Donnie Wahlberg is set to return to screens as Danny Reagan in season 14 of Blue Bloods. Naturally, fans of the show will know about Donnie's high profile marriage to Jenny McCarthy, as the couple have been together for over 10 years now.
As the couple are set to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary this year, here's everything you need to know about how Jenny and Donnie got together.
October 2012 - Jenny and Donnie first meet
© BravoThe couple first met on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live, according to Donnie, who shared the story of the meeting on Instagram. The actor revealed that Andy had "implored me to ask Jenny out", although he didn't.
The actor went on to reveal: "We’d meet again a year later at her talk show" and "the rest, as they say, is history."
March 2013 - Donnie appears on The Jenny McCarthy Show
Donnie and Jenny reunited on the latter's show, where they got flirty as she asked him whether or not he "talks dirty" in bed. The segment ended with Donnie nibbling on Jenny's ear while holding a lollipop.
Not long after filming the segment, Donnie asked the host out and she gave him her phone number. Two weeks later, they went on their first date. Jenny said of the moment: "I've never given a guy my number, but I was interested."
July 2013 - They start dating
News broke that Jenny and Donnie were officially a couple, with sources reporting they spent July 4 together.
August 2013 - First red carpet appearance
© Brian BabineauThe new couple matched in black as they attended a Dancing with the Stars charity event at the Hotel Baker in St. Charles, Illinois, the same venue they would get married in a year later.
April 2014 - The couple get engaged
© Heidi GutmanJenny announced their engagement on The View, as she showed off her 10-carat yellow sapphire engagement ring. It turns out that her son Evan had played a special role in the proposal:
"This weekend, I was sitting with Donnie ... and he went into the other room, and out came Evan with a card that said 'Will,' and he handed it to me," she said.
"Then Evan ran away and [Evan] came back in with a card that said 'You' ... I just started crying, and then Evan came back with a card that said 'Marry' — but spelled wrong."
© Heidi GutmanShe continued, "Donnie came out with Evan, and Donnie's shirt said 'Me' with a question mark, holding the ring ... and he got down on his knee."
After she said yes, Evan yelled: "I have another dad!", which Jenny reported "made all of us cry".
As Jenny retold the story, Donnie then came on stage and surprised his fiancée.
August 2014 - The couple tie the knot
On August 31, 2014, Donnie and Jenny finally got married in the iconic Hotel Baker in St. Charles, Illinois, in a room decorated with roses. The couple had their first dance to "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.
Jenny's son Evan played an important role in the ceremony, as he spontaneously grabbed the microphone and said: "I love my stepdad, I'm so glad for my mom, we're going to make a great family."
January 2015 - Donnie Loves Jenny premieres
© Astrid StawiarzThe couple unveiled their reality show on A&E, months after getting married. The show ran for three seasons and focused on how the pair navigated hectic schedules, as Donnie went on tour with New Kids on the Block, and Jenny moved their family to St. Charles, Illinois.
"You know we did an awesome job pre-planning how we were going to see each other. We really made it work," Jenny said of the show.
December 2019 - The couple spend New Year's Eve with family for the first time in a decade
Jenny decided to step back from her role of co-hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve for the first time in 10 years, instead going into 2020 with a new tradition. She spent New Year's Eve at home with her family.
August 2020 - The couple celebrate their sixth anniversary
The Masked Singer host took to Instagram to share her anniversary with Donnie, with an adorable video compilation. She penned an affectionate caption, writing: "The love, light, and compassion my husband radiates daily, is the very reason I worship the ground he walks on. Happy Anniversary, my love."
April 2021 - Jenny opens up about couples therapy
Speaking to Drew Barrymore, Jenny revealed that early on in her relationship with Donnie they attended couples therapy despite having no issues, an important step as they both previously had been divorced.
"I loved him so much as soon as I met him, I was like, 'How do I not mess this up?' I'm going to ask him, before we even have our first fight, if we can go to therapy together," she explained. "And I'm telling you, it was one of the greatest ideas ever to go to therapy before there's a problem, to figure out how to have those conversations with each other."
May 2021 - Donnie surprises Jenny on The Masked Singer
© FOXThe Blue Bloods star appeared as Cluedle Doo, a rooster in a court jester outfit who served as a clue giver rather than a competing contestant, near the end of season five. He decided to unmask himself, which was a major shock to his wife.
"There's two reasons why I'm here, honestly," Donnie said. "One, obviously to see my wife, and two, you know, it's been so long since I've performed for my fans."
August 2021 - They renew their vows
As they reached their seventh anniversary, Donnie surprised his wife with a vow renewal ceremony in their backyard. He spoke about the moment in an Instagram post.
"Seven years — no itch! I love you more than ever, Mrs Wahlberg," he wrote. "To be blessed with a partner whose goal is to make sure that I love myself more and more each day — is to be truly blessed. Thank you for holding me down, while always holding my kite string and letting me fly. You are my soulmate in every way."
August 2022 - The couple renew their vows again
For the second year in a row, Donnie surprised his wife with another vow renewal ceremony on their eighth wedding anniversary. Jenny wrote in a post online: "Every year you surprise me with our vows and every year I fall deeper into the rabbit hole of love with you. Thank you for making our love a priority and making everyday feel like the most ultimate adventure with my best friend, lover and soulmate. You are the #GOAT of all husbands. I love you Donnie and Happy Anniversary, my love."
Donnie also shared the ceremony, writing on Instagram: "Some people ask 'why do you renew your vows every year?'. Those tend to be the same people that also ask 'how do you keep your marriage so new?'"
He added: "I'm so blessed to call you my wife, and so honored to be your husband. I thank god every day for you, and I thank you always for 'taking care of my heart' — as promised. I love you. On to forever."
September 2023 - Jenny revealed how the couple stay connected while apart
© Jose Perez/Bauer-GriffinDespite having to travel a lot for work, Jenny revealed how she and her husband stay connected during busy times.
"Honestly, I swear to God, you can ask anyone we know. We FaceTime 10 times a day. We’ll FaceTime sleep next to each other," she said. "Every night — unless the signal is terrible, he is right there, snoring on that pillow.”
February 2024 - The couple celebrate date night by dancing
Jenny showed that after all this time the couple are still madly in love, by posting videos of the duo dancing together on separate date nights around Valentine's Day.
