Candiace Dillard and Chris Bassett’s Relationship Timeline Began Before They Joined ‘RHOP’

Since the Real Housewives franchise began in the early 2000s, viewers have gotten to know some of the cast’s husbands almost as much as they have. On Real Housewives of Atlanta, Cynthia Bailey’s ex-husband, Peter Thomas, became so controversial with the ladies that some fans thought he was vying for a peach.

Despite being reality TV stars, Candiace and Chris connected for the first time in a pretty standard way. The pair met around 2015 when they both worked at a Washington, D.C. restaurant. At the time, the former Miss United States was a server at the restaurant, and Chris was her manager, per Essence. Some things never change.

There's also Melissa Gorga’s husband, Joe, who has undoubtedly received his own fame through The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

While we hope the Real Housewives couples aren’t getting married for the Bravo clout, many have used the show to create opportunities for their families. One couple who seemingly understands the reality TV perks is Candiace Dillard-Bassett and her husband, Chris Bassett.

As The Real Housewives of Potomac fans know, Chris is Candiace’s “husbandger”’ and one of the singer and actress’s biggest supporters. Although Candiace and Chris’s relationship has been an RHOP subject many times, their love story began before the show was possible for Candiace. Here’s Candiace Dillard and Chris Bassett’s relationship timeline!

After almost two years of dating, Chris proposed to Candiace. The year was big for Candiace, who also landed a full-time cast member spot on RHOP for Season 2. During her first season, viewers followed her journey to the aisle, including her getting emotional while trying on wedding dresses.

Candiace and Chris planned their wedding for over a year and were finally ready to walk down the aisle. On Aug. 11, 2018, the couple wed at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., in front of 260 guests and Bravo’s cameras. In true Housewives fashion, Chris and Candiace decided to film their wedding for Season 2, and many of her co-stars attended the big day. However, Candiace said she only saw her future husband when she entered.

“When they opened the doors, I only saw him,” Candiace shared with People in 2018. “I was connected to Chris’s eyes. And he was crying, so I was weeping. There’s an ugly cry moment where I had to stop and scrunch up my face. To be walking towards the man who is going to be your husband? That was such a powerful and incredible feeling.”

During Candiace and Chris’s marriage, the couple celebrated multiple wins. Chris’s restaurant, Pitmaster BBQ, was rising, and Candiace began booking more acting and singing opportunities. Candiace shared on the RHOP after-show that the couple also started paying her townhome’s mortgage together, per People. On the show, fans discovered that Candiace’s mom, Dorothy, paid half of Candiace’s mortgage before she got married.

Chris also proved he would protect his wife from social media spectators. In November 2019, Candiace made headlines when she and Monique Samuels had a heated brawl at the cast’s trip to a wine tasting.

Before the episode aired, Monique’s lawyer claimed the Love & Marriage D.C. star did nothing wrong and defended herself against Candiace. When one Instagram commenter said they also believed Candiace was in the wrong, Chris jumped to his wife’s defense.

“If only that were the real story,” Chris wrote. “Please keep following, though.”

In 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused Chris and Candiace to have financial problems. During the pandemic, Chris closed his popular barbecue restaurant, Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster BBQ. Once Pitmaster ended, Chris put his energy into his catering business and cooking classes.

Chris explained to Bravo that he wanted to protect his assets, which were threatened by the COVID restaurant mandates. The culinary chef also explained that leaving the restaurant allowed him to focus on helping his wife’s career.

“It’s allowed me to be at home; this was the first year that I was at home for every major holiday and minor holiday, and never had to come home late,” Chris said of closing his business. “And it’s been amazing just to be here, to be able to support [Candiace].”

While Candiace and Chris don’t have any children together, Chris has three from previous relationships. On RHOP, the couple discussed Candiace’s new role as a stepmother and the challenges that occurred. However, after four seasons on the show, Chris and Candiace felt comfortable with two of his children, Mateo and Naia, appearing in Season 6 while they attended virtual school at the couple’s home. Although Mateo and Naia were great additions to the show, Candiace said she and Chris still aren’t ready for a biological child.

With five seasons of RHOP under their belt, Candiace and Chris’s followers are wholly invested in their relationship. So much so that one of Candiace’s fans called her hubby the most hardworking spouse in the franchise’s history, per RealityBlurb. In August 2022, the couple celebrated four years of marriage, and Candiace celebrated with a stunning slideshow of their journey.

Candiace and Chris returned to RHOP for Season 7 in 2022. Before the show aired, the trailer teased there would be drama between her and Gizelle Bryant. In one scene, Gizelle tells Candiace that Chris’s flirting makes her “uncomfortable,” which leaves Candiace offended. In another scene, she confirms to Chris that she is officially done being cordial with Gizelle.

“Gizelle is very flirty with Chris, and Chris flirts back with Gizelle, and this happens in front of me,” the reality star said on Carlos King’s Reality With the King podcast. “It has never given me pause or made me feel threatened in any kind of way because Chris does not want Gizelle’s 50-year-old p---y.”

Candiace added: “Why would he want that when he has this? … This is excess flirtatious energy coming from a woman who doesn’t have that at home. This is just something that she does. Gizelle has a history, and there is a reputation there of her being fast.”

Catch new episodes of The Real Housewives of Potomac Sunday nights at 8 p.m. EST.