A Complete Timeline of Justin and Hailey Bieber’s Relationship
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin dated on and off long before they became husband and wife. Hailey first met Justin in the late aughts, and they eventually struck up a casual romance. Though they decided to keep it out of the public eye, this didn’t stop fans from obsessing over their relationship. After a breakup and surprise reconciliation-turned-whirlwind engagement two years later, Justin officially made Hailey his Mrs. during a September 2018 New York City courthouse ceremony. They got married in front of friends and family in a more formal wedding a year later.
From their highly-publicized South Carolina nuptials to their parenting plans, here’s the couple’s full history and how their relationship has evolved.
November 2009
Hailey has her father, Stephen, to thank for introducing her to her future husband. There’s even footage of their first meeting, which took place backstage at The Today Show. Hailey and Justin–then in their teens–shared a brief handshake and the rest, as they say, is history.
February 2011
Chaperoned by her father yet again, Hailey attended the New York City premiere of Justin’s documentary Never Say Never. Later that month, Justin confirmed his relationship with Selena Gomez when the couple made their red carpet debut at Vanity Fair’s Oscar After Party.
September 2011
Hailey officially declared herself a member of the Jelena fan club. The model took to Twitter, sharing her support for the couple. “I don’t care what anyone says but Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez together is the definition of a teenage dream! #word,” Hailey wrote.
November 2014
After calling it quits with Selena, Justin was photographed attending church services at Hillsong alongside Hailey and fellow supermodel Kendall Jenner. It wasn’t long before fans began speculating that Hailey and Justin were an item.
December 2014
Hailey denied any romantic connection between her and Justin. She set the record straight during an interview with E! News. “I’ve known [Justin] since I was like 13—and we’ve just been good friends over the years,” Hailey said. “We have just stayed close, and there’s nothing more to it than that.”
Justin backed up Hailey’s statement in an Instagram post. The singer shared a snap of himself and Hailey, writing “I’m super single and this is my good friend u would know otherwise.”
December 2015
Hailey joined Justin and his family on vacation in Anguilla, fueling rumors that their friendship was actually something more.
January 2016
Justin made his romance with Hailey Instagram official. Shortly after New Year’s Day, he shared a photo of them kissing.
February 2016
Hailey and Justin revealed that their relationship was casual. “We are not an exclusive couple,” Hailey told E!. Meanwhile, in an interview with GQ, Justin called Hailey “someone I really love,” but he added that he didn’t “want to be held down by anything.”
August 2016
Hailey and Justin ended their brief fling. According to People, Justin also unfollowed Hailey on Instagram amid his new relationship with Sofia Richie.
Following their split, Hailey and Justin completely lost touch for almost two years. In 2020, Hailey shared her thoughts on their time apart: “Our lives seemed to be going in very different directions,” she told ELLE. “I actually think—now that I look back at it being married—that it was a good thing for the two of us, very healthy.”
During Justin and Hailey’s rift, the singer rekindled his romance with Selena in November 2017. However, by March 2018, Jelena was over for good.
May 2018
Hailey revealed that she was speaking to Justin again. “We went through a long period of time when we weren’t friends,” she told The Times UK. “We’ve moved past that.”
June 2018
Justin and Hailey appeared as if they were back together. After sharing some PDA at a religious conference, they were spotted together at LIV nightclub in Miami. Just days later, they were photographed holding hands and kissing in New York City.
July 2018
After rumors of the couple’s engagement began to swirl, Justin confirmed the news on Instagram. He posted two sweet portraits with his new fiancée and penned a lengthy caption devoted to her. “Hailey I am soooo in love with everything about you,” he wrote. “So committed to spending my life getting to know every single part of you.”
Hailey joined the love fest, tweeting, “Not sure what I did in life to deserve such happiness but I am so utterly grateful to God for giving me such an incredible person to share my life with!”
September 2018
Just two months after their engagement, TMZ photographed the couple walking into New York City’s Marriage Bureau. The next day, People claimed that Hailey and Justin obtained their marriage license, officially making them husband and wife.
Meanwhile, Hailey dismissed the gossip on Twitter: “I understand where the speculation is coming from, but I’m not married yet!”
November 2018
The couple finally confirmed their marriage status. Justin shared an Instagram photo of him and Hailey with the caption “My wife is awesome.” The following day, Hailey changed her last name to Bieber on all of her social media accounts.
August 2019
TMZ broke the news that a second wedding was imminent after the date was moved several times. The outlet acquired a photo of a save the date card, which revealed that the ceremony would take place on September 30 in South Carolina.
September 2019
Mr. and Mrs. Bieber officially tied the knot…again! People disclosed the details of their ceremony, which took place at Somerset Chapel in Bluffton, South Carolina. Vows (and Tiffany & Co. wedding bands) were exchanged “as the sun set.” The star-studded guest list included Kendall Jenner, Camila Morrone, and Jaden Smith, among others.
A day later, Justin basked in wedded bliss as he shared photos from the couple’s reception.
October 2019
The Biebers continued to share photos from their big day. Hailey put her Off-White by Virgil Abloh wedding dress on full display, including her elaborate train, which read “’till death do us part.” Justin wore a Celine tuxedo.
Weeks later, the newlyweds found themselves embroiled in Jelena fan drama, after Justin’s ex dropped her new single “Lose You To Love Me.” The track captured Selena’s feelings moving on from her 10-year on-off romance with Bieber and closing that chapter.
Shortly after the song came out, Hailey upset some Jelena fans when she posted an Instagram Story, where she shared that she was listening to Summer Walker’s “I’ll Kill You.” Hailey denied that this was a dig at Selena. Commenting beneath JustJared’s Instagram post she said, “please stop with this nonsense. There is no ‘response.’ This is complete BS.”
Selena, meanwhile, told her fans on Instagram Live to not attack Hailey. “I am grateful for the response that the song is getting. I’m so grateful,” she said. “However, I do not stand for women tearing women down. And I will never, ever be by that. So please be kind to everyone. It doesn’t matter what the situation is. If you’re my fans, don’t be rude to anybody, please. Don’t go off and say things that you just feel in the moment. And just please, from me, know that that’s not my heart. My heart is only to release things that I feel that are me and that I’m proud of. And that’s all that I’ll say, yeah.”
Hailey tried to shut down feud rumors herself when she liked Selena’s Instagram post promoting “Lose You To Love Me.” A source close to the Biebers also assured E! that things were copacetic. “It isn’t ideal for Hailey,” the insider told the outlet, “but she understands the creative process of writing music and that Justin had a past. Justin and Hailey both want Selena to be happy and in a good place and aren’t fazed by it.”
January 2020
Justin rang in the decade with his new single “Yummy,” which details his sex life with Hailey.
February 2020
Hailey landed the March 2020 cover of ELLE. She spoke candidly about the couple’s decision to delay their South Carolina ceremony for a year. “When we first got married, we were just figuring out our life together,” she said. “I felt like putting a wedding in the middle of all of that would be really hectic and stressful.”
August 2020
Although the Biebers aren’t ready for children yet, Hailey is already thinking about parenting. Amid worldwide protests in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, Hailey discussed her outlook on motherhood. Regarding her future children, she told Vogue India, “They will be raised knowing how to treat people, why we don’t say certain things, and why we respect and acknowledge and give credit where credit is due.”
September 2021
The Biebers attended their first Met Gala as husband and wife. Hailey stunned in a Saint Laurent column gown and matching wayfarer sunglasses. Justin paired his sleek suit with customized Nike sneakers.
November 2021
Hailey and Justin appeared on the In Good Faith with Chelsea & Judah Smith podcast, where they discussed the challenges they faced in their first year of marriage. At the time, Justin was battling with severe bouts of depression. Hailey admitted that watching her partner struggle wasn’t easy.
“There were days where I literally was like, ‘I don’t know if he’s going to be okay.’ Something really deep down inside of me was like, ‘He’s going to get through it.’ I just didn’t know how long it was going to take. That’s what I think was the hardest thing. There’s no guarantees,” she said.
Nevertheless, Hailey was determined to stick by her husband: “Imagine abandoning somebody in the middle of the worst time of their life, potentially. I’m not that type of person,” she added.
February 2022
Amid the launch of her now-viral skincare line Rhode, Hailey did an interview with WSJ Magazine. The entrepreneur shared her thoughts on having children. “I think ideally in the next couple of years we would try. But there’s a reason they call it try, right?” she said. “You don’t know how long that process is ever going to take. Definitely no kids this year; that would be a little bit hectic, I think.”
Hailey also revealed her decision to stop discussing her marriage in interviews. “It doesn’t feel worth it to me anymore,” she explained. “I try to have an open conversation with someone, and then it gets taken out of context.”
March 2022
Hailey was hospitalized after having stroke-like symptoms, though she fortunately fully recovered. Her health scare left Justin reasonably shaken, with a source close to the couple telling People, “[He] is probably more traumatized than even she is. When it happened, there was a lot of panic. Justin texted everyone he knew and asked everyone to pray for her, and he never left her side. He was saying that he can’t lose her, that whatever it takes, he wanted the best medical treatment available.”
Justin later discussed the situation during one of his concerts. “You know, it’s kind of crazy how life throws you curveballs,” he said during a Denver performance. “Most of you probably know or seen the news about my wife …but she’s okay, she’s good, she’s strong. It’s been really scary. But I know for a fact that God has her in the palms of his hands, and that’s a good thing.”
April 2022
Hailey accompanied her husband at the Grammys. She opted for a flowy strapless gown, which led some fans to speculate that she was hiding a growing baby bump. After RadarOnline published an Instagram post about the rumors, Hailey swiftly shut them down. “I’m not pregnant leave me alone,” she commented.
June 2022
Just months after Hailey’s hospitalization, Justin had a health scare of his own. A virus called Ramsay Hunt syndrome left half of the singer’s face paralyzed, but he eventually recovered. A source told People that although this year has been “overwhelming” for the couple, relationship-wise, “they’re unbreakable.”
During an interview with Good Morning America, Hailey shared a promising update on her husband’s health. “He is getting better every single day. He’s feeling a lot better and, obviously, it was just a very scary and random situation to happen, but he’s going to be totally okay, and I’m just grateful that he’s fine,” she said.
August 2022
Ahead of the couple’s fourth anniversary, Hailey discussed her relationship with Justin in Harper’s Bazaar. “[Justin’s] still the person that I wanna be rushing back to,” she said. “I might fly somewhere and go do a job, but I can’t wait to come back and hang out. And I feel like that’s because of the effort that’s been put in on both sides. At the end of the day, like, he’s my best friend, but it still does take a lot of work to make it work.”
September 2022
Hailey appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast. In a conversation with Alexandra Cooper, Hailey insisted that she never “stole” Justin from Selena, and that it’s “not [her] character to mess with someone’s relationship.” She also confirmed that Justin had already “closed a chapter” with Selena before he rekindled things with her in 2018.
Hailey went on to discuss her seemingly speedy engagement to Justin, which took place just two months after they began dating again. “I’m like, ‘yeah, that seemed really drastic and really crazy,’” she said. “But that was what we felt was a decision between the two of us, and it felt correct for the two of us of us at the time, and clearly, we were right because here we are, four years later.”
October 2022
Hailey and Selena posed for pictures together at the Academy Museum Gala, proving once and for all that there is no drama between them. A source informed People about Justin’s reaction to the news. “[He’s] very happy with the fact that they can all move on and that it can be peaceful between everyone,” the source said.
Of Hailey and Selena’s motivation, a source told Entertainment Tonight, “Selena and Hailey were both super chill together at the Academy Museum Gala. They’ve both moved on and are happy in their own lives. They wanted to show the world that there’s no beef or bad feelings between them anymore.”
December 2022
A source gave Entertainment Tonight a brief update on Hailey and Justin’s relationship as 2022 closed out. “Hailey and Justin are doing incredible as a couple,” the source said. “They are each other’s rocks. They make sure they’re there for each other for whatever each of them needs and show their support for one another.”
“They have so much love and passion in their relationship and share the same beliefs and values, so it’s easy for them to get along,” the insider continued. “They love doing pretty much everything together, especially traveling.” The couple ended their year by traveling to Aspen and celebrating the start of 2023 with Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
February 2023
Justin interviewed Hailey for Vogue Australia. He asked her what her favorite part of being married is. “Mmm … My favorite thing about being married is honestly the companionship I feel we have,” she said. “Genuinely, you are my best friend in the entire world. There’s nobody I would rather spend more time with or do anything with.”
March 2023
Hailey posted a birthday tribute to Justin, ignoring the ongoing TikTok discourse about her history with Selena Gomez. She wrote to her husband, “29 never looked so good ☺️Happy Birthday to you best friend! Words couldn’t possibly sum up all that you embody. So here’s to more joy, more travel, yummy food, adventures, more peace, fun, and most of all more love. ✨🥳”
Justin didn’t comment on the TikTok drama but shared a tribute to Hailey to assert his love for her. “LUV U BABY,” he wrote.
Hailey and Gomez shared statements on March 24, asking for the fan bullying to stop. Hailey wrote:
I want to thank Selena for speaking out, as her and I have been discussing the last few weeks how to move past this ongoing narrative between her and I.
The last few weeks have been very hard for everyone involved and millions of people are seeing so much hate around this, which is extremely harmful. While social media is an incredible way to connect and build community, moments like this only create extreme division instead of bringing people together.
Things can always be taken out of context or construed differently than they were intended. We all need to be more thoughtful about what we post and what we say, including myself.
In the end, I believe love will always be bigger than hate and negativity, and there is always an opportunity to meet each other with more empathy and compassion.
April 2023
On Friday, April 28, Hailey and Justin went to lunch in outfits that turned out to be their uniforms for the weekend. For their lunch date, Hailey wore a yellow polo crop top with wide legged jean, a small leather handbag, and tiny sunglasses. She had her bob hair brush down sleekly around her face. Her husband was in a hoodie and New Balance sneakers.
The following day, Hailey styled a similar look when the couple headed to a Rhode pop-up event at Los Angeles cafe Community Goods. Once again, she went with a short-sleeved crop top, this time in white, and wide-legged jeans with a black belt. She paired the look with square-toe kitten heels in beige. Justin went for a hoodie again as well, this time in grey. Also at the event were Hailey’s friends Justine Skye and Lori Harvey.
Assistant Producer
Hannah Malach is an assistant producer at Hearst Magazines, where she covers entertainment news, the royals, and more for brands including Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. She’s previously written for Billboard, WWD, and The Hollywood Reporter. If she’s not catching up on the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, you can probably find her curled up with a good book or exploring one of New York City’s many museums.