Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Matthieu Blazy
    • Two-Piece Outfit Formulas
    • Witchy Perfumes
    • The Smart Spend
    • Being Black at Bravo
    1. Culture
    2. TV shows

    Are 'The Ultimatum' Season 3 Stars Caleb Lefterys and Mariah Zernik Still Together?

    Here's why fans speculate the couple might come out on top of their communication issues.

    Quinci LeGardye's avatar
    By Quinci LeGardye
    Last updated 18 December 2024 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Caleb Lefterys and Mariah Zernik in Season 3 of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.
    (Image credit: Adam Rose / Netflix)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Spoilers for the entire season of The Ultimatum season 3 ahead. Of all the couples on season 3 of The Ultimatum, Caleb Lefterys and Mariah Zernik have been perhaps the easiest to root for. Like the rest of the pairs, Caleb and Mariah have some issues to work on before they decide to tie the knot, which is why Mariah issued the ultimatum in the first place. She's ready to become a wife at the tender age of 24, while Caleb is a bit more hesitant.

    However, as the season went on, fans guessed they might be the couple from this season's cast most likely to make it to the altar. Read on for our breakdown of Caleb and Mariah's time on Love is Blind season 3, including all the clues toward whether they're still together.

    What happened between Caleb and Mariah on 'The Ultimatum' season 3?

    Two years into their relationship, 24-year-old Mariah has given 29-year-old Caleb the ultimatum. Mariah seems emotionally intelligent beyond her years; she is very clear about knowing that she wants marriage and kids. Meanwhile, Caleb is concerned that she may be rushing things.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Mariah and Caleb lean in toward each other while sitting with two gold wine glasses in front of them, in 'The Ultimatum' season 3.

    Caleb and Mariah whisper during the season 3 premiere dinner.

    (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

    Before they "break up," Caleb thinks about the future, sharing his worry that she could get to 40, and possibly resent him after realizing she never got time to focus on herself. The moment hints that Caleb is thinking about them long-term, just toward the future and not the present. However, Mariah also mentions that communication was an issue for her and she feels she didn't get enough reassurance from him in the past.

    During the week of speed-dating, Mariah forms a friendship with Micah, and they believe they could challenge each other to learn in a trial marriage. Meanwhile, Caleb clicks with Aria. They had a similar upbringing, and can both get vulnerable quickly. After the Choice dinner, Mariah and Micah and Caleb and Aria are ready to start their trial marriages...but just days into the timeline, Micah quits the show, along with his girlfriend Chanel and another couple, Dave and Vanessa. Mariah's left to spend the three-week trial marriage by herself—minus occasional friend meet-ups with Nick—while Caleb goes through his time living with Aria. The rest of Mariah's scenes, until she reunites with Caleb, are very Nick-centric, so the only sense we get of how she spent her time are clips of her reading self-help books like Jay Shetty's 8 Rules of Love.

    You may like
    • the cast of the ultimatum season 4 cheers glasses with the hosts at the reunion Five Couples Left 'The Ultimatum' Season 4 Engaged—But Who's Still Together?
    • 'Love Island USA' season 8 stars Aniya Harvey and Carl Schmidt wear swimsuits while posing in the villa. 'Love Island USA' Stars Carl and Aniya Reveal Why They Are "Not Officially Girlfriend-Boyfriend" Yet
    • kaya and zach pose together in swimsuits by a pool in love island usa season 8 So Much Changed Between Kayda and Zach After the 'Love Island USA' Reunion

    Mariah in 'The Ultimatum' season 3

    Mariah ends up spending three weeks to herself.

    (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

    Aria and Caleb's trial marriage is the easiest of all the temporary couples. The pair have chemistry and in between doing skincare together, they discuss serious topics like trust issues and communication styles. Plus, they're both clear that the other is very different from their "exes."

    On Caleb's end, Aria is more independent and skeptical than Mariah. At one point, Caleb says that Mariah trusts through "blind faith" that he's the right person for her, and he finds that a bit scary. Later on, Caleb admits that part of his hesitation with marriage is fueled by his baggage of worrying that he could be a good husband and father. In theory, that's the type of introspection that The Ultimatum process is meant for.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    However, you could also argue that trial marriages are designed to spur wandering eyes and jealousy, and the best trial marriages can make for insecure original partners. The pair starts platonically, but Aria forms a bit of a crush, especially since Caleb is so different from her original partner Scotty. Caleb also admits that he also has an emotional connection in a confessional.

    Caleb and Aria hold hands as they sit by a fire pit, in 'The Ultimatum' season 3.

    Caleb and Aria hold hands during a nighttime date.

    (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

    However, before the girls' night, Caleb doesn't want Aria to tell Mariah they've formed an emotional connection. He seems to come at it from a place of let me be the one to tell her, but Aria wants to be honest with Mariah. So after the girls' night, Mariah gets concerned that Aria and Caleb could've formed a stronger emotional connection than she and Caleb at that point in their relationship.

    That potential Mariah-Caleb-Aria love triangle adds some friction after the Changeover when everyone returns to their original partners. Caleb continues to assure that there's nothing between him and Aria beyond friendship—and maybe he's focusing on the fact that he doesn't intend to pursue a relationship with her—but Mariah can tell that her confusion about where he and Aria stand is valid. Caleb seems to want to shut down the discussion and have a fun mood instead of a serious one, but Mariah doesn't want to hold off on delving into her worries, including their communication issues.

    What to read next
    • tierra titi davis wearing a red dress posing with kc chandler wearing an all white outfit on the love island usa season 8 after show aftersun Tierra Thanks 'Love Island USA' Fans Who "Supported" Her and KC—And Shares a Relationship Update
    • A group of women (l-r Hayley Hendrich, Monica Payne, Ashley Wilson, Casey Douglas, Jessica Grace, Alex Johnsen) sit in a dining room decorated with roses, candles, and golden goblets, in 'The Ultimatum' season 4. Meet the Couples Who Signed Up For 'The Ultimatum' Season 4's Messy Relationship Experiment
    • melanie wears a blue cover up and bikini and sincere wears swim trunks as they pose together by a pool in love island usa season 8 Melanie Shut Down Speculation About Her and Sincere's Relationship After the 'Love Island USA' Reunion

    Eventually, Mariah breaks down and expresses that, since they reunited, the negative energy between them has been her frustration with how hard The Ultimatum process has been. By their final date, the couple is cuddling while fishing and admitting that they both need to work on their insecurities instead of bringing them into the relationship. (May this be the healthiest example of The Ultimatum in the show's run so far?)

    Caleb and Mariah sit on a dock outdoors, in 'The Ultimatum.'

    Caleb and Mariah talk during their final date.

    (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

    Do Caleb and Mariah get engaged on 'The Ultimatum' season 3?

    When they get to Ultimatum Day, after some requisite tense editing from the show, Caleb chooses to...propose to Mariah and get engaged! He appears to get out of the way of his doubts, which he sums up before the big scene as being worried that "there's just someone [out there] waiting for her that's better." Once they arrive at the venue, they both acknowledge that they've grown a lot during the show, and Caleb has a handwritten proposal about how he's no longer afraid to let her love him. It goes to show that something good can come out of everything—even a show like The Ultimatum.

    Caleb stands next to Mariah as she holds up her engagement ring on her left hand, while standing in front of a stone wall outdoors, in 'The Ultimatum.'

    Mariah shows off her new engagement ring following Caleb's proposal.

    (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

    Are Caleb and Mariah still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 3?

    Fast-forward to the reunion filming—which occurred sometime before season 3's release, per Variety—and Caleb and Mariah are still an adorable couple. They came to the reunion with adorable vacation clips in tow, and confirmed that they're planning a summer 2026 destination wedding. (Also, Caleb likes to match Mariah's outfits, which already makes him the ideal L.A. husband.)

    The reunion also included a surprising detail we didn't see during filming: During the separate trial marriages (or trial singleness for Mariah), Mariah still called Caleb daily and they’d speak for hours. This admission came amid a dramatic confrontation about Aria feeling wronged by Caleb, which didn't seem all that constructive, but it is a small detail to note what was left on the cutting room floor.

    Even before the finale, there were clues on social media that the two were still an item. They still followed each other, and an eagle-eyed Redditor spotted a recent couple pic of the pair from Mariah's second Instagram page, which is currently private. There's no way to validate the Reddit post or to know when the picture was taken, but even before the engagement was confirmed, many fans were sure that Caleb and Mariah were season 3's best chance at a happily-ever-after.

    Explore More
    Netflix Reality TV
    Quinci LeGardye
    Quinci LeGardye
    Social Links Navigation
    Culture Writer

    Quinci LeGardye is a Culture Writer at Marie Claire. She currently lives in her hometown of Los Angeles after periods living in NYC and Albuquerque, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. In 2021, she joined Marie Claire as a contributor, becoming a full-time writer for the brand in 2024. She contributes day-to-day-content covering television, movies, books, and pop culture in general. She has also written features, profiles, recaps, personal essays, and cultural criticism for outlets including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Vulture, The A.V. Club, Catapult, and others. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her watching the latest K-drama, or giving a concert performance in her car.

    Read more
    taylor frankie paul smiles and holds a rose while wearing a red dress in a promo shot for her bachelorette season
    TV shows Taylor Frankie Paul's 'Bachelorette' Season Was Spoiled—But She Would Do a "Round Two" Here's everything to know about the #MomTok star's shelved season, including whether it will ever air.
    By Megan Wahn
    A man and a woman (Adam Brody as Noah and Kristen Bell as Joanne) smile while standing in a kitchen in front of a bouquet of yellow flowers, in 'Nobody Wants This' season 3.
    TV shows More Hot Rabbi Romance Is Upon Us. Here's What We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 3 The hit Netflix rom-com returns this fall with an A-list roster of guest stars.
    By Radhika Menon
     
     
    A still of Taylor Frankie Paul and Ben Lambert in 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.'
    TV shows Taylor Frankie Paul Is Leaving 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'. Will #MomTok Survive This? Major casting shakeups have fans wondering whether Hulu's reality hit will continue beyond season 6.
    By Quinci LeGardye
    lily collins as emily taking a selfie and holding a pair of gold heels wearing a gold coat outside in europe at night in emily in paris season 6
    TV shows It's Almost Time to Say Au Revoir to 'Emily in Paris' The Netflix hit will release its sixth and final season before the end of the year.
    By Olivia Truffaut-Wong
     
     
    Latest in TV shows
    Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames waring a black gown sunglasses and hat as she walks down a street and a man with a bicycle follows her in netflix's east of eden
    TV shows The Major Changes Between Netflix's 'East of Eden' and the Book—Including Cathy's Role
    Actress Maleah Joi Moon wears a red gown and shawl while posing in a museum at Netflix's 'A Different World' premiere.
    TV shows The Lessons Maleah Joi Moon Learned From 'A Different World'
     
     
    'Physical 100: Mexico' star Mariana Khalil poses while flexing a bicep.
    TV shows Meet Mariana Khalil, the First Woman to Make It to the Final Four in 'Physical 100' History
    jessica barden as nance o'neil wearing 1800s era clothes and a wig performing operatic vocals on a stage in monster the lizzie borden story
    TV shows The True Story of Nance O'Neil, the Real Actress and Friend of Lizzie Borden in 'Monster'
     
     
    Latest in News
    Gigi Hadid wore the mesh Mary Janes trend for fall after the Miu Miu show at Paris Fashion Week
    Celebrity Style Yes, You Can Wear Mesh Flats in Fall—Just Style Them Like Gigi Hadid in Paris
    Mia and Lena Tindall cheering along a barrier with Savannah Phillips
    Royals Princess Anne's Grandchildren Have a Cutthroat Bedtime Tradition
     
     
    Queen Elizabeth has coiffed white hair and is smiling
    Royals Queen Elizabeth Put "A Huge Amount of Trust" in One Person
    Queen Camilla and her son, Tom Parker Bowles
    Royals Queen Camilla Developed a Surprising Hidden Talent
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.