Shaun White and Nina Dobrev's Relationship Timeline

Shaun White and Nina Dobrev are living proof that sometimes the most unexpected duos make the best couples. The Olympic snowboarder and the Vampire Diaries alum fell head over heels for each in early 2020 and are still going strong today. “You just make it work,” Shaun previously said of their relationship, which was, at one point, long distance. “I think that’s the goal of it all, and the key to it all is just making the time.”

We're looking back to see how the gold medalist and the Canadian actress—who just celebrated their engagement—became one of Hollywood's cutest pairs. Keep reading to learn more about the couple's blossoming union.

• The pair hit it off at a Tony Robbins event, where they were both presenters.
• Shaun wasn’t familiar with Nina’s work when they first met.
• They spent quarantine living together just one month after tabloids proclaimed them official.
• The couple announced their engagement on October 30, 2024.

July 22, 2012: Missed Connection

Long before they were an item, Nina and Shaun crossed paths way back in 2012. Shaun presented the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Show Sci-Fi/Fantasy to the cast of the Vampire Diaries—including Nina.

2019: A Fateful Reunion

Cut to seven years later, and the pair was brought together by fate once more, when both of them were scheduled to give presentations at a Tony Robbins event in Florida. This time, however, Shaun sat up and took note of the brunette beauty. After making a connection, the two decided to share a meal together. "The way in which we met really kind of strengthened our relationship," Shaun would later tell People.

It also served to give the gold medalist an ego check, as restaurant-goers clamored to get Nina's autograph instead of his. "I actually didn't know anything about her," he admitted to the outlet. "I was like, 'What's happening? What's going on?' It was actually really funny."

February 2020: A Grand Adventure

In February 2020, eagle-eyed fans picked up on the fact that both Nina and Shaun had reportedly posted photos from a similar location in South Africa, where the former Degrassi: The Next Generation star was on location filming Redeeming Love. As it turns out, Nina had invited her new crush overseas to spend time with her.

“That was actually how we kind of started our relationship,” Shaun explained to Us Weekly. “I was like, ‘All right. Yeah. OK.’ And she [thought], ‘Oh, this guy, he came to play. He’s serious.’ So that’s a thing that we share together. We both enjoy traveling.”

March 22, 2020: A Bike Ride in Malibu

One month later, the fledgling couple was spotted together once more. This time, Shaun and Nina were seen riding bikes in Malibu, Florida, with Page Six reporting that they also shared a kiss before taking off.

April 2020: Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Us Weekly reported in mid-April that Nina and Shaun were more than friends—they were officially boyfriend and girlfriend.  

2020: Date Night Bonding

In the early stages of their union, Shaun said that he had to really rack his brain for activities to do together on date night. “We did a couple of drive-in movies,” he shared via Us. “We did some simple things." Namely? Snowboarding, of course! "You go to the mountains and you’re kind of distanced already by chairlifts and things," he reasoned. "So, we’ve been able to do more snowboarding and trips like that than I would’ve expected.”

May 2020: Shacking Up

Thanks to quarantine, the couple’s timeline for cohabitation was greatly accelerated, with the pair sharing a home together as early as May 2020. They also got right down to business nesting. "We went to the hardware store, bought a bunch of paint and brushes, and definitely got in over our heads, but it was really fun," Shaun would later tell People.

May 28, 2020: Social Media Buzz

Though Shaun likely made some stealthy (read: faceless) appearances on Nina’s Insta (and vice versa), the couple didn’t fully put their relationship out there for the world to see until May 2020, when the Final Girls star revealed they had reached a new level of intimacy: hair cutting. In a photo posted to her account, Shaun’s leading lady can be seen happily wielding a pair of cutting shears as he makes a face of pure terror. She also showed off her post-snip handiwork, holding up his shorn locks for the world to see.

August 24, 2020: Romantic Getaway

The duo couldn’t have looked more in love in August 2020, when they splashed around in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea while on a romantic vacay in Tulum Beach, Mexico.  

November 27, 2020: Giving Thanks

Shaun shared his feelings of gratitude for being “surrounded by so much love” while celebrating Thanksgiving with his family—and his other half.

December 31, 2020: Dirty Dancing

Nina and Shaun rang in 2021 the best way they knew how: by recreating the famous lift from Dirty Dancing, of course!

February 14, 2021: Cupid's Arrow

For Valentine's Day, Nina confessed that she couldn't have been happier to quarantine with her man when they did. "Happy we got 'stuck together' last year and stuck it out ;)" she shared, calling him her "quarantine partner-in-crime." Shaun shared an equally cute post on his page with a series of photos of his significant other licking his cheek. "Thank you for keeping a smile on my face and being the beautiful person you are!" he raved.

June 11, 2021: A Romantic Anniversary Celebration

The California native went all out to impress his girlfriend of one year on their very first anniversary. Though things didn’t work out exactly as planned (“I wanted to recreate our first date, but everything was closed,” he explained to Us Weekly), Shaun found a way to make sure the big day was still special for Nina. “I managed to sweet talk the owner of the place to open up for us,” he said, referencing the first restaurant they shared a meal at. “It was actually pretty fun to have a place all to ourselves.”

September 3, 2021: A Birthday Tribute

Nina got mushy for Shaun’s 35th birthday, jokingly gushing over her partner with a sweet post on Instagram. “The person in this photo is the funniest, most charming, sexiest, and hardest working person I know,” she wrote alongside a snap of the couple. “The other person is my boyfriend." She continued: "Happy birthday baby, thank you for always being older than me."

October 31, 2021: Couples Costume

The pair showed off a couples costume for the ages in October 2021 when they went as Beth Harmon and Benny Watts from the Queen's Gambit. "Your move, @anyataylorjoy," Shaun joked.

November 19, 2021: Going the Distance

Nina lamented her boyfriend’s absence in mid-November with a sweet photo of them sharing a kiss through a fence. “Missing him when he’s on the other side (of the world)," she captioned it.

January 2022: Engagement Buzz Begins

By January 2022, the twosome couldn’t seem to stop gushing over each other, offering up sweet tidbits about their relationship in respective interviews. “I am very happy,” Nina admitted when being probed about whether or not she’d be tying the knot anytime soon by Extra. Still, she did concede, “Things are going very well and I’m very, very happy.”

Nina also hinted that she had found her person while discussing her new film, Redeeming Love, saying, “Love is amazing and difficult. Just because you find love doesn’t make it butterflies and angels. There’s gonna be tough times and good times, and it’s really about who you want to spend those hard moments with. And finding that person you can go through hell and back with.”

Shaun, for his part, told Us Weekly that when the couple does fall on hard times, they know exactly how to handle it. “The problems that we do face, they kind of fall away through communication," he shared. "It’s just been great.”

January 18, 2022: Thinking Ahead

While the pair is remaining mum about whether or not they’ll be walking down the aisle anytime soon, Shaun did have some thoughts to share with Us Weekly about becoming a father. “I would love to be a dad,” he gushed to the outlet. “It’s just something that seems so exciting, you know? I love being around people, and I love the idea of having someone other than my own pursuits to look after.”

January 25, 2022: Showing Support

Nina played the role of the supportive girlfriend to a T as her boyfriend prepared to head to Beijing, China, to compete in his fifth Olympic games. "I am really excited for him," the actress told E! "Just to get into the Olympics at all is one of the hugest accomplishments, let alone to get in five times. I'm so excited. I'm so proud of him."

Shaun, meanwhile, shared just what that support meant to him while talking to People that same month. “Nina's just been so supportive and so amazing through this whole process for me," he explained to the publication. "Through the pandemic, she was a lifesaver—she really made that time in my life special."

January 31, 2022: Biggest Fan

One day before Shaun headed to China for the games, Nina proved she was his biggest fan by showing off in his Olympic gear while dancing around in the backyard.

February 3, 2022: A Ring on the Way?

While Shaun is accustomed to winning gold medals, the snowboarder might have another piece of bling on his mind in the near future. A source told Page Six that an engagement is imminent for the twosome.

“They are so freaking cute and solid together,” a friend of the couple shared with the publication. “I would not be surprised if an engagement happens any day now.”

March 2022: Retirement Trip to Costa Rica

To celebrate the Olympic athlete's retirement, the couple jetted off to Costa Rica together. Nina and Shaun took to the 'gram to share multiple photos of themselves relaxing on their tropical getaway. Shaun wore a Lion King tank that said "Hakuna Matata" with a caption that read, "It means no worries.... #retired." On Nina's first vacay bikini pic, he commented, "Costa Rica looks good on you," followed by a heart eye emoji.

May 19, 2022: Red Carpet Debut

After dating for two years, the duo finally made their first red carpet appearance together in May 2022. With effortlessly coordinated ensembles, the pair exuded pure Hollywood glamour. Nina stunned in a silk ivory floor-length slip gown with a leg-bearing slit and cut-out. She paired it with a slicked-back updo and striking red lip. Shaun looked dapper in a polished tuxedo featuring a crisp ivory jacket and black bow-tie.

June 2022: Maldives Couple's Trip

In June 2022, Shaun and Nina jetted off to the Maldives to enjoy yet another romantic tropical destination together. Surrounded by crystal blue water and white powder sand, the two enjoyed it all from snorkeling, jet skiing, and surfing to lounging in the sun.

September 2022: Another Insta Birthday Tribute

Nina posted a lighthearted selfie of the two of them with a caption that read "i really picked a winner {and he really picked a booger } Happy belated Birthday you weirdo. My weirdo." Gross? Cute? Debatable, but we're here for it.

October 2024: Announcing Their Engagement

Shaun and Nina are officially taking the next step: The couple announced their engagement on Instagram on October 30, 2024. "RIP boyfriend, hello fiancé," the Vampire Diaries alum captioned her post, which showed her and Shaun, surrounded by candles and kissing under a white floral arch, just moments after she said yes. The actress told Vogue exactly how the engagement went down; it started with a white lie from Shaun, who sent his bride-to-be a fake invitation from Anna Wintour. When the actress arrived to her meeting (a few minutes late, which was stressful for her!), she found the Olympic snowboarder down on one knee, instead.