Celebrity

Kourtney & Travis’ Relationship Timeline Is Full Of PDA & Surprises

Kardashian celebrated the one-year anniversary of their Vegas ceremony the day after their wedding special was announced.

by Bustle Editors
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Kourtney and Travis were already legally married before their Portofino wedding May 22. Photo via Ge...
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Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s relationship was first confirmed in January 2021, but their bond was brewing long before that, which led to their surprise Vegas wedding in April 2022. Before they started dating, Kardashian and Barker were neighbors. After being “friends and family friends for a very long time,” a romantic relationship naturally blossomed. The couple got engaged in October 2021 and got Vegas married less than six months later. On May 15, Kravis made their marriage legal by tying the knot at a courthouse — and exactly one week later, they concluded their wedding saga with an extravagant ceremony in Portofino, Italy, surrounded by family and friends.

The Blink-182 drummer was first linked to the famous family in 2006; he was dating Paris Hilton at the time, who was Kim Kardashian’s close friend. After appearing in his own reality show, Meet The Barkers, he encouraged the family to launch Keeping Up With The Kardashians. In 2017, Barker told ET that his family occasionally hosts dinners with Kardashian’s family. He began appearing on KUWTK that same year and his friendship with Kardashian only grew stronger, eventually leading to Kravis.

The couple’s steamy relationship is more than just luxurious getaways, flirtatious Instagram comments, and nonstop PDA. On recent episodes of Hulu’s The Kardashians, for example, Kardashian revealed that they want to expand their family. “Travis and I want to have a baby,” she said before a medical professional told Travis to “put a sample in this cup.” Kourtney replied, “We’ll take our mics off. You don’t get the audio.” The couple also attended their first Met Gala in May 2022, where they made out on the red carpet while photographers captured their PDA in front of the crowd.

The details of Kardashian and Barker’s close friendship turned romantic affair can be traced in a timeline marked with charming nights out and intimate social media posts dating back to 2018. Here’s a deep dive into their relationship history — all the way up to their Italian wedding and beyond.

September 2018: Dinner And Church

Kardashian and Barker were spotted leaving the vegan restaurant Crossroads Kitchen in 2018. Metro UK reported that she posted a picture on her Instagram Stories that appeared to be her touching a tiny plastic toy hand that was perched on one of Barker’s tattooed fingers. A love story in the making.

That same month, Kardashian and Barker reportedly attended a “late-night” Hillsong church service where they both sported all-black outfits. The Daily Mail stated they took a trip to the famous church in Kardashian’s Aston Martin, with her in the driver’s seat and the drummer riding shotgun.

February 2019: Kanye West’s Sunday Service

Luka Sabbat, Kendall Jenner, and Kourtney Kardashian in 2019.Rich Fury/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

After attending Kanye West’s then-weekly Sunday Service, Barker joined Kardashian for another date night in Malibu in February 2019.

March 2019: “Just Friends”

Travis Barker in 2019.Getty Images

Though they had been spotted in public on multiple occasions, Barker dispelled the chatter about a supposed relationship between them in March 2019. He told People, “Kourtney’s like a dear friend. That’s it… I mean, I love her to death. I love her family to death. But yeah, just friends.”

January 2021: A “Low Key Connection”

Additional news of Kardashian and Barker’s rumored romance continued to gain traction at the top of 2021 when a source told E! about their “very low key” connection. “They are a really good match, and Kourtney’s entire family already loves Travis. They have been neighbors and great friends for years, and it just recently turned romantic,” the source said.

That same month, the Internet exploded when Kourtney and Travis posted serene landscape pictures seemingly from Kris Jenner’s luxurious Palm Springs abode. Of course, this bolstered rumors of a potential romance between the duo.

February 2021: It’s Instagram Official

In February, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star and punk rocker finally decided to make their relationship Instagram official with a photo of their interlocked hands posted around Valentine’s Day. The pic, which lives on Kardashian’s account, is of her freshly manicured hand holding Barker’s and appears to have been taken in a car. Barker isn’t tagged in the photo, but his tattoos are quite recognizable. Also, he reposted the picture to his Instagram Story and left a heart in her comments. Expressing their excitement and support, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Kerr dropped hearts in the comment section, and Kardashian’s friend Addison Rae wrote, “THIS.”

The picture came several days after she and Barker were seen out on the town for dinner in Los Angeles looking “very connected.”

March 2021: Talking About Love On TV

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show in March, Barker talked to the actress and TV host about his relationship with Kourtney and what it’s been like not only just dating another parent but also a “great friend.” He said, “I would date girls that didn’t have kids, and I find it kind of hard because they would... I think they would have trouble understanding like, well, why don’t you want to go to dinner every night with me?” He continued, “And now I’m spending time with a woman who’s like a great mom, who’s like a great friend. You don’t have to worry about any of those things. It just comes natural. It’s like a maturity thing.”

Over the course of one week in March, Kardashian and Barker went out on two public dates. For the second consecutive excursion to their favorite sushi hangout in Malibu, Nobu, Kourtney made headlines for wearing an explicit T-shirt that felt very pop-punk.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker in 2021.Getty Images

April 2021: Vacation

The pair took a romantic desert vacation to celebrate Kardashian’s birthday, following Barker’s loved-up post dedicated to her on April 18, in which he described her as “a blessing to this world.”

May 2021: A New Tattoo

Barker is known for his impressive collection of tattoos, and on May 12, the couple revealed that Kardashian added one more to the bunch. In a series of photos posted on Instagram, she carefully scribed “I love you” on Barker’s right forearm. The musician complimented her handiwork, describing Kardashian as a “woman of many talents.” If a permanent tattoo is any indication, the pair’s relationship is looking pretty solid.

July 2021: Fourth Of July

Barker and Kardashian celebrated their first Fourth of July together at the happiest place on Earth. The couple spent July 4 at Disneyland with Barker’s teenage kids, Landon and Alabama, and Kardashian’s 6-year-old son, Reign Disick, as seen in snapshots posted to their Instagram Stories. In one picture, Barker kisses his girlfriend’s head as the families pose near a group of Star Wars stormtroopers. In a photo shared by Kardashian, the pair show off their matching Converse sneakers. The couple who goes to Disneyland together stays together.

Instagram / Travis Barker

The pair headed to Las Vegas the following week to attend the star-studded UFC 264 fight on July 10, during which they were prompted to share a kiss on live TV. Appearing to go in for a full-on make-out session, Barker and Kardashian simply touched tongues and pulled away laughing.

During the trip, Kardashian also shared some snaps of the couple chatting and laughing in their hotel to her Instagram page with the caption, “What happens in Vegas.” On July 12, Kardashian’s hairstylist Glen Oropeza sparked some serious wedding rumors as he posted more photos of the pair in Las Vegas and wrote, “…NOWWW I understand why ppl tie the knot in Vegas” alongside a chapel emoji. “There’s nothing like love AND a good time.”

Fans were immediately sent into a frenzy trying to figure out if the couple had secretly married, and an Instagram Story post by Barker’s 15-year-old daughter Alabama further fueled speculation. “So happy for you guys,” Alabama wrote, according to Seventeen. During a July 27 Instagram Live, she sparked rumors again when was asked if she’s ever met a Kardashian. “That’s my stepmom,” she said. Neither Barker nor Kardashian confirmed the marriage rumors.

August 2021: Overcoming His Fears

Ever since he survived a 2008 plane crash that killed four people and left him with major third-degree burns, per People, Barker opted to travel by car or bus. But on Aug. 17, his relationship with Kardashian reached new heights — literally — as the pair flew to Cabo on Kylie Jenner’s private KylieAir jet for a vacation with Kris Jenner and her boyfriend, Corey Gamble. “With you anything is possible,” Barker wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple kissing next to the plane. Kardashian responded, “Anything and everything with you.”

The couple’s Cabo trip featured a romantic outdoor movie night on the beach, as Kardashian documented via Instagram on Aug. 17. With a full s’mores spread and bonfire on the private sandy setting, Barker and Kardashian watched 1993’s True Romance starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette.

Unfortunately, fans weren’t able to keep up with Kravis’ relationship in the final season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians — production for the series ended in early January when the two were in the beginning stages of their love affair. However, the rocker made an appearance in the famous family’s Hulu series, The Kardashians.

September 2021: MTV Video Music Awards

Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian in 2021.Astrid Stawiarz/WireImage/Getty Images

Kardashian and Barker brought even more PDA to the MTV Video Music Awards with playful behavior and a red carpet kiss. The pair wore coordinated outfits, with Kardashian rocking a black leather mini dress and Barker donning black pants and a blazer. Their VMA appearance came almost two weeks after Barker shared an Instagram picture of the duo hugging one another near the Eiffel Tower, captioning that photo with, “Forever isn’t long enough.”

October 2021: They’re Engaged!

On Sunday, Oct. 17, Kardashian and Barker announced their engagement on Instagram. “forever @travisbarker,” the reality star wrote alongside photos from the proposal, which took place on the beach at sunset in a heart of red roses. Barker documented the evening on his Instagram Stories. Along with a clip of the couple kissing and a photo of red rose petals on a bed, the drummer reshared Kardashian’s post. “Forever,” he wrote.

According to E!, Kardashian was totally surprised by the proposal. “I could see Kourtney smiling from ear to ear and put her hand over her mouth looking surprised,” a source told the outlet. They were reportedly joined by their respective families, including Kardashian’s sisters Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie, as well as Kris Jenner, Corey Gamble, and Tristan Thompson. Barker’s children were also in attendance.

On Instagram, several family members congratulated the couple. “So happy for you guys, I love u both!” Alabama wrote on her Instagram Stories. Kim also expressed her excitement, sharing a video of the pair smooching at their engagement dinner. “KRAVIS FOREVER,” she wrote. The clip also gave fans their first glimpse at Kourtney’s engagement ring, a diamond sparkler that’s reportedly worth at least $1 million.

The couple got a head start on Halloween shortly after their engagement. On Tuesday, Oct. 19, Barker dressed up as punk musician Sid Vicious, complete with spiky black hair, a leather outfit, and lots of chunky silver jewelry. Kardashian dressed up as his girlfriend Nancy Spungen and paired a curly blonde wig with a black mesh top and leather pants.

However, it seems the couple saved the best for last. The following week, they posted photos on Instagram of their homage to True Romance. The pair dressed up as the film’s main characters, Clarence and Alabama, with Barker donning a slicked-back black wig and a tropical button-down, while Kardashian wore a short blonde wig and pink leopard leggings.

November 2021: A Future Child?

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker in 2021.Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images

Less than one month after their engagement, the drummer may have hinted at what they’re going to name their kid if they have one. When the reality star shared a photo of the couple’s True Romance costumes on Instagram on Nov. 1, the musician let the name slip. “Our son’s name would be Elvis,” he wrote, referencing a specific scene from the film when Clarence is visited by the spirit of Elvis Presley.

March 2022: Opening Up About Their Love

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker in 2022.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

In her Bustle cover story, Kardashian revealed that she recently did a sex fast. “Oh my God, it was crazy,” the reality star said of abstaining from sex with her fiancé. “But it actually it made everything better. Like, if you can’t have caffeine, when you have your first matcha, it’s so good.”

In an interview with Variety, she said that she holds their relationship “really close.” “It’s so sacred to me and I am very protective of it,” she said, explaining that some things won’t be included in the family’s Hulu series. “I think I’ve learned a lot of lessons. There is a lot of us on there, and we’ve had such a good time doing it because we have such a good time when we’re together, but I definitely want to protect it as much as I can. But also, this is my life.”

Although Barker isn’t technically a reality star, Kardashian told Variety that he’s been a really good sport. “He obviously has a full-time job and a full career, so it’s not his thing, but I think he’s happy to, and we have had so much fun while we’ve been filming certain things that we’re doing, so I’ll just invite the producers to come along,” she said.

If something isn’t captured by the producers, there’s a good chance that Kardashian captured it herself for Instagram. The Poosh founder recently shared a series of photos and videos from the couple’s weekend in Laguna Beach, which included a video of them showing some PDA before running into the ocean. “Oh how I love thee,” Barker commented on the post, according to the Instagram account @commentsbycelebs.

As revealed in the Kardashians trailer, Kardashian and Barker are trying for a baby — but that process hasn’t necessarily been smooth. As Page Six reported, Kourtney revealed in a “leaked” clip from the show (that has since been removed from Instagram) that she’s experienced weight gain as a result of IVF, in addition to other effects. “The medication that they’ve been giving me, they put me into menopause,” she told her mom. “Literally into menopause.”

With the premiere of The Kardashians mere weeks away, Kravis gave fans a glimpse of all the PDA that’s to come when they walked the red carpet at the 2022 Oscars. The couple was photographed at the star-studded event with their tongues in each other’s mouths, which has seemingly become one of their all-time favorite poses. The pair became even more touchy-feely at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, where the musician was photographed grabbing his fiancée’s bum.

April 2022: They’re Married!

A few hours after playing tonsil hockey on the 2022 Grammys red carpet, Kardashian and Barker reportedly tied the knot at a Las Vegas wedding chapel in the middle of the night. According to TMZ, the couple walked into the chapel at around 2 a.m. on April 4 ready to exchange their vows in a ceremony that was officiated by — drumroll, please — an Elvis Presley impersonator.

“Once upon a time in a land far, far away (Las Vegas) at 2am, after an epic night and a little tequila, a queen and her handsome king ventured out to the only open chapel with an Elvis and got married (with no license),” she wrote in her Instagram caption a day after TMZ broke the news. “Practice makes perfect.” The pair brought security and their own photographer, but don’t count on this being their only wedding. A source told the outlet that the couple’s Vegas wedding was just one of “several” celebrations that the newlyweds have planned.

On April 7, the newlyweds hit the red carpet for The Kardashians premiere in matching all-black outfits. Kardashian’s son Reign and Barker’s kids — Atiana, Landon, and Alabama — also coordinated their ensembles.

Alabama Barker, Reign Disick, Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker, Landon Barker and Atiana De La Hoya in 2022.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

On the first episode of The Kardashians, she revealed how she fell in love with Barker after being close friends and neighbors for eight years. “I was definitely always attracted to Travis,” she admitted. “We would almost, like, play house, because we would do things together with our kids. We would go to museums and go to church. Last year, during the pandemic, we were texting, and so I just put it out there, like flirtatious conversation.”

Once Barker got the hint, he invited her over to watch a movie, but Kardashian still had to initiate their first kiss. “He was taking a long time, the movie was over and then we started another movie,” she recalled. “I was like, ‘I don’t have time for this movie marathon,’ so I made the first move.”

Amid all of the marriage hoopla, Kardashian and Barker are still hoping to expand their family. A source told Us Weekly that the reality star is taking her IVF treatments very “seriously.” “Travis is fully supporting her every step of the way,” the insider told the magazine. “The journey just affirmed their bond and love for each other.” Still, Kardashian is well-aware that she could face some fertility challenges. “She feels like she’s almost at the cut-off age of having kids, so this is almost like her last chance,” the source continued. “They’re praying for a miracle.”

On April 17, when an Instagram user criticized Barker’s now-infamous PDA with Kardashian in the comments of his recent fitness post, the musician held nothing back in his response. “Still got the finger up the ass, and my intestines, were totally nude and full pda with my fiancée,” he wrote back directly to the hater, complete with a middle finger emoji, as captured by Comments by Celebs. Clearly, he doesn’t plan to stop making out with Kardashian on red carpets anytime soon.

May 2022: Kourtney & Travis’ First Met Gala

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker in 2022.Gotham/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

On the first Monday of May, Kardashian and Barker both attended the Met Gala for the first time (and made out on the red carpet, of course). The couple coordinated their ensembles, designed by Thom Browne, with Barker rocking a cropped suit jacket and black skirt, and Kardashian wearing a “deconstructed” version of her boyfriend’s look.

Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian in 2022.Gotham/Getty Images Entertainment

2022 marked the first year that all of the Kardashian-Jenner women were invited to the Met Gala, with Kourtney and Khloé joining their sisters Kim, Kendall, and Kylie, and their mother Kris, who have attended multiple times. While Kim and her then-boyfriend Pete Davidson had a pizza and donut party at their hotel after the soiree, Kardashian and Barker hit up the Met Gala afterparties with Kendall around New York City.

Later That Month: Proposal Details Emerge

The May 5 episode of The Kardashians featured Barker’s October proposal to Kardashian in Santa Barbara, which she described as “perfect.” As she told her family, who surprised her after the proposal, Kardashian thought they were simply going to the beach to watch the 1993 film True Romance on a big projector screen. “Then I was like, ‘What are all these flowers?’” she recalled.

In a confessional, Kardashian admitted that she really wasn’t expecting to get engaged that day. “I’m kind of in shock, but I’m also telling myself, ‘Don’t be nervous, this is one of the best moments of your life’,” she explained. “The way that Travis proposed, it does say a lot about who he is. He’s super romantic. It’s perfect because he did it.” And she wasn’t the only one who felt nerves. Even Barker admitted that he nearly went speechless. “I had certain things I wanted to say,” he told the family, with Kardashian adding, “And I feel like he wasn’t really saying them. Guys, I’ve never heard him not be able to speak to me.”

Before the engagement, Kris Jenner revealed that Barker went to the grave of Kourtney’s late father Robert Kardashian to ask for her hand in marriage. While at dinner with the family, Jenner gave a toast to the happy couple and started to tear up when mentioning Barker’s gesture. “You guys are so in love, and we’ve seen such an amazing transformation in our Kourtney,” she said. “To see Travis and his excitement in picking out a ring and deciding what he wanted to say and asking for your hand in marriage not only from me, but from your dad ... this makes me so happy.”

On the May 12 episode of The Kardashians, Jenner told Kardashian another sweet detail that Barker admitted while asking for her marriage blessing. He only moved to Calabasas to be near her — and they weren’t even dating yet. “He goes, ‘Do you want to know the real reason why I moved to Calabasas? Because I knew she lived in Calabasas and I knew she was the love of my life. I didn’t even know her like that, but I just knew if I couldn’t date her or be with her because she was with someone else that at least I could live by her,’” Kris recalled to her daughter. Kourtney was very touched by the revelation, telling her mom, “I’ve never met a better human in my life.”

May 2022 Again: They Get Legally Married

On May 15, Kardashian and Barker tied the knot — for real this time. As first reported by TMZ, the couple made their Vegas wedding official by getting married at a Santa Barbara courthouse in front of just a few family and friends, including her grandmother MJ and his dad Randy. They were seen driving off in a “Just Married” car after the wedding, with Kardashian sporting a white-minidress and matching veil, and Travis donning a black suit jacket. “Kourtney was beaming,” a source told PEOPLE. “She feels beyond lucky to be Travis’ wife.”

Fans suspected that Kardashian’s three children were not at the wedding, which was confirmed by PEOPLE, who said she and Barker headed back to Los Angeles after their nuptials to be with their kids. It seems that none of Kourtney’s famous siblings or mother were in attendance either, but that might be because the couple is planning a much bigger wedding celebration in Italy later this year. “They always planned to have a small ceremony just the two of them,” the source said. “They love Santa Barbara. Since they got engaged there, they were excited to get married there too. They have a bigger wedding celebration coming up soon. Kourtney's family, kids and friends will be there.”

One Week Later: The Wedding Saga Concludes

Kardashian and Barker had their final and most extravagant ceremony in Portofino, Italy on May 22. The Poosh founder wore a Dolce & Gabbana mini dress and not-so-mini veil embroidered with the image of the Virgin Mary, per People. The magazine also revealed that Andrea Bocelli performed at the wedding, just as he did for sister Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kanye West in 2014. “Happily ever after,” wrote the newlyweds in their respective Instagram posts about the big day, which was indeed attended by the couple’s children, family, and close friends.

July 2022: Kourtney Tattoos “K” On Travis

On July 6, Kardashian indicated that she gave Barker a new tattoo on her Instagram Story, sharing a photo of her husband’s arm inked with a K and a heart, and writing, “Some of my finest work.” It’s not known whether the ink is permanent or just temporary, but Barker seems to love it regardless, posting the same photo on his own Instagram Story.

Barker’s sentimental tattoo comes just days after he experienced a major health scare. The Blink-182 drummer was hospitalized on June 28, and before the Fourth of July weekend, he gave fans a health update, revealing that he was diagnosed with severe pancreatitis after a procedure. “I went in for an endoscopy Monday feeling great,” he wrote on Instagram. “But after dinner, I developed excruciating pain and I have been hospitalized ever since. During the endoscopy, I had a very small polyp removed right in the very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube. This resulted in severe life threatening pancreatitis.”

Kardashian also commented on his health scare on July 2, thanking his doctors and specialists at Cedars-Sinai for “taking such wonderful care” of them. “Oh what a scary and emotional week it has been,” she wrote on Instagram Story. “Our health is everything and sometimes we take for granted how quickly it can change... I am so grateful to God for healing my husband, for all of your prayers for him and for us, for the overwhelming outpouring of love and support.”

On July 27, Kardashian shared never-before-seen photos from her and Barker’s courthouse wedding to honor her “special, sweet, chic, sophisticated, smart and most wonderful” grandmother MJ, who was one of the only two guests who were present at the ceremony, alongside Barker’s father Randy. The photos showed Kardashian and Barker signing their marriage license, posing with their guests in wedding attire, and toasting to the newlyweds at a celebratory dinner. “Happy birthday my MJ,” she wrote. “So happy you could be one of the only two guests we had when we were legally married, I will always remember this day and night with you.”

April 2023: Their 1st Wedding Anniversary

On April 5, Kardashian celebrated the one-year anniversary of her and Barker’s Las Vegas wedding, which technically wasn’t their legal ceremony, but it counts for her regardless. The star shared a slideshow of photos from the spontaneous nuptials — and their drunken rides to the chapel.

“One year ago today, an Elvis impersonator married me and @travisbarker after the Grammys and way too much tequila in a chapel in Las Vegas!” she wrote. “It was one of the best nights of our lives, dreaming of a lifetime filled with fun adventures together. And yes, that’s me about to throw up on the floor in the car.”

Their first anniversary post comes just a day after Hulu announced Kravis’ surprise wedding special Til Death Do Us Part: Kourtney & Travis. The Kardashians spin-off will premiere on April 13, weeks before the Kardashians Season 3 premiere in May, and trace all three of the couple’s weddings using both personal and professional footage, leading up to their extravagant Italian wedding in May 2022. “It’s like choosing a child, I can’t pick the best one,” Barker remarks in the trailer.

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