Who Is Melanie Wilking's Husband? The TikTok Star Is Dancing With an NFL Player

While chatting with Access Hollywood in June 2024, TikTok influencer Melanie Wilking opened up about the rollercoaster of emotions she has been experiencing lately. Less than two weeks before the interview, a documentary about the 7M Films TikTok cult dropped on Netflix. Melanie and her sister Miranda, who rose to fame by way of their TikTok dance videos, were featured prominently in the movie. It centers around a management company and a church that are both run by Robert Shinn.

The management company has several TikTok dancers signed to it and Melanie claims they are all in a cult. Sadly, she believes her sister is involved as well. She has been dealing with this for a couple of years but the release of the documentary has certainly poked at old wounds. However, Melanie also delivered good news. She had just gotten married and was fresh off her honeymoon. Who is her husband? Here's what we know.

On Aug. 8, 2023, Melanie announced her engagement in an emotional TikTok video that featured reactions to the news from the dancer's friends and family. Her then fiancé now husband is Austin Ekeler, a running back for the Washington Commanders who previously spent seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, per the New York Post.

According to the Greeley Tribune, Austin was born in Lincoln, Neb., but grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo. He and his brother Wyett were raised by their single mother Suzanne Ekeler-Adams, who had played basketball at the University of Colorado. She later went on to teach high school math while coaching. To no one's surprise, Austin also played basketball at Eaton High School.

In 2012, Jim McElwain was coaching football at Colorado State University when he dropped by Eaton to check out a few recruits. He was confused by his introduction to Austin by Eaton football coach Bill Mondt, who demonstrated Austin's ability to dunk a basketball. The 17-year-old was only 5'9" and despite that impressive feat, Jim passed on him who "instead went on to Division II Western State Colorado University in Gunnison where he was one of the greatest running backs in program history," per the outlet.

Austin's athletic success didn't surprise his mother who spotted his prowess early on at the tender age of 9. "He was a star from the beginning," she told the Greeley Tribune. "When his high school career was over and college season was over, I wasn’t sad because I knew he was not done." He still isn't done, and now he has added husband to his resume.

The couple met after Austin slid into Melanie's Instagram DMs. On May 17, 2021, the duo made it social media official by way of an Instagram post with the two of them trying to out exercise the other. People reported that the bulk of their relationship was spent dating long-distance while he was in Los Angeles and she was in Las Vegas. However, his move to the Virginia area to play for the Commanders means they will split time between there and Nevada.

Melanie and Austin were married on May 25, 2024, at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa, surrounded by 138 guests, some of whom played in the NFL alongside Austin. Melanie wanted the wedding to feel like a getaway and party for their friends and family which is why they chose Las Vegas as the destination.

There were several personal touches throughout the ceremony. They asked Austin's cousin to officiate it and kept the bride and groom party down to two people each. There were also photos of loved ones who had passed placed on empty chairs. "We wanted to make sure they were all with us on our big day," Melanie told People. She went on to say it was the perfect day. "It was everything we have ever wanted and more."