‘Next Gen NYC’ Stars Ariana Biermann and Liam Obergfoll’s Romance From First Flirt to ‘I Love You’

Ariana Biermann and Liam Obergfoll’s romance started with some immediate flirting on “Next Gen NYC” season 2 — and quickly became one of the season’s biggest relationship storylines.

Ariana was newly single after ending her longtime relationship with fellow cast member Hudson McLeroy when Gia Giudice introduced her to Liam at Emira D’Spain’s birthday party in October 2025.

Liam immediately took notice. “She’s cute,” he admitted in a confessional.

Hudson noticed, too, setting the stage for plenty of drama before Ariana and Liam had even gone on their first official date.

Ariana Biermann and Liam Obergfoll Started Flirting Despite Hudson McLeroy’s Warning

After seeing Liam get close to his ex, Hudson approached him and tried to set some “boundaries.”

Liam later told Brooks Marks that the conversation felt “crazy” and questioned whether Hudson was trying to control Ariana’s decisions. Once Ariana heard what happened, Hudson’s warning appeared to have the opposite effect.

“Knowing that now, I’m especially gonna go hang out with Liam,” Ariana joked.

By episode 3, Liam made his intentions clear.

“I am definitely attracted to Ariana,” he said. “I definitely think she’s beautiful and I just want to get to know her.”

Ariana felt the attraction, too, calling Liam “amazing” and telling producers that she enjoyed his adventurous personality.

Liam Obergfoll Won Ariana Biermann Over With a Closet, Motorcycle and Family Dinner

Things moved forward when Liam agreed to build a closet organizer in Ariana’s Brooklyn apartment in exchange for her taking a ride on his motorcycle.

“I honestly really hit it off with Liam,” Ariana said. “I always said I wanted a handyman, and Liam’s being really handy. In all honesty, I’m not really thinking about the closet right now.”

Liam soon invited Ariana to his birthday dinner at his parents’ Upper West Side home, even though he admitted he might be “jumping the gun” by introducing her to his family before they had even gone on an official date.

The introduction apparently worked. Ariana later attended his family’s Thanksgiving celebration, and Emira revealed that Liam’s family “absolutely adores” her.

Their romance continued with the promised motorcycle ride and an ice-skating date at Prospect Park. Liam also surprised Ariana during BravoCon 2025 by sending flowers, chocolates, and water to her Las Vegas hotel room.

“The Lord sent me my dream man,” Ariana said after learning Liam arranged the surprise himself.

Liam was equally enthusiastic, admitting to his friends that he was “smitten.”

Ariana and Liam Got Closer But Couldn’t Agree on Their Relationship Status

By episode 9, Ariana said she and Liam were going on dates but still weren’t officially together.

“We’re going on dates. We’re, like, figuring it out,” she explained.

Their relationship became more intimate as the season progressed, and Liam acknowledged that they had “definitely gotten closer.”

The bigger issue soon became figuring out exactly what to call their relationship.

When Brielle Biermann and Ariana’s friends visited from Atlanta, Ariana made it clear that she had serious feelings for Liam.

“I have not felt this way in my heart, my mind, and my vagina, all in sync, in so long,” she told them. “I don’t want the next bitch to get him, because I want him.”

Still, Ariana told Liam not to ask her to become his girlfriend yet because she didn’t want to move too quickly. Liam later described them as “exclusive,” while Ariana maintained that they were “not dating,” even though she confirmed she wasn’t seeing anyone else.

Liam Told Ariana ‘I Love You’ During Their Emotional Ski Trip

The romance faced another major test during the cast’s upstate ski trip after Charlie Zakkour claimed Ariana wanted to sleep with him following a late-night visit to his apartment.

Ariana denied Charlie’s claim, while Liam confronted him during a heated group dinner.

The drama followed Ariana and Liam back to their room. After Liam went to bed around 2 a.m. and Ariana stayed up with the group until after 5 a.m., the pair had an emotional early-morning conversation about Charlie.

That was when Liam told Ariana, “I love you,” for the first time.

According to Liam, the declaration didn’t “really end well.”

“I don’t know how to feel,” Ariana admitted afterward. “And after that, I stared at the wall for about another hour. … I’m very overwhelmed.”

From a birthday-party introduction and Hudson’s warning to family dinners, romantic surprises and a complicated first “I love you,” Ariana and Liam’s relationship has moved quickly throughout “Next Gen NYC” season 2.

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