Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber at the Costume Institute Benefit 2021© Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Hailey Bieber 'not on good terms' with husband Justin during two-year split before secret wedding

The Sorry singer and the model dated in 2016 before splitting for two years

Deputy Lifestyle Editor
October 31, 2023

While Hailey and Justin Bieber are very loved up following five years of marriage, their love story wasn't all smooth sailing. 

The Baby singer and the model (nee Hailey Baldwin) got married in a secret New York ceremony in 2018, nine years after they first crossed paths on The Today Show.

© Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstock

Hailey and Justin Bieber first met in 2009 but didn't go public with their relationship in January 2016

Their friendship didn't develop until 2014 and they went public with their relationship in January 2016, with both Hailey and Justin reiterating it was casual. "We are not an exclusive couple," Hailey told E!

Following a seven-month relationship, they went their separate ways and cut all communication for two years, which Hailey has since said was "very healthy." 

© Diggzy/Shutterstock

The couple split in 2016 and rekindled their relationship in 2018

"Our lives seemed to be going in very different directions," she told ELLE in 2020 as she recalled their split. "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."

She also opened up about how she dealt with their time apart on their Facebook show, The Biebers on Watch. "From the time you and I ended and were not on good terms, I was on my own essentially. I didn't just throw myself into a relationship - I did other things to try and forget like talk to people and hang out with people - or fill a void in that way. I really let myself feel the emotions I was feeling."

Over the following two years, Justin was linked to Sofia Richie and Selena Gomez, and Hailey reportedly dated Drake and Shawn Mendes. But the former couple began to spark rumours they had got back together after they were spotted sharing PDA in Miami and New York in the summer of 2018.

Hailey continued: "I remember I cared about you so much that it didn't matter to me if you were in my life in a romantic way, I wanted us to be in each other's lives and that be ok. When I look back on it, it was the best thing that we took time apart and to do our own thing. I found my footing in my career and on my own and as a young adult... by the time we got together I felt I'd experienced enough. I knew what I wanted."

It's not clear exactly when they rekindled their romance, but Justin announced he had proposed to Hailey on 7 July 2018, writing on Instagram: "Hailey I am soooo in love with everything about you. So committed to spending my life getting to know every single part of you."

He added: "My heart is COMPLETELY and FULLY YOURS and I will ALWAYS put you first! 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! It’s funny because now with you everything seems to make sense!"

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The pair officially got married at a New York courthouse in September 2018, before hosting a larger wedding later in the year. Hailey turned to the late Virgil Abloh for her off-the-shoulder lace wedding dress, which she wore alongside a cathedral-length veil with the message ‘Till death do us part’ embroidered in block capitals on the end.

RELATED: Kelly Ripa's split from Mark Consuelos drove him 'crazy' days before elopement

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