‘Despite my privilege, my life hasn’t always been the easiest:’ Who is Tigerlily on ’90 Day Fiancé’?

If you’ve ever watched 90 Day Fiancé, you know the franchise is full of colorful characters. We’ve gotten to know people like Big Ed as well as couples like Ashley and Manuel throughout the 90 Day Fiancé universe, but nobody is quite like Tigerlily. 

Tigerlily made her first appearance on season seven of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, and immediately became one of the most controversial stars of the show. Alongside her then-fiancé Adnan, Tigerlily made an impression on viewers who wanted to know more about her. Luckily, from her ethnicity to her previous marriage, Tigerlily’s an open book. 

Who is Tigerlily? 

Tigerlily is a single mom from Frisco, Texas. While Tigerlily is her legal name, she was originally named Mariko to reflect her half-Japanese roots. Tigerlily is Japanese on her mother’s side and Austrian and Native American on her father’s. She decided to change her name after she realized it had a derogatory meaning in another language and after experiencing a traumatic event involving “the person who named her.” 

Before meeting the much-younger Adnan, Tigerlily was married to Darren Taylor,  the CEO of Tidel, a company known for manufacturing cash management systems and robbery deterrent products. The two met when Tigerlily was 30 years old and decided to get married after discovering she was pregnant. After their wedding in 2013, Tigerlily and her ex-husband had two sons together, Finn in late 2013 and Roux in 2017.

Her marriage with Taylor provided her with a life of luxury, but it wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. According to Tigerlily, Taylor controlled every aspect of her life and living with him was like living “in a golden bird cage.” During this time, she befriended her “glam squad” as they were some of the only people her husband would allow her to see. Initially deciding to stay in the relationship for the sake of her children, Tigerlily ultimately chose to get a divorce in order to regain her independence.

Even after leaving her wealthy ex, Tigerlily has a lavish lifestyle thanks to her multiple streams of income. She’s mentioned on the show that she analyzes handwriting as her main job but she’s also a successful business owner and according to her Instagram, she owns several businesses with Adnan. The first business, Neige Concept, is described as a “conscious concept store for the modern family with a curated edit of ethical and sustainable childrenswear, womenswear, and skincare.”

Described as a “new extension of Neige Concept,” her second company, Make Money With Tiger, is a digital marketing agency intended to help customers find financial freedom by starting their own online business. Her newest business, 11A Agency Construction Services, is a renovation and remodeling company serving the Dallas area. After her divorce, Tigerlily vowed to never remarry until she met Adnan, a model from Jordan. Tigerlily and Adnan met through social media when she was 41 and he was 22. While the two had never met in person during their four-month courtship, Tigerlily flew to Jordan to meet — and marry — Adnan while filming the show.

Despite their age gap and cultural differences, the couple were wed in September of 2023 shortly after their season began airing. Fans have mixed opinions about Tigerlily and her new marriage. Some have questioned whether the two are a real couple based on Tigerlily’s lack of knowledge about her fiance before meeting him, while others sympathize with her personal struggles. However you feel about her, Tigerlily’s bold personality is clearly perfect for reality television.