Couples are sharing their ‘casual’ origin stories in viral TikTok trend

Couples are going viral on TikTok by sharing the ‘casual’ things they did before they started dating, all set to Chappell Roan’s hit song ‘Casual.’

The viral “casual things we did before we started dating” trend on TikTok has taken over as couples share the playful, awkward, and heartfelt moments that led up to their official relationship.

With Chappell Roan’s hit song ‘Casual’ as the background track, creators are celebrating those pre-commitment experiences in a lighthearted way. Released in 2022, the song has become an anthem for this trend, generating over 279,000 creator posts and climbing to #8 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.

The lyrics and vibe of ‘Casual’ perfectly capture the often fun, sometimes not-so-casual stage that many couples go through before deciding to make it official.

A number of notable TikTok creators, including Brianna LaPaglia, Dakota Wright, and power couple Ju & Chan, have jumped on the trend, sharing their unique moments from before they became official.

For example, in Ju & Chan’s video, Chan shared that her husband would “casually” come to all her gymnastic meets, even though she could no longer compete and had to medically retire.

TIKTOK: juandchan

She recalled how he would support her, watching her push mats for the other gymnasts, which was a subtle but heartfelt show of affection that eventually led to their relationship.

One viral video with over 8.7 million views came from TikToker lia.michii, who shared a funny moment before she and her boyfriend started dating: a photo someone snapped of them sitting together, with her now-boyfriend casually holding her leg – a moment that hinted at their eventual romance.

Even Trisha Paytas jumped in on the trend, revealing that for her and her now-husband, there was no extended pre-dating period. She shared, “Nothing. We got engaged the same year and bought a house right away.”

This is just one of the many couple trends that have gone viral on TikTok this year, along with the Beckham Test, the moon phase soulmate trend, and the ‘I trust my wife’ challenge.