was an accident, that’s okay. But how the heck have you been doing?” Mika recalled.

Their First Date (Even If Only One of Them Knew It)

The couple decided to catch up at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game. For Brian, it was clearly a date. For Mika, it was just two old friends reconnecting.

“I didn’t consider it a date because we hadn’t seen each other in 10 years,” Mika told the magazine. “But looking back on it now and considering Brian’s intentions, it was definitely a date.”

Brian laughed as he fondly remembered the day. “Perfect date planned. Cold December game. Snuggling under a blanket,” he said.

That game was the start of a new chapter. The connection they once shared in high school blossomed into something deeper, a partnership that would eventually shape their careers and family life.

A Perfect Match On & Off Screen

Mika believes their second chance came at exactly the right time. “I think it took me going through some relationships that did not work out to really figure out what I wanted and what I didn’t want,” she said. “And he just really brought out the best side of me, and that is super important.”

“At the time we started dating, Jade was 18 months old,” Mika added. “So it was crucial that I find someone that is going to accept not only me but my daughter and put her first, and Brian has done that since day one.”

After nearly a decade of marriage, the couple continues to thrive both personally and professionally.