Vanessa and Nick Lachey's Relationship Timeline

February 2006: Vanessa Stars in Nick's "What's Left of Me" Video

Back in 2006, Vanessa Lachey (then Minnillo) was a video jockey on the popular MTV music-video show "TRL." Nick Lachey had just split from Jessica Simpson after three years of marriage in 2005 and was exploring his solo career after his group, 98 degrees, temporarily split up. Vanessa and Nick would often see each other on "TRL" for Lachey's music commitments, but following his divorce, the two started to get close.

In February 2006, Vanessa and Nick appeared together in the music video for his song "What's Left of Me." Vanessa told Billboard in 2017 that it's the collaboration that changed their relationship. "The video, which was on 'TRL,' was the beginning of our relationship. That's what made it no longer friends, and it got romantic. To the point that if you go back and look at the video, when he came to premiere it, I was so nervous and so crushing him that I didn't show up for work that day. I called in sick," she said.

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December 2006: Nick and Vanessa Make Their Relationship Public

Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo

Vanessa and Nick made their relationship officially official when the two kissed during MTV's live New Year's Eve party in Times Square just as the clock struck midnight. People reported that the couple had actually been dating for eight months prior to their onscreen kiss but kept their relationship private. At the time, Nick said, "Vanessa always looks gorgeous," while Vanessa told People, "Everyone that is important in my life is here. I literally choked up. I'm just so happy."

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June 2009: Vanessa and Nick Break Up

Image Source: Getty / Jason LaVeris

The two dated for nearly three years before briefly breaking up in June 2009. "They have amicably split but remain good friends who still greatly care for one another," a representative for Vanessa told People at the time. The split didn't last long, however.

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October 2009: Vanessa and Nick Officially Get Back Together

Image Source: Getty / Jean Baptiste Lacroix

Rumours of Vanessa and Nick's reconciliation swirled not long after their breakup. In September 2009, Nick told Us Weekly (via E! Online) that

the two were "trying to figure things out" and that "Vanessa's a good girl, and I care about her a lot." One month later, in October 2009, Nick confirmed that they'd rekindled their romance and were back together in an interview with Good Day Philadelphia, saying, "I am happy in a relationship . . . I was single for a minute there, and then we've kind of patched things up."

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November 2010: Vanessa and Nick Get Engaged

Image Source: Getty / Christopher Polk

The couple dated for another year before getting engaged in November 2010. Nick proposed to Vanessa at The Montage in Laguna Beach. "We're excited and incredibly happy about our engagement and we look forward to a wonderful future together," the pair said in a statement about their engagement. Nick later told CNN in December 2010, "I knew pretty early on that we would be a good match, that I loved her . . . So I would say, within the first six months we dated, I probably knew that was the one I wanted to be with."

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July 2011: Vanessa and Nick Get Married in Private

Image Source: Getty / NBC

Vanessa and Nick held a private wedding ceremony in the British Virgin Islands surrounded by only 35 wedding guests on July 15, 2011. People's Jen Garcia told "Good Morning America" at the time, "It was really just a small group of people, people that they really love and trust and people that when they look back on it in 20 years they're still going to be friends with those people."

On July, 30 2011, the couple released a TLC TV special detailing their wedding-planning process, from picking the right dress to avoiding paparazzi shortly after the wedding.

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February 2012: Vanessa Takes Nick's Last Name

Image Source: Getty / Raymond Hall / GC Images

In February 2012, Vanessa revealed she was officially changing her last name from Minnillo to Lachey. Vanessa opened up to "Access Hollywood" about the decision at the time, saying, "[Nick and I] talked about it and he was so sweet. He said, 'Whatever you want, I understand.' And I said, 'But would it mean a lot to you if I took it? Because I'm old-fashioned and I want to.' And he said, 'What guy wouldn't want their girl to take their name fully?' [But] He didn't push me."

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September 2012: Vanessa Gives Birth to Her and Nick's First Child

Image Source: Getty / Jon Kopaloff

Nick announced they were expecting in March 2012 while cohosting with Kelly Ripa on "Live! With Kelly" and said at the time, "She was in New York and I was in the Bahamas . . . She went to the store and got a pregnancy test and it came back positive. We're having a baby!"

Vanessa gave birth to their first child, Camden John Lachey, on Sept. 12, 2012. "Love has truly been redefined for both of us," Vanessa and Nick told E! News about the new addition to their family.

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January 2015: Vanessa and Nick Welcome Their Second Child

Image Source: Getty / Craig Barritt

Nick initially revealed the news that they were expecting their second child on July 15, 2014, via Twitter, writing, "Can't think of a better way to celebrate 3 years of marriage to my beautiful @VanessaLachey than this! #family."

The couple welcomed Brooklyn Elisabeth into the world on Jan. 5, 2015. Vanessa announced the good news on her website, writing, "I have been dreaming of this moment for as long as I can remember, the day I was going to meet my little girl. A friend recently told me how magical today was going to be because it's the day I would meet my best friend."

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December 2016: Party of Five! Vanessa and Nick Have a Third Child

Vanessa shared the news of her third pregnancy on Instagram in September 2016, using the hashtag "LacheyPartyOf5" in the caption.

The Lachey family finally became a party of five with the birth of Phoenix Robert on Christmas Eve 2016. On Dec. 16, Vanessa shared the news via Instagram with a picture of her baby's little hand on hers, along with the caption, "It's a very Merry Christmas indeed! We had our Christmas Miracle. Phoenix Robert Lachey decided to show up early and was born on Christmas Eve."

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October 2017: Vanessa and Nick Compete on “Dancing With the Stars”

Image Source: Getty / Eric McCandless

The Lacheys took a shot at the competitive dancing show "Dancing With the Stars" in October 2017. Nick was partnered with professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, while Vanessa was paired with Murgatroyd's partner and fellow professional dancer, Maks Chmerkovskiy (see what they did there?). The two had a good run on the show but ultimately didn't win. Nick was eliminated in week six and Vanessa in week seven. Speaking about his experience on the show, Lachey told Us Weekly, "I never felt more uncomfortable in my life than being out there being judged at doing something that I don't even do. So it was a hard process."

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February 2020: Vanessa and Nick Cohost Netflix's "Love Is Blind"

Image Source: Getty / E! Entertainment

Nick and Vanessa returned to the screen after their "TRL" days as cohosts of Netflix's popular dating show "Love Is Blind" in February 2020. "Love Is Blind" season two was released in February 2022, with a third season set to release sometime next year, as reported by Variety.

The two found themselves in a heated conversation with show contestant Abhishek "Shake" Chatterjee in the "Love Is Blind" reunion on March 5, 2022. After Nick pointed out his shallow dating tendencies, Shake responded, "Every woman here is beautiful. I think you're all beautiful. I'm not attracted to all of you. Unfortunately, the only one I'm attracted to is Vanessa — and I wish I wasn't." Awkward. After his statement, an uncomfortable Vanessa told Shake to "be better" about what he says and does.

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Nick and Vanessa Lachey in the Present

Image Source: Getty / Rich Fury

Besides "Love Is Blind," Nick and Vanessa both stay busy working on various projects. Nick worked on the competitive music show "Alter Ego" as a host alongside Grimes, Alanis Morissette, and Will.i.am in September 2021. Meanwhile, Vanessa landed a lead role on CBS's "NCIS: Hawaii" as Jane Tennant, which is currently airing its first season. Vanessa tearfully shared the moment she heard the news on her Instagram and said the role changed her life and was a dream come true.

The couple moved to Hawaii for Vanessa's work, and Nick could not have been more supportive, telling Entertainment Tonight, "[She] worked [her] entire career for this moment. This is her moment, which is why we're all here to embrace this opportunity with her and to see what she's doing and see how she prepares for this day in and day out."

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