According to Cortney, who has been a 90 Day alum since 2017, the 90 Day Fiancé producers approached her to join 90 Day: Hunt for Love while they were developing the show. She told Swooon, “On the regular 90 Day Fiancé, it’s like, you find your partner yourself online dating, or however, and then you don’t really have guidance, or relationship counseling, and all that. So I was like, ‘Yes, I definitely need professional help.’” She added that she remembered thinking, “‘Sign me up. Bring in guys you think are high quality. Let’s do this.’”

As a 90 Day newbie, 90 Day: Hunt for Love breakout star Elise had a different path to the retreat. When it comes to the casting process, Elise revealed, “I got approached to be on a reality TV show, and I actually did not know it was in the 90 day universe.” In fact, Elise assured us that she is not an avid reality TV watcher, so she had never heard of 90 Day Fiancé before joining the franchise. “I was told it was a dating show in Tulum with relationship coaches and a lot of hot singles.”

As Cortney put it, this anonymity is not unusual for the 90 Day casting department. The 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 1 star confessed, “That’s what happened my first season, too. It was like a very vague flyer, like ‘Do you online-date abroad? Are you between the ages? Do you want to be on this show?’” Thinking it was a travel show or a dating show, Cortney jumped into the life-changing franchise alongside her then-boyfriend, Antonio Millon.

When it comes to TLC’s newest 90 Day show, Hunt for Love, Cortney shared that the network was very tight-lipped about the spinoff during casting. She was shocked to learn that the show didn’t even have an official name until the cast was “already filming Between the Sheets.”

As a 90 Day alum, Cortney revealed that she was hoping to see friends like Stephanie Matto or Vanja Grbic at the resort. While she was excited to see her girls, Cortney shared that she would have been less enthusiastic to see some of the more boisterous 90 Day stars. She told Swooon, “I was scared to see Big Ed or Angela [Deem] because I feel like they’re always fighting or doing something crazy.”

On the other hand, Elise was able to come into the 90 Day universe with fresh eyes. “I didn’t know anyone that’s ever done 90 Day Fiancé,” she admitted. “When I went in and I found out everyone’s name from the 90 Day universe, like Cortney, Usman [Umar], Tim [Malcolm] Colt [Johnson], Tiffany [Franco], and Chantel [Everett], I didn’t want to Google them.” Instead, she wanted to meet the reality stars “at face value” and without a “preconceived notion” of what they were like based on clips from the franchise.

While Elise was mostly able to steer clear of 90 Day clips, the Hunt for Love star did admit that Tim Malcolm was keen on showing her videos of his time dating Jeniffer Tarazona. “There were some nights that Tim wanted me to watch his previous seasons,” Elise told Swooon. She recalled asking, “Do I have to do this? Like, is this what we have to do right now because I don’t get enough sleep as it is, and I would like to go to bed.” His response? “Well, if we do eye masks, would you stay longer?”

The Hunt for Love stars revealed to Swooon that the most surprising cast member by far was Cortney’s connection, Colt Johnson. “I thought I was gonna absolutely hate him,” Cortney admitted. “Every clip I see of [Colt], he’s yelling at his mom, yelling at his exes. He just seems very problematic.” Apparently, that preconceived notion (as Elise would put it) could not be further from the truth. According to Cortney, “[Colt is] actually really sweet and, like, kind and funny.”

Elise added, “In reality, Colt is such a nice guy.” The 90 Day besties were quick to reveal a couple of their favorite memories from being on set with Colt. During our interview, Cortney and Elise told Swooon that Colt’s dancing was a definite highlight from their time at the resort. However, when it comes to their favorite Colt moment from the show, the 90 Day star’s questionable carry-on took the cake.

“What about him bringing a pillow of his face?” Elise reminded Cortney. “And an 1880s book on etiquette on how to treat a woman? I’m like, ‘Colt, you’re bringing a book from 1880 on how to treat a woman, and you’re bringing a pillow [with your face on it]?’” When it comes to Colt’s endearing eccentricities, they took on a “whatever floats your boat” mentality.

Throughout the first season of 90 Day: Hunt for Love, fans have watched Cortney and Elise form an unbreakable bond. According to both reality stars, their friendship stemmed from “the moment [Elise] went off on Rob [Warne], day one.”

“I was yelling at Rob for rating me the same as everyone in the hot tub,” Elise recalled. “And I hear Cortney. At this point, we’re, like, 24 hours in. I didn’t even know her name. There were so many people that I just didn’t know, and I hear [Cortney], and she’s sticking up for me, and she has my back. And I’m like, ‘I don’t feel like I’ve ever met someone that’s been such a girl’s girl and had someone’s back, and she doesn’t even know me.’” At the time, Elise remembers being “in such complete and utter disbelief of how sweet and genuine and sincere [Cortney] was.”

Cortney noted, “Immediately, the 90 Day cast, like, we’re kind of protective of each other, so everybody’s like Team Rob or has his back.” However, she was the one 90 Day alum who wasn’t buying it. Cortney recalled going up to Elise and cheekily saying, “I want to hear more. Like, what else did he do? Tell me more.”

While their friendship started at the resort, Cortney and Elise’s connection did not end in Tulum. “After the retreat, we’ve been talking every day,” Cortney revealed.” It’s all so weird, people who we’re friends with in real life, they don’t understand the experience we went through with the show. It’s hard for the outsider to understand what we went through together.”

As for what’s to come during the rest of the Hunt for Love season, Elise teased, “There’s so many [people from] different walks of life and so many different types of people on the show that I’m so fortunate to have met, whether I came out with love or not.”

However, there is one thing Elise could confidently tell Swooon with Cortney by her side: “I came out with a best friend.”