Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams Are My Favorite Love Story
You crazy kids, this is true love.
Several love stories have emerged from The Bachelor, but nothing has surprised fans more than the unexpected pairing of The Bachelorette season 12 contestant/radio personality Wells Adams and Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, who confirmed they were dating in November of 2017.
Update, 7/17: You guys. You guys! Wells and Sarah announced this evening that they're engaged, both sharing photos and footage of Wells proposing on a beach. Sarah posted her photos with the caption "That can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, world series kind of stuff," whereas Wells wrote: "I’ll be Johnny, you be June. But forever." You can see the full video in which Wells proposes below:
A post shared by Wells Adams (@wellsadams)
A photo posted by on
In the video, Sarah looks visibly surprised when Wells drops to his knees and produces a ring, and then she falls to his knees and kisses him. It's impossible to feel anything other than teary, watching the video; the two are so obviously in love. Also, Sarah is holding a glass of what looks like rosé while getting proposed to, to which I can only say: goals.
Here's Sarah's post:
A post shared by Sarah Hyland (@sarahhyland)
A photo posted by on
CONGRATULATIONS, you two!!
Original post, 1/11: It's been a whirlwind romance for the pair. We all loved seeing their relationship blossom on social media, and now we pretty much squeal when we see how adorable they are on the red carpet.
Here's a full timeline of how this match in ABC heaven came to be.
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August 2017: It All Started With A Tweet
Taking applications for #BIP5 bar backs now. Please send references..Preferably from Phil Dunphy. I'm kidding the job is yours @Sarah_Hyland https://t.co/BtmH3fTbrLAugust 15, 2017
Eagle-eyed fans caught on to some flirtatious interactions between Hyland and Adams during the airing of Bachelor in Paradise's fourth season in August 2017, and how often they were occurring and the flirty tone set the rumor mill into motion. Hyland broke up with actor Dominic Sherwood in early 2017, and Adams was previously linked to Bachelor in Paradise co-star Danielle Maltby. This was just the beginning of their social media flirtations, too.
Haha always! Big ole 🐻🙆🏻 (that was supposed to be a bear hug) WHY ISNT THERE A HUG EMOJI https://t.co/3NGc0vu1VOSeptember 8, 2017
I'll start working on my garnishing skills. Oh and I require 35% of your tips.... or free dogs. https://t.co/0Zt4Tp94oSAugust 15, 2017
October 2017: That Halloween Photo
After months of appearing in each other's Instagram stories but not in each other's Instagram Stories, Hyland and Adams appeared together for the first time in a Halloween image for Instagram.
A post shared by Sarah Hyland (@sarahhyland)
A photo posted by on
Wells and Hyland dressed up together for Halloween, and Hyland shared of their Stranger Things couples costume on Instagram. I don't know about you, but a couples' costume is the definition of I Am In A Serious Relationship. Adams dressed up as Eleven, complete with a nosebleed and a box of Eggo waffles, along with his signature denim jacket covered in pins, and Hyland captioned the photos, "Demogorgons. They chill as fuck." It is unclear which Demogorgons they have been spending time with, as I have never met a chill Demogorgon.
A source at the time told People, “They’ve been friends for a while and now they’ve been hanging out and spending more time together… They’re flirty.”
November 2017: It's real! It's really real!
Multiple sources confirmed their relationship was reality in November of 2017, after weeks of speculation and the duo posting super cute Instagram pics of each other in the weeks after the Stranger Things Halloween post.
"It's true. They are a couple," a source told E! News. "She has been spending time with him in Nashville and he is showing her around and doing fun activities with her. Wells is proudly introducing her to all of his friends and is really happy that they connected. They are taking it slow but are not seeing other people."
One person they never had to worry about being jealous? Danielle Maltby, Wells's maybe-ex and close friend. "Are you kidding me? I ship this couple SO hard!" Maltby replied to a comment suggesting Adams and Maltby were better suited. "I've never seen Wells so giddy and happy! Try spreading some love instead of knocking down one of the cutest and most genuine coupling I've seen in a long time."
Friend (and former Bachelor) Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti shared their insights as to how the two made things Official on their podcast, Almost Famous.
"They’ve made it Instagram official and I think that’s the new Facebook official. So I would say, you’re not going to post multiple pictures on both ends without them actually being girlfriend and boyfriend,” Iaconetti shared on an episode of Almost Famous. “It was Sarah, Sarah [initiated it].” Higgins chimed in with, “Sarah saw interest in Wells, reached out to Wells, and Wells showed interest back. What a beautiful story,” he said. “And the fact that they’re having fun — I know Sarah just got out of a relationship, Wells has kind of been dating and also going on Bachelor in Paradise and kind of had his romantic interest — so if their journey leads them together through whatever means, we should celebrate that.”
They really made it official with an Instagram post.
A post shared by Wells Adams (@wellsadams)
A photo posted by on
January 2018: Sarah Tells All
After becoming Instagram official and red carpet official, Hyland took to Jimmy Kimmel Live to share insight as to how this unlikely pairing came to be.
"Have you seen those memes of ‘Slide Into the DMs’? That. He slid into my DMs,” the Modern Family star shared.
“I thought he was funny, and he was a fan of [my] show,” the actress shared. “I saw him as the bartender and I was like, ‘That’s really cute!’” Eventually, Wells made his way into Hyland's DMs, and she wasn't mad about it. “I was single, obviously, and was like, ‘This is really awesome. You’re being very forward and it’s sexy and not aggressive, but very confident and sexy,’ and I liked that,” she recalled, before sharing details about the activities of their first date. “I love tacos, he loves tacos … we both love tacos,” Sarah said. “We have an obsession with tacos. Tacos and tequila, it’s our thing.”
July 2018: A #TBT Melts Our Hearts
This is where it all began. OMG.
June 2018: Sarah's Hospital Scare
We've since learned a ton about Hyland's kidney transplant and her struggle with endometriosis, but in June 2018, news broke that she was back in the hospital due to kidney trouble. Adams surprised her with a bouquet of flowers from Nashville, where he was living at the time.
“@wellsadams… best boyfriend ever? Yep,” Hyland captioned a snapshot of the floral arrangement along with the hashtag pun #doggiehowser."
July 2018: Wells relocates!
On an episode of episode of Wells' podcast, Your Favorite Thing, Adams revealed that he and Hyland were taking their their relationship to the next level, announcing, "I'm straight up moving to L.A. Should I not have said it? I've got to go!" After months of being long-distance, they had no concerns when it came to Wells relocating from Nashville to Los Angeles. "Sarah's friends love and accept Wells and say he treats Sarah very well… particularly during her recent health struggles."
The pair also made an appearance at Sarah's high school reunion, where Hyland shared a fun fact: "You want to know what love is? Love is going to your girlfriend's high school reunion when you've never even went to your own high school reunion."
A post shared by Sarah Hyland (@sarahhyland)
A photo posted by on
September -October 2018: It's been one year since you looked at me...
Hyland and Adams posted about their one-year anniversary on Instagram, and the internet melted down. I mean, it doesn't count if you don't commemorate the occasion on social media. At this time, we even got an the exact start date of this relationship, which was unclear until now. The couple confirms that the beginning of their relationship was September 16, 2017. Wells shared a photo of the couple nuzzling noses at a red carpet appearance and wrote,
"I kissed this beautiful woman for the the 1st time a year ago today. Best year of my life. I love you to Pluto and back @sarahhyland."
A post shared by Wells Adams (@wellsadams)
A photo posted by on
In her own anniversary post, Hyland wrote,
"1 year ago today, You asked to hold my purse when I was dancing. In that moment you took my heart. You then gave me my last first kiss. And in that moment you took my breath away. I love you to Pluto and back @wellsadams *YES PLUTO IS A PLANET. IT WILL ALWAYS BE*"
A post shared by Sarah Hyland (@sarahhyland)
A photo posted by on
E-MO-TIONS. Adams also has a track record of defending his lady love on Instagram.
October 2018: Another couple's costume.
They went as "taco bell", and I'll let you get to the root of that:
November 2018: Sarah's Birthday, and other Lovey-Dovey moments
Adams took the opportunity to share photos from a Central Park date to wish Hyland a happy birthday. One involved them smiling at the camera, another one was him kissing her cheek and the third was Hyland kissing his cheek, because a little snow didn't stop anyone from being in love. His caption was the best part, though."It's that can't-eat, can't-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over-the-fence, World Series kind of stuff," the former Bachelorette contestant shared. "Happy birthday @sarahhyland! You're perfect and I love you most. Now pack your bags, cus baby, we're jumping on a plane and heading down to the islands tomorrow!"
LOVE IS THE BEST.
December 2018: Hyland opens up, and family trauma
Hyland did an interview with Self about her second kidney transplant, dialysis, endometriosis, and living through it all, and gushed about Adams, revealing that he was there for her during the recovery process post-transplant. "He's seen me at my worst,” she says. “He was there through all of that,” she shared with the magazine. “I think that's why I feel the most beautiful in his eyes, because he still finds me beautiful after seeing all that.”
The experience bonded them. “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,” Hyland says. “Also, falling in love with someone before you can really be intimate. I did not believe that that was a thing, but it is.”
It also taught Hyland that two things are key to being a good couple: “You have to have good sex, and you have to be able to fight well,” she said. “It’s funny because I've always been the one that communicates the most in a relationship. And now he is. I'm like, ‘Wait, I'm so confused. What is happening?’…If we get in a fight, I'm like, ‘How am I acting like the child?’"
Hyland even shared the moment she knew Adams was The One “I'm probably gonna get shit for this, but whatever,” she says. “We were dancing, and I had water in one hand.” She was also holding a clutch, and then...he asked..to hold her purse. She was shook, I was shook, we were all shook!
On December 2, the Modern Family star revealed that her cousin Trevor Canaday was killed in a drunk driving accident in Omaha, Nebraska. 14-year-old Trevor's dad Bryan survived the crash, and the family has since raised over $45,000 on their GoFundMe page to help cover medical and funeral costs. Hyland posted about the GoFundMe on her Twitter page, and was attacked by trolls who believed she should be funding the entire affair herself. Hyland promptly informed her Twitter and Instagram followers that she would be taking a hiatus from social media.
Here was Adams' response to the whole thing, proving he might be Boyfriend Of The Year:
A post shared by Wells Adams (@wellsadams)
A photo posted by on
Here's hoping Hyland takes Adams's rose at the end of it all, eh?
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Amanda Mitchell is a writer and podcaster with bylines at Marie Claire, OprahMag, Allure, Byrdie, Stylecaster, Bon Appetit, and more. Her work exists at the apex of beauty, pop culture, and absurdity. A human Funfetti cake, she watches too much television, and her favorite season is awards season. You can read more of her work at amandaelizabethmitchell.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @lochnessmanda.
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