HGTV’s Mika & Brian Kleinschmidt Reveal Accident That Brought Them Together

Heavy/HGTV/YouTube "100 Day Dream Home" stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt

One of HGTV‘s most popular couples, Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt, got a second chance at love thanks to an accidental email.

The “100 Day Dream Home” stars, who’ve been married since 2015, shared their love story for the January 2024 edition of Tampa Bay Parenting. Although they were high school classmates, they told the magazine, they reconnected after Mika mistakenly sent a chain email to Brian a decade after they graduated.

“As fate would have it, she accidentally sent me one of those chain emails, and of course, I responded immediately,” Brian said.

Here’s what you need to know:

Brian Kleinschmidt Jumped at Chance to Reconnect With Mika & Immediately Planned a Date

Receiving that email felt like fate to Brian, who has admitted he had a big crush on Mika while they attended high school in Florida together.

“It was love at first sight for me, but it took a little bit longer to convince her,” he told The List in June.

After graduation, they didn’t see each other again for 10 years. According to Ticket Sarasota, Brian married Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap, with whom he competed on “The Amazing Race” in 2009, but they divorced not long after the show. Mika, meanwhile, became a mom to her daughter Jade, who’s now 14.

After her chain email accidentally reached Brian, Mika told Tampa Bay Parenting, “He responded and he was like, ‘Hey, if this was an accident, that’s okay. But how the heck have you been doing?'”

The two decided to catch up while attending a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game together, but only Brian considered it a date at the time, they told the magazine.

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

Brian interjected, “Perfect date planned. Cold December game. Snuggling under a blanket.”

Mika Kleinschmidt Says She Needed Time to Realize Her Husband Was Perfect for Her

Though it took an accidental email to get a second chance at love, Mika now believes their relationship blossomed with perfect timing.

“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,” Mika told Tampa Bay Parenting. “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,” she revealed. “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 a busy year that included winning HGTV’s “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” the couple has been busy working on season 5 of their show, due to premiere later this year, and have kept fans guessing with periodic social media posts while filming in a new location — Savannah, Georgia. The Kleinschmidst revealed to Tampa Bay Parenting that they purchased a townhome there that they’re renovating as part of their next season.

Someday, Brian said, “I can see us growing old there together and enjoying the slower pace of life.”