Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams's Relationship Timeline

A match made in TV heaven.

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams

America’s favorite bartender and everyone’s favorite sitcom daughter, together forever. Wells Adams and Sarah Hyland are the type of couple so cute they could have been scripted. There's a good reason for that, too. The couple professes to have a lot in common. “We like to joke when we first started dating, that we’re the same person, and I think [that] still rings true to this day,” Sarah dished to People in a 2019 interview. “We’re just so similar that it definitely felt like meeting a kindred soul from a past life.”

As the twosome eagerly awaits their new life together as husband and wife (like many couples, they were forced to delay their fall 2020 nuptials in the wake of COVID-19), we’re taking a look back at all their biggest relationship milestones, from the moment Wells first slid into Sarah’s DMs to their staged wedding shoot to commemorate their would-be ceremony. Check out every "aww"-worthy moment below.

  • Both Sarah and Wells knew they had found their future spouse the first night they met.
  • Sarah underwent a kidney transplant just days after the couple’s first date.
  • The Modern Family star and the Bachelor in Paradise bartender were forced to postpone their wedding due to COVID-19.
  • The couple wants kids… but not just yet.
01 of 21

August 14, 2017: A Twitter Exchange

As a longtime Bachelor Nation fan, Sarah wasn’t shy about expressing her appreciation for the franchise’s newest Bachelor in Paradise cast member. “OH MY GOD @wellsadams IS THE FRIKKIN BARTENDER?! Best. Season. Ever,” she tweeted on August 14, 2017. The reality star responded in kind, telling her that he was auditioning barbacks and would take a recommendation for her from her television father, Phil Dunphy.

02 of 21

August 2017: Sliding into the DMs

Wells took the lead from there, reaching out to the Dirty Dancing star via private message to tell her that he planned to take her out for drinks and tacos the next time he was in town. “He slid into my DMs,” Sarah recounted to Jimmy Kimmel in January 2018. “And I was single, obviously, and I was like, 'this is really awesome.'' The star remembers thinking, "You’re being forward, and it’s sexy and not aggressive. But it’s very confident and sexy, and I like that."

03 of 21

September 16, 2017: A High-Profile First Date

After nearly a month of sending messages back and forth, Sarah informed her crush that it was now or never when it came to meeting up, as she was due to undergo a second kidney transplant surgery shortly. “I text him being like, ‘You need to come out to L.A. by the end of the week, or this is never going to happen,’” she explained to Elle DeGeneres in January 2019. Coincidentally, Wells, who lived in Nashville, Tennessee at the time, was booked to host a dog awards show in her city. “The next day, he texted me, ‘See you on Saturday.’”

Wells recounted the night to KFC Radio and shared how they had met up for a high-profile Emmys party after the dog show. “So I show up… for my first date—I’ve never met this girl in person—and so she walks out, gives me a wristband. The first person we walk into is Joel McHale… next person we run into is Johnny Galecki, the Stranger Things kids are there…” he said.

Despite all the star power, however, the two had eyes only for each other. “I knew I was gonna marry her the first night I met her,” Wells later wrote in an anniversary post. Sarah feels similarly, telling People in September 2019, “Our first date he asked to hold my purse while we were dancing, and I thought to myself, ‘I think this is the man I’m going to marry,.’" She explained: "It just shows how comfortable he is in his masculinity, and I really appreciated that because that has never been done for me before—by anybody,” adding, "I was caught off guard by it, and it just really made me think big picture.”

04 of 21

September 2017: Fast Track to Love

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams smile and rub noses on the red carpet.

With Sarah’s surgery approaching, the pair quickly grew close after that first date (also incidentally, the night of their first kiss). “It was a really intimate start to a relationship, to have to go through those hurdles at the very, very, very beginning when you're just even getting to know a person,” Sarah told People in 2019. “Also, falling in love with someone before you can really be intimate. I did not believe that that was a thing, but it is.”

05 of 21

October 15, 2017: Locking It Down

One month after the fateful Emmys party, Wells asked Sarah to be his girlfriend. “A couple of hours after we took these pics, @sarahhyland said, ‘When are you going to ask me to be your girlfriend?’" The “Your Favorite Thing” podcast host revealed all in an anniversary tribute to his significant other in October 2018. "I said, ‘Right now.’ I then doubled down and said, ‘I’m falling in love with you.' She responded with, ‘I can’t say that yet.’ And then, like 15 minutes later, she did,” he recalled.

06 of 21

October 29, 2017: Stranger Love

After deciding to give their long-distance love a shot, the pair made their Instagram debut in coordinating Halloween costumes, with Wells playing the part of Stranger Things’ Eleven and Sarah suiting up as the goofy-yet-lovable Dustin. “Stranger things have happened,” the actress captioned an adorable shot of herself with her new love. Wells also hinted at their blossoming romance with a group photo of his own, writing, “11 hangin’ out with a 10.”

07 of 21

November 21, 2017: Pizza Date

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams make goofy faces while biting into pizza at a Lakers game

The couple showed off their shared affection for a good nosh while sitting courtside at a Lakers game in November 2017.

08 of 21

November 7, 2017: Putting It All Out There

By November, there was no mistaking who Sarah’s heart belonged to when she posted a photo of herself wearing a subtle “W” necklace. “Call it what you want to,” she captioned the shot, referencing Taylor Swift's 2017 hit.

09 of 21

December 2017: A Family Affair

From coordinating Halloween costumes to matching snuggies, The Wedding Year executive producer revealed that she spent the holiday with Wells and his family. She captioned a series of pictures, “I had the best Christmas in Nashville. Full of laughs, animal onesies, food, dance-offs, fake teeth, the cutest kids in the world, and @wellsadams’ amazing family. Thank you for sharing such a special Christmas with me!”

10 of 21

July 14, 2018: A Blast From the Past

Wells got a peek into Sarah’s past life in July 2018, when he attended the Lipstick Jungle alum’s high school reunion. “You want to know what love is? Love is going to your girlfriend’s high school reunion when you never even went to your own high school reunion,” he reportedly confessed via Instagram Stories.

11 of 21

August 4, 2018: Shacking Up

Nearly one year after making things official, the Bachelorette alum was moving his things into Sarah’s L.A. home and sharing plenty of U-Haul hijinks with her along the way. Not only did the reality star lock himself out of the truck, but the couple also discovered a stowaway in the form of a slithering snake in the back, which they fondly named Severus.

12 of 21

October 27, 2018: The Perfect Pair

Sarah Hyland wears a short blonde bobbed wig and a taco shell costume next to boyfriend Wells Adams, who is dressed as Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast'

In a nod to their shared love of tacos (and Wells’ first DM to Sarah), the duo showed off a clever joint Halloween costume: Taco and Belle.

13 of 21

November 2018: Looking Ahead

Wells Adams and girlfriend Sarah Hyland share a sweet kiss on the red carpet.

Sarah divulged to People that the pair had some serious discussions about their future together roughly three months into their cohabitation. “Wells is like, ‘When do you want to be engaged by?’” she recalled. The actress also divulged why it was so crucial for them to share their projected timelines with each other. “I think it’s really important for people to have those conversations of how many kids you want, where you want to live, what your year goal, five-year goal, 10-year goals are so that you’re not caught by surprised by anything,” she explained.

14 of 21

January 4, 2019: Drawing a Line in the Sand

Wells made his intentions known while speaking to Us Weekly in January of the following year. “Everyone thinks [Sarah and I are] engaged right now. We are not engaged, let me just say that,” he began. “We just moved in together, so I think we’re still kind of feeling each other out, but it’s gonna happen eventually.”

15 of 21

July 7, 2019: Engaged and Putting a Ring on It

By July 2019, Wells had made good on his word, and the pair committed to spending a lifetime together: He popped the question on a gorgeous beach with a jaw-dropping oval ring, estimated to be roughly 5 carats. The radio host shared a heartwarming video of his special moment with his other half on Instagram, raving, “I’ll be Johnny, you be June. But forever.”

16 of 21

October 27, 2019: A Swinging Party

The happy couple celebrated the big news with members of their inner circle—including Hyland’s Modern Family costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson—in October. According to reports, the party was also well-stocked with flowers, gold-and-white cookies bearing the words, “Future Mrs. Adams,” and, of course, plenty of tequila.

17 of 21

April 18, 2020: Growing Closer

The lovebirds appeared on Sara Haines’ Couples in Quarantine show in April 2020 to reveal how they’d been coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, which left them largely housebound—particularly with Sarah’s preexisting conditions, which leave her more susceptible than most. In addition to cooking and puzzles, Wells said the downtime gave them far more face time with his clan. “We’ve been doing these Zoom happy hours with my family, and that’s been kind of fun,” he shared. “I come from a big family; we’re all spread out.”

18 of 21

June 2020: A Wrench in the Plans

Sarah reportedly confirmed during an appearance on The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons—Ever! in June 2020 that COVID-19 had thrown a wrench into their wedding plans. “We’ve put all planning on hold,” she shared. “All of my family is mostly on the East Coast, so for them to fly out… and of course with my health risks, we want to be as safe as possible.”

19 of 21

August 8 2020: Reclaiming Their Would-Be Wedding Day

Though the duo may have felt disappointment over their missed wedding date, they certainly didn’t show it. In fact, thanks to their nearest and dearest, it was still a day to remember. “It was my first time out of the house out of quarantine, and we went to a winery, and we went with all of our friends," Sarah would later share on The Ellen Show. "All of us got tested, our family, our like, best man, maid of honor."

To make things even more special, Sarah donned a white dress and a veil bought on Etsy. “My bridesmaids got a real wedding bouquet for me and surprised me, and we took fake wedding pictures for fun,” she said.

The would-be bride and groom both posted photos from the festivities, with Sarah gushing, “We were supposed to get married today. Instead, we took pictures and drank wine. I love you to Pluto & back.”

20 of 21

June 2021: Long-Distance Lovers

Though the couple spent nearly three full months in 2021 apart while working on various projects, Sarah revealed that they'd be reuniting soon at the end of June. "Sappy post for my fiancé because I get to be in his arms again soooooon," she said. "PS: It’s been since the beginning of APRIL."

21 of 21

June 2021: Co-Stars in Paradise?

Rumor has it; the couple will be working together as well. According to Bachelor expert Reality Steve, Sarah will soon be joining her BiP fiancée as a co-host for season 7 of the show. “I know for sure going down to host Wells and Sarah Hyland,” he tweeted in June 2021.

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