I was bored, frustrated and tipsy when I posted a selfie on Twitter asking if anyone wanted to marry me. But the post led me to my soul mate, and we married exactly 3 years later.

• Jill Sennett made a Twitter post in May 2020 asking if someone would marry her.
• Another user, Casey Serrano, commented on it, and they had an awkward in-person date soon after.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jill Sennett. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In May 2020, I was bored out of my mind and frustrated. I lived in Philadelphia and worked as an oncology nurse at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Working all day with kids who have cancer and then coming home to an empty apartment was draining. The guy I was trying to date was staunch about COVID precautions and refused to see me in person.

So, one night I turned to Twitter. I posted a selfie with the caption: "Do any celebrities want to marry me? I'm single." I tagged the band Hozier, who I had been listening to nonstop during quarantine.

I knew the tweet wouldn't reach Hozier, and I wasn't interested in marrying a celebrity. I was just bored, frustrated with my nonexistent love life, and a bit tipsy.

A few minutes later, some guy replied. "I may not be Hozier, but I was the bass player for the Chipettes band in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. And I would treat you as good, if not better, than Hozier. So. Up to you. My DMs are open."

That tweet changed my life

I instantly thought the reply was absolutely hilarious. Who could make up such an obscure claim to fame? Well, it turns out, no one. Because Casey Serrano — the man I would marry — was, in fact, the bass player for the Chipettes.

But I didn't know that then. I bantered back and forth with Casey in the comments and gave him a follow. Casey's mom even got involved, playing wingman for her son. Still, I wasn't sure I wanted to DM him until a friend told me she would if I didn't message him. I needed that competitive nudge.

Finally, I messaged Casey. I mentioned his wit and his cool mom. "If Twitter were real life, I'd date you," I wrote.

We decided we had to meet in person

Casey and I went on a virtual date five days after those messages. He was in Denver, and I was on the east coast, so we had 2,000 miles between us. And yet I felt that this deserved a chance.

We had a drink — well, a few — together, but apart. Then fate stepped in again. Casey mentioned that he'd looked up flights to Philly. And they cost exactly what he'd earned from his "Squeakquel" royalty check that year. "Book it," I said enthusiastically.

The next morning I woke up stone-cold sober, wondering what I'd done. I had to let this guy down easily, but I didn't want to close the door entirely. So we had another virtual date. After that, I didn't want to let Casey down at all: I wanted him to visit me.

We met in person on June 10, only a few weeks after my Tweet. It was awkward at first — there were already feelings and a lot on the line. But we quickly fell in love.

We got married exactly 3 years after the tweet

Unfortunately, we still lived across the country from each other. That summer, I visited Casey twice. By the second visit, I knew I couldn't be away from him.

I quit my job and took a travel-nursing position in Denver. He was worried that this was a huge leap. But when you know, you know. Casey flew out to Philly that Labor Day weekend, and we road-tripped together to our new home.

Luckily, we loved each other as much in person as we did on Twitter. In March 2022, Casey asked me to marry him in my hometown of Buffalo, New York — which I'm slightly obsessed with. We married in Spain on May 20, 2023, exactly three years after I'd posted that Tweet.

Our officiant celebrated our unusual meeting in the ceremony. He talked about how some people say things but never do them. "These crazy people are so passionate and so daring that they did it," he said, using language that was a bit more colorful.

He was right. Casey and I have been unafraid to put ourselves out there and chase our dreams. That has led to this big love, with a little help from "The Squeakquel."