Chip and Joanna Gaines: Biggest Moments in 'Fixer Upper' Couple's Love Story

The Gaines family had some of the most important moments of their lives on their HGTV series, [...]

By Michael Hein

The Gaines family had some of the most important moments of their lives on their HGTV series, Fixer Upper. Now that the show is over, fans are looking back at the highlights.

The Gaines family debuted on TV in April 2014. Their show became a hit very quickly, and soon became one of HGTV's most popular properties. It followed Chip and Joanna Gaines with a different client in each episode, walking them through potential homes, choosing one to purchase, and working on the redesign together. Joanna designed each home while Chip worked as the lead contractor.

In their tenure on TV, the couple shared just about everything with their fans. They told the story of their marriage and their journey as business owners. They also treated their fans to front row seats as their family grew up.

After five successful seasons, the couple called it quits. In a post on their Magnolia blog, they explained that the show was simply too draining along with all the other projects they work on. The Gaines' welcomed their fifth child into the world earlier this year, and between running multiple small businesses and trying to raise a small sports team all on their own, they decided to take a break from TV.

Here is a look at the highlights from Chip and Joanna Gaines' lives as they played out on TV.

Meet Cute

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(Photo: HGTV)

Chip and Joanna Gaines met in 2001, they said in an interview with Jefferson Bethke. Joanna described each other as "polar opposites," though they were both raised in similarly middle class, religious families. The story goes that Chip saw Joanna working at a Firestone which her father owned.

"Hey, you're the girl in the commercials," he said to her, according to a report by Time.

The two of them only dated for about a year before Chip proposed.

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Engagement

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(Photo: Desiree Navarro / WireImage, Getty)

Chip proposed to Joanna about a year after they began dating, but the couple can't agree on their own timeline or who was more enamored of of the other in their origin story.

In 2016, Joanna published a book titled The Magnolia Story, where she detailed the story of their engagement. The contractor took her to a jewelry store under false pretenses, then proposed right there, allowing her to design her own ring from scratch on the spot.

"I was able to pick out a nice round diamond and a beautiful, antique-looking platinum setting," she recalled. "I had a blast sitting there with Billy, designing the perfect ring. Chip just sat there, patiently observing every second of it."

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Marriage

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(Photo: Instagram / Joanna Gaines)

The Gaines married in 2003. The two jumped into a slew of projects right away rather than settling into a quiet life. They did, however, develop a passion for domestic things — including home remodeling and DIY projects. That sparked their reality TV fame.

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Starting a Business

Joanna explains the history of their family business in a post on Magnolia.com.

She and Chip bought a shop together in 2003, calling it Magnolia Market. There, Joanna gained confidence in her designs, but once their children began to arrive, they traded the shop for Magnolia Homes.

"This work was meaningful to us, and we worked together for many years as a team; Chip in construction, and myself in the design," she explained.

While the Gaines have become HGTV icons, their business has flourished.

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'Fixer Upper'

Chip and Joanna had about a decade of experience in real estate and renovation when they shot a pilot for Fixer Upper with HGTV. Something about their dynamic resonated with audiences, and they became an instant hit.

"I think it is their perfect imperfections," HGTV's Allison Page told Texas Monthly. "They have the kind of marriage and family you'd want. It's not perfect. He does silly things, and they occasionally trip over their words or sweat on each other. They are the best of what's real in life."

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Kids

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(Photo: Instagram / @joannagaines)

Chip and Joanna now have five kids — Drake, 13; Ella Rose, 11; Duke, 10; Emmie Kay, 8 and, as of this year, Crew. The brood has grown up and, in some cases been born before our very eyes on TV, and these days the Gaines are just as revered for their parenting ideas on social media as for their design thoughts.

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Baby Crew

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(Photo: Instagram/Joanna Gaines)

Crew was born at the end of June to much social media fanfare. Though the Gaines had already left HGTV at that point, their family remained in the spotlight, with no signs of going away.

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Final Season

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(Photo: Instagram / @joannagaines)

The Gaines announced that they would be stepping away from Fixer Upper in both a blog post and a video.

"We have poured our blood, sweat and tears into this show," Joanna wrote. "We would be foolish to think we can go and go and fire on all cylinders and never stop to pause. Our family is healthy and our marriage has honestly never been stronger. This has nothing to do with a fraudulent skincare line or anything else you'll inevitably read. This is just us recognizing that we need to catch our breath for a moment. Our plan is to take this time to shore up and strengthen the spots that are weak, rest the places that are tired and give lots of love and attention to both our family and our businesses."

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Finale

The series finale of Fixer Upper sent off the beloved show in style. Rather than dwelling on the ending, the Gaines focused on making one last client happy.

That client just so happened to be Mike Herrera, the lead singer of the punk band MxPx. The Gaines had a great time rocking out with him, and he helped them end their run on a high note.

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