Couple go viral on TikTok as boyfriend shows his American girlfriend around Preston
A couple have gone viral on TikTok with their videos documenting their days out in Preston amassing millions of views.
37-year-old Alex Morris from Preston and 28-year-old Taylor Marin from Phoenix, Arizona have been together for nearly four years now, having first met in Australia.
Moving back to their respective homelands after four years down under, the couple are now managing a long distance relationship and their most recent meet-up, right here in Preston, has gone viral online.
Freelance social media manager and content creator Tay landed in England two weeks ago and the couple’s joint TikTok account has been sharing clips from her first few days in Preston - the most popular of which has received nearly 800,000 views alone.
Explaining why they shared their trip online, Tay said: “I film everything. I love to take photos and make videos and have always documented our adventures together so naturally I recorded our trip here!”
In the first TikTok, Alex, who works in wine, takes Tay on a trip to the Capitol Centre in Walton-le-Dale, where straight away the culture difference is hilariously stark when his American girlfriend is shocked at the fact they have to go inside the Starbucks.
“Where’s the drive through at?” Tay asks Alex who replies “We’re not all lazy b******* like Americans!” later adding “We’re not equipped for it in Preston.”
The Arizona local also comments on the “lovely British weather” and the fact the Capitol Centre is home to the “fanciest Dunkin’ Donuts I’ve ever seen” - with more comical bickering ensuing over the different ways they pronounce Dunkin’.
That same day, another TikTok shows Alex taking Tay around Waitrose, which she has never heard of, and when she realises it’s a “posh grocery store” she quips “you wanna take me to nice places in Preston.”
For their third video of the day, Alex takes Tay on a tour of Preston City Centre, starting off at Miller Arcade where Alex sarcastically shows off the boarded up shops before they enjoy a coffee at Rise.
The couple then walk past Spud Bros - which Tay had heard of thanks to their online presence - and Nando’s - a brand that transcends the Atlantic Ocean - on their way to buy a traditional Butter Pie.
Tay says in the video: “I feel like I’m in a movie but I don’t know what movie, just Preston movie.”
When the Post asked what sights Alex particularly wanted to show Tay, he said: “All the stuff I grew up with. Things that you can only get in the North West of England or what I would call English cultural staples. Tay just loves everything she's never seen before [in real life] that she's seen in English movies and TV shows.”
In further TikToks, we get to see Tay try a Butter Pie for the first time exclaiming “mm that’s so good” before dipping it into ketchup and adding “that’s really good” - although she does discover she’s not a fan of HP sauce though!
The couple also visit Leyland Station ahead of a day trip to Manchester - where pronunciation of place names provides more jokes- and take a tour of Avenham Park where Alex points out evidence that someones been egged, explaining “everyone eggs everyone … [it’s] good crack.”
You can see clips from the couple's first three days in Lancashire in the video attached above but more videos can be found on TikTok.
Commenting on her time in Lancashire, Tay said: “The people here seem to be very warm and welcoming! You don't always get that when you are American, as we can get a bad rap, but people here are so friendly and love a chat.
“My favourite thing about the trip has been talking to the local people and hearing the accents. Over the years I've had to learn Alex's banter and northern slang but it all makes so much more sense now that I am here mixing it up with the locals! Alex might disagree but I think my banter has improved!”
As well as their days out in Preston and Manchester, the pair also ventured to Blackpool, Clitheroe, Lytham St Annes and Lancaster in Lancashire amongst other North West locations.
In total their TikToks from around Lancashire have stacked up over an impressive two million views.
In a joint statement to the Post, Tay and Alex said: “We are very surprised at the amount of people who have seen our videos! So many nice people have come up to us in Preston City Centre, Lancaster, Manchester and even in York and have told us they have seen our videos and enjoy them, so it's always nice to hear!
You can watch more of Tay and Alex’s TikTok videos by checking out their account here: https://www.tiktok.com/@tayandalexx?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc