Here's the Real Story of How 'NCIS: Hawai'i' Star Vanessa Minnillo Met Nick Lachey

Vanessa Lachey (née Minnillo) has over two dozen acting credits to her name but it’s her most recent one that’s landed her back in the limelight and on the radar of millions of fans. The NCIS franchise will do that to you.

In 2021, the 41-year-old actress debuted at the helm of the new NCIS spinoff, NCIS: Hawai'i. While the show has yet to be renewed for a second season, it has refocused all attention on the early 00s actress. And, as such, fans everywhere are looking to find out everything there is to know about Vanessa — namely, how she met her husband of over 10 years, Nick Lachey.

How did Nick and Vanessa Meet?

Nick and Vanessa met back in early 2006 when Vanessa was hosting Total Request Live (TRL) on MTV.

Later that year, around the same time as his split from Jessica Simpson, Nick cast Vanessa in his music video for “What’s Left of Me.” And by mid-year and another appearance on TRL, it was apparent to audiences near and far that Nick and Vanessa were becoming a thing. It wasn’t until December 2006 when they shared a live kiss on MTV’s New Year’s Eve show, however, that they actually broke the news of their relationship publicly.

When did Nick and Vanessa get engaged?

Although Nick and Vanessa briefly split up in 2009, they got back together just a couple of months later and were stronger than ever. Just over a year later, in November 2010, Nick popped the questions and Vanessa delightedly said yes. Eight months later, they tied the knot atop a cliff on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, surrounded by their closest family and friends.

In the 10+ years since they got married, Nick and Vanessa have had three children — a daughter (Brooklyn) and two sons (Camden and Phoenix) — and even hosted the reality TV show Love Is Blind together.

While the pair is nothing short of couple goals, they’re quick to keep it real—because any marriage takes effort. “I see it as a working marriage and don’t mean like a job working, but we have to constantly work at it,” Vanessa told Us. “I was just telling my girlfriend last night, we don’t settle or run, we go head-on with the problem. We communicate, we talk things through and we listen to the other person. We both know exactly what we want out of life and that’s each other, so we’re gonna make it work."

You Might Also Like

• 60+ Grilling Recipes for an Epic Summer Cookout

• The Best Reese Witherspoon Movies, Ranked

• 70 Impressive Tiny Houses That Maximize Function and Style