ICYMI, May 22 marked the start of a new era for The Try Guys. The popular content creators announced that a new roster of talent will be joining their streaming platform, 2nd Try, and among those people is Ash Perez. Those who were chronically online in the 2010s might remember Ash from their days working at Buzzfeed. And if you remember Ash, chances are you’re familiar with their longtime partner and fellow Buzzfeed co-worker Chantel Houston.
During their time at Buzzfeed, no one really knew that Ash and Chantel were an item. But in 2022, they surprised everyone when they not only announced that they were married, but that they had been together for *six* years.
Now that Ash’s name is back in the media thanks to The Try Guys’ latest announcement, I’m pretty sure those who grew up during YouTube’s golden era can’t help but wonder where Ash’s relationship currently stands with Chantel. Are they still married? Have they since called it quits? Don’t worry besties, I got the tea for you!
Ash and Chantel’s marriage came as a major shock.
In August 2022, Ash and Chantel announced on Instagram that they were officially married after keeping their relationship hidden for years.
“We never wanted to be public about our relationship because mehhh. But now, 6 years later, and with no one actually caring anymore, we decided to make it ~Facebook official~,” the now-deleted caption read under a photo of Ash and Chantel in wedding attire as they threw up middle fingers. “Turns out, you can marry your best friend. Thank you to everyone for helping us stay off the radar for all these years and for supporting us through and through. Love y’all, Mr. and Mrs. Ashtel.”
Of course, fans of this YouTube couple quickly lost it after learning of the pair’s marriage, which took place in front of Buzzfeed royalty, including Quinton Brunson and Curly Velasquez, who officiated the wedding.
Ashly Perez and Chantel Houston are officially married after quietly dating for six years!
The couple met while famously working for Buzzfeed but maintained privacy regarding their relationship.@CurlyVee and @quintabrunson officiated for @itsashlyperez and @ChantelHouston. pic.twitter.com/orGCXd9L2V
— Affinity Magazine (@TheAffinityMag) August 28, 2022
The couple just stopped posting each other out of nowhere.
After Ash and Chantel got married, they often posted photos of them together on their respective IG accounts, as couples often do. But a few months after their wedding, they stopped posting each other all together.
Since the pair went 6 years without posting pics and videos of each other while they were dating, no one really thought anything of this. Then on Christmas Eve 2022, Houston shared a photo of her and Perez decked out in Christmas sweaters on IG. But who could guess that it would be their last photo together?
Ash and Chantel are divorced.
If you were to take a quick scroll through Ash’s IG account, you would not see a trace of Chantel — and the same thing goes for her Instagram (Chantel still has her and and Ash’s wedding photos on X though).
Over the past year, many have wondered about the status of the couple’s relationship. They looked so happy when they got married and as two people who kept their romance hidden from the public eye for 6 years, it seemed like their romance had what it took to last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Though they never publicly announced their split, a court document submitted in Los Angeles Country reveals that Ash filed for divorce from Chantel in February 2024.
So there you have it. Ash and Chantel are officially over but their relationship will forever live on in our minds.