Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin‘s engagement might seem sudden, but the two young celebrities have known each other for years. They have been on-and-off in romantic relationships for at least three years, culminating in Bieber popping the question in the Bahamas over the weekend.
On Sunday, TMZ reported that Bieber, 24, got down on one knee at a restaurant at a Bahamas resort. His security asked everyone to put their phones away before Bieber did something really special Saturday night.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Bieber and Baldwin, 21, have not confirmed the engagement, but Bieber’s parents did not wait to share their excitement. Bieber’s father, Jeremy, even shared a sun-drenched photo of his son on Instagram with the caption, “Proud is an understatement! Excited for the next chapter!”
TMZ also obtained photos of Baldwin’s huge engagement ring.
Scroll on for a look at the development of the Baldwin-Bieber relationship.
Photo credit: Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images
2011: Baldwin and Bieber Meet
Baldwin first met Beiber when she was 13. As E! News notes, Baldwin and her dad, actor Stephen Baldwin, posed for a picture with Bieber at the Never Say Never premiere in February 2011. Bieber was 16 at the time.
Skipping ahead a few years, Bieber was seen in a photo with Baldwin and her famous friends, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner, to celebrate Baldwin’s 18th birthday.
December 2014: Romance Rumors Begin
Romance rumors started in December 2014. He shared a photo of the two sitting in the back of a car, writing, “People are crazy. I’m super single and this is my good friend u would know otherwise.”
“Hope that clarifies everything for everyone:) rumors are silly,” Baldwin tweeted.
“I’ve known him since I was so young—since I was like 13—and we’ve just been good friends over the years,” Baldwin told E! News in December 2014. “We have just stayed close and there’s nothing more to it than that.”
February 2015: Baldwin Says They are ‘Just Friends’
Bieber was seen with Baldwin in February 2015, hanging out in New York City. Baldwin later insisted they were just friends.
“We’re just friends. I’ve known him for a very long time, since I was about 13. He’s just going through a time in his life where he’s transitioning in a really positive way and he needs good people around him. And I’m trying to be a good friend and be there for him and support him,” Baldwin told E! News at the amFAR gala in February 2015.
April 2015: #CongratsJustinAndHailey
In April 2015, fans thought Bieber and Baldwin got engaged after TMZ ran photos of Baldwin wearing a big ring. #CongratsJustinAndHailey even started trending! Needless to say, the rumor was not true. They would not get engaged until three years later.
December 2015-January 2016: New Year’s Fireworks
On New Year’s Eve 2015/2016, Baldwin shared a black and white photo with Bieber, showing her with her arms around his shoulders and appearing to kiss the back of his neck. Baldwin later deleted the photo. It looked eerily similar to one showing Selena Gomez kissing Bieber’s shoulder tattoo in 2014.
During that New Year’s Eve trip, Bieber also shared a video of himself pranking Baldwin. He licked his finger, then stuck it in her ear. “She thought we were taking a photo,” he wrote.
January 2016: A Kiss Before Breaking
Also during that trip, Bieber shared a photo of himself making out with Baldwin while dancing. The two attended Leonardo DiCaprio’s St. Barts New Year’s Eve Party.
They looked like more than just friends at this point. However, they would later go their separate ways.
February 2016: A Little Bit Slower Now
In early 2016, the two split. Around that time, Bieber did an interview with GQ, in which he discussed his concerns about “rushing” into a marriage.
“I know that in the past I’ve hurt people and said things that I didn’t mean to make them happy in the moment,” Bieber said. “So now I’m just more so looking at the future, making sure I’m not damaging them. What if Hailey ends up being the girl I’m gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then it’s always gonna be damaged. It’s really hard to fix wounds like that. It’s so hard.… I just don’t want to hurt her.”
May 2018: On The Road to Rekindling
However, earlier this year, they seemed to get back on the road to rekindling their romance.
“Justin and I were friends for a long time. I met him when I was really young and he was one of my best friends. Everybody knows that at a certain point in time that turned into something else, but that just happens when you’re 18, 19. It was what it was,” Baldwin told The Times in May 2018. She said at one point, they were not even friends and “there was a lot of weirdness that went on.”
June 2018: Inseparable
Flashforward to June 2018 and the two are nearly inseparable. They reunited at a church conference in Miami, then were seen on their way to the LIV nightclub.
A few days later, they hung out in New York City. TMZ published footage of the two making out in Brooklyn. They also attended a Churchome Church service in Kirkland, Washington together.
July 2018: Engaged!
On July 8, news broke that The Biebs and Baldwin are now engaged. The two still have not said anything about the engagement, but their parents have.
“Sweet smile on my face!” Stephen Baldwin wrote. “Me&wife (Kennya) Always pray 4 Gods will !! He is moving in the hearts of JB&HB. Let’s all pray for His will to be done, Love you 2 so much,” Stephen Baldwin tweeted, before deleting the message.
“It’s kind of a surprise, but kind of not. Justin has been extremely happy these past few weeks. He has known Hailey for a long time. This might seem sudden, but they know each other very well,” a source told PEOPLE.
Related Posts
-
A still of Sean "Diddy" Combs appearing on 'Ellen' / Credit: Warner Bros. Television
