She 'advertised' her single friend to strangers—and it's gonna be the wildest 'How I Met Your Mother' story

We’ve all played wingman or wingwoman at some point, offering to make introductions, swiping on dating apps for a friend, or nudging a conversation forward at the right moment, but Alex took that role further than most people ever would. When her best friend Katie was open to the idea of finding someone new, Alex made a TikTok video on her page @outofoffice.alex that put Katie in front of thousands, introducing her as someone worth meeting, and in doing so, she set off a chain of events that neither of them could have predicted.

Referencing the original video, Alex opened with, "My name is Alex, and I’m the girl who advertised my friend to the Internet." At the time, it was more of a spontaneous idea than a serious strategy. But within days, the video gained traction and messages started coming in, and tucked among them was a name neither of them expected: Nick. The catch was that Nick hadn’t submitted himself; his friend had filled out the form without telling him. He was living in Florida while Katie and Alex were in Washington. "I actually wasn’t sure how it would work out," Alex admitted, and yet, the connection between Katie and Nick started to grow.

Even now, Katie prefers to keep the details of their relationship private, but she’s clear about how it felt. "From the beginning, there was something about him that just felt right," she said. Their first in-person date involved skydiving and after that, they knew they wanted to see where it could go. Over the next two years, their long-distance relationship deepened. When Nick moved across the country to be with Katie in Washington, Alex said, "That’s when I knew he was a really trustworthy guy and a really great guy for her." They recently got married and Alex stood beside her best friend as a bridesmaid at the wedding.

Katie reflected on that moment with gratitude, saying, "Alex is one of my best friends. Having her as one of my bridesmaids was such a gift — not just because she set us up, but because our friendship has been through so much fun and crazy over the years. She’s more than just my matchmaker. Her love and loyalty are unmatched." The friend who submitted Nick’s name was at the wedding, too. Now that they’re married, Katie hopes others don’t give up on trying. "Don’t get discouraged. If you’re tired of putting yourself out there or feel silly trying something unconventional, do it anyway. You never know what the Lord will use or who might end up being your future husband. Sometimes the best love stories begin with the craziest ideas."

The video reached millions of people, and viewers were impressed by Alex’s matchmaking skills. @madammazel commented, "Meanwhile, someone paid $10K for a dating coach. We need more friends like you." @janislewise wrote, "Stop. That man left his home state to love that woman. May this find every woman in waiting." @taymerr added, "My friends need to take notes because all they do is tell me, 'It’ll happen when I least expect it.'" @torri310 shared, "I’m about to make a video for myself and advertise it to the internet. But I’m going to pretend it’s from my friend so I don’t look desperate."

You can follow Alex (@outofoffice.alex) on TikTok for more match-making content.