Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, who welcomed son Jack in August, have been refreshingly honest about the highs, lows and challenges of marriage.
It's OK to admit it: You didn't kick off 2018 with "Justin Bieber will get married" on your bingo card.
But slowly—and then all at once—you invested a little piece of your heart in Justin and Hailey Bieber, who welcomed son Jack Blues Bieber on Aug. 22.
After this year began with a cryptically quiet few months for the pair, fans started to wonder if perhaps the couple skipping the Met Gala this year was a harbinger of great news. (Or, on the contrary, bad news.)
But the yays had it, and Biebers announced Hailey's pregnancy on May 9.
Still, some of the same fans were presumably among the concerned parties who wondered what, if anything, was up when Hailey's dad Stephen Baldwin reposted a pastor's Feb. 26 Instagram Reel soliciting prayers for his daughter and son-in-law. No one ever said for sure what it all meant, and everything Justin and Hailey posted in the ensuing weeks was examined within an inch of its life.
Now we know, regardless, that they had more important things on their mind. And sure enough, the pair who have been refreshingly real when it comes to detailing the ups and downs of married life let the world in on their expectant status when they were good and ready.
"My favorite thing about being married is honestly the companionship I feel we have," Hailey, 27, said in an early 2023 interview for Vogue Australia—conducted at the couple's Beverly Hills home with her husband posing the questions. "Genuinely, you are my best friend in the entire world. There's nobody I would rather spend more time with or do anything with."
Justin, 30, kicked off the conversation by telling his wife he loved her—"Love you," she said back immediately—and later noted that watching her build her Rhode skin care brand had been "the coolest." She also divulged that one of the songs she couldn't stop listening to was the one her husband just recorded, but "nobody knows what that is yet."
But the "silver lining" of those challenges, she noted on Good Morning America, "is that it brings us a lot closer, 'cause you're going through this together, you're being there for each other, you're supporting each other and there's just something that really bonds you through these times."
While that might have made their still only months-old union sound a little tenuous at the time, it was really refreshing candor. Because there's no law saying the honeymoon phase has to be perfect and if you're not synched up with your spouse every second of every day you've failed at matrimony.
And Mr. and Mrs. Bieber were starting off under a massive spotlight, one that might have been looking for shady nooks in the beginning but ultimately illuminated a partnership that has surpassed many jaded expectations.
"The only people that really know the truth of the situation and what the timeline really was and how it happened and how it went down are, like, me and him," she noted. "Perception is a really tricky thing because when you're watching something from the outside you can see it one way when it may not really be the reality of what happened behind closed doors."
And, Hailey said during the episode, she had since come to terms with the fact that a lot of people were just attached to her husband's previous romantic situation.
"You just reach a point where you have to just ignore it and be like, 'OK,'" she said.
But as Justin's longtime friend before they were ever anything more, when the page was finally turned on that chapter, Hailey thought "it was the best thing that could've happened for him to move on and be engaged and get married, and move on with his life in that way."
"I remember when I first got married, I hit a little bit of an emotional breakdown because I thought marriage was going to fix all my problems and it didn't," Justin shared on The Ebro Show in the spring of 2022. "It just kind of was a reflection of, like, 'You're a bit of a hypocrite man. Like, you want your wife to do something that you're not doing.' And it's like, I mean, it's hard sometimes to look in the mirror and really have to realize, 'Man, maybe you're not the person that you necessarily thought that you were.'"
In early 2019, he sought out-patient treatment for depression, a source telling E! News at the time that Hailey was serving as "the rock" for him and "doing whatever she can to help."
Amid her stated efforts to be more in touch with her emotions, she posted on Instagram that January that she was working on being "more vulnerable."
And, she wrote, "The truth is no matter how amazing life may look from the outside I struggle...I'm insecure, I'm fragile, I'm hurting, I have fears, I have doubts, I have anxiety, I get sad, I get angry."
Baby, Baby!
The Biebers welcomed their first child together, Jack Blues Bieber, they announced in August 2024.
Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, wearing Jordan Road earrings, shared this kissing photo on their Instagram pages in honor of their fifth wedding anniversary.
"To the most precious, my beloved." Justin wrote on Instagram. "You have captivated my heart. I know from the depths of my soul down to my bones that this journey with you will only exceed our wildest expectations. So let's keep dreaming big baby. Cheers to forever and ever. I love you with every fiber of my being. HAPPY 5TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!"
"5," Hailey wrote on her Instagram to celebrate their fifth anniversary. "I love you."
The couple was over the moon in love as they got ready to take flight.
Justin and Hailey looked so darn cute cuddled up together!
The two cuddled up during an outing at the lake.
Justin and Hailey couldn't keep their hands off each other while making out in the water.
In July 2018, Justin confirmed his engagement to Hailey in a lengthy Instagram post. "Hailey I am soooo in love with everything about you! So committed to spending my life getting to know every single part of you loving you patiently and kindly," he captioned this photo. "My heart is COMPLETELY and FULLY YOURS and I will ALWAYS put you first," he continued. "You are the love of my life Hailey Baldwin and I wouldn't want to spend it with anybody else. You make me so much better and we compliment each other so well!! Can't wait for the best season of life yet!"
He also shared this shot as part of the engagement announcement, writing, "It's funny because now with you everything seems to make sense!" He added, "My goodness does feel good to have our future secured! WERE GONNA BE BETTER AT 70 BABY HERE WE GO!" Aww!
The Biebers sharing a sweet smooch. "Hunny buns punkin," Justin captioned the photo.
The two enjoyed a very sweet smooch to celebrate their love.
Hailey posted this sweet pic in honor of her hubby's 25 birthday.
"My lips get jealous of my arms cuz I can hold you with them," Justin shared. We're pretty jealous too!
Could these two be any cuter?! "My only bubba," Hailey shared about the sweet pic.
It may be cold outside, but they know how to keep each other warm.
This photo might be blurry, but one thing is clear—they're so in love!
Hailey supporting her man in the studio while he does what he loves.
Justin's pouty pucker is courtesy of his vacation ending. Very relateable!
Once again, these two are absolutely slaying the relationship goals! "Go best friend that's my best friend," Justin captioned the pic.
The couple who prays together, stays together. "I know for me this conference came at the exact time I needed it, I believe God is THAT amazing and faithful that he brings us the right words during the season that we need it the most," Hailey captioned the shot with her hubby.
Amazing views for the gram. The sunset is also pretty nice!
One of their first official shots as husband and wife!
Even in this photo taken years ago, this pair was picture-perfect.
In January 2016, the two decided they weren't going to hide their romance any longer, and this photo of them kissing quickly circulated throughout the internet.
Hailey decided to lend a helping hand in January 2015 when she gave Justin her hair-tie right off her wrist!
They might not have been together when this photo was taken in June 2015, but they sure did look good together!
In this photo from May 2015, the "Baby" singer rocked a fake mustache while the model sweetly posed behind him.
In December 2014, Kendall Jenner joined Justin and Hailey for a Nerf gun night!
Earlier in December, the A-lister took to Instagram to shut down any dating speculation between him and Hailey. "People are crazy. I'm super single and this is my good friend u would know otherwise," he wrote. Hmmmmm. Foreshadowing much?
(Originally published March 1, 2023, at 6 a.m. PT)