Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse’s love story began at the 2017 Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party with an unexpected encounter—and an exchange straight out of a romantic comedy.
From an Instagram DM and a decidedly not-so-casual first date in China to a fairy-tale wedding in Palvin’s home country, Hungary, and the recent arrival of their first child, their relationship has had no shortage of memorable milestones. Through it all, Sprouse has remained one of Palvin’s biggest cheerleaders, especially at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, where he can always be seen giving a standing ovation for his VS angel wife.
Ahead, a look back at Palvin and Sprouse’s relationship, from their red-carpet meet-cute to their newest chapter as parents.
They meet at the Bazaar Icons party
September 2017
The Victoria’s Secret model and actor meet for the first time at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party. During an interview on the Not Skinny but Not Fat podcast, Sprouse recounts the meet-cute that took place when Palvin tries to cut him in line for the red carpet.
“Totally like a rom-com,” Sprouse says of the moment, “She just jumps over the red velvet divider and cuts me. And I was like, ‘I don’t care how pretty you are, you’re not cutting me.’ And she turns around, and I’m wearing this red-and-white striped shirt, and she goes, ‘What, are you a hot dog vendor?’”
After the encounter, Sprouse slides into Palvin’s Instagram DMs—but Palvin doesn’t reply for six months. “I slid into her DMs,” the actor tells W Magazine in 2019. “I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you’re in New York for very long, but we should hang out if you want to. Here’s my number.’ And she didn’t message me for six months.”
Palvin explains the delay in her response: “I took my time. I knew I wasn’t in a good mindset at the time, and maybe deep inside I knew that it could be something more,” she says.
They have their first date during a work trip to China
June 2018
Palvin flies to China, where Sprouse is on a work trip, for their first official date. In a later interview with People, she says, “I was supposed to work in China, and then they canceled the job. And I was like, ‘Do you think that’s crazy that I still want to go and see you?’ Because I was so excited. And he was like, ‘Please come.’”
The couple makes their relationship official after the trip.
They go Instagram official
August 2018
The couple hard-launches their relationship on Instagram when the model posts a photo of them for Sprouse’s birthday. "Even though it’s your birthday I feel I just got the biggest present of all ♥️🤗Happy birthday Boss Baby 🎂," she captions the selfie.
They return to the Bazaar Icons party
September 2018
One year after first meeting, Sprouse and Palvin return to where it all began: the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party, this time as a couple. They walk the red carpet together, and share sweet moments of PDA—including a few kisses—for the cameras.
