Although Daniel Lissing‘s decision to leave “When Calls the Heart” in 2018 was heartbreaking for many Hallmark Channel fans, he thinks the tough decision led him to the love of his life, his wife Nadia Lissing.
Here’s everything we know about the woman who captured the Hallmark hunk’s heart!
How Daniel & Nadia Lissing Met, Including Her Funny First Impression of Him
Daniel, 45, who stars with Janel Parrish in “Forgotten Holiday” on October 24, 2026, met Nadia, 34, shortly after leaving WCTH in 2018, when they both happened to be vacationing in Reykjavik, Iceland.
“It’s funny the way the world works,” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2020. “If I had stayed on the show, and been there during season 6 and shot and all that kind of stuff, then I wouldn’t have met Nadia, you know? And I wouldn’t be getting married, and I wouldn’t be at this place in my life where I feel really in line with what I’m meant to be doing personally and professionally, so no regrets at all. How can I look at my future wife and say, ‘Oh, I should’ve stayed on this job?’ She’s my life, you know? That’s my personal life, and that’s exponentially more important to me than a job.”
Nadia, who didn’t realize Daniel was an actor until their third or fourth date, recalled how they first met during a 2019 interview with Entertainment Tonight, explaining, “I was traveling after graduating [with] my masters in business. A very happy, slightly intoxicated Australian approached me in a bar. My first impression was, ‘This guy is hot, but he might be a little crazy.’ I’d never met anyone like him before, that’s for sure!”
“There was an instant connection, deeper than anything physical, mental or even explainable,” she gushed. “The way he makes me feel is as if we’ve always known each other. He just gets me at my core and I get him like no one else.”
The Pandemic Caused a Big Change in Plans for Daniel & Nadia Lissing
Daniel proposed to Nadia in October 2019 with a Tiffany & Co. diamond ring. He posted a photo of them kissing and sweetly wrote, “Happy news to share… I get to marry the love of my life ❤️❤️”
“I kept it very simple,” he told ET. “I asked her at our home. On her birthday. I just spoke from my heart. Although I’m not sure she heard a word. There was a lot of screaming and crying with happiness. And she was doing the same.”
“It was a surprise and I was overwhelmed with happiness,” Nadia added. “There were lots of tears of joy, followed by dancing around the house together! The ring is so, so beautiful. I couldn’t imagine a better one for me. He nailed it!”
Daniel said he was surprised by how much he loved wedding planning, but left all final decisions up to his bride, saying, “It’s her special day. She’s the princess for her wedding, of course.”
The two had to put their big wedding plans on hold, though, as the pandemic hit in early 2020. Rather than host their planned nuptials in Bali, they quickly married at their home with two friends present.
When ET asked how Daniel knew Nadia was “the one,” he adorably responded, “Easy. She is. Simple as that. I think everyone that’s been down this road knows exactly what I mean. [She’s] totally up for any adventure. Makes me laugh everyday, many times a day. Honestly, she’s different to anyone I’ve met on my travels. But most importantly, she can put up with me, and that’s no easy feat!”
Daniel and Nadia live in L.A. with their beloved pup but love to travel. In August, they posted pics from a road trip along the West Coast. They’re now together on the Hallmark Christmas Cruise from October 23 to 27 — Lissing’s first time on the cruise.
Hallmark Channel’s “Forgotten Holiday” premieres on October 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern time, and will be available to stream via Hallmark+ the following day.
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Meet Daniel Lissing’s Gorgeous Wife: How His WCTH Departure Brought Them Together