The Complete Timeline Of Kourtney Kardashian And Travis Barker's Relationship
First comes friendship, and then comes love. That was certainly the case with Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, who enjoyed a platonic friendship long before rocking the world with their PDA-loving romance. Though they didn't make their relationship Instagram-official until 2021, they go way back — to the '00s when they met through Kardashian's famous sister, Kim (per US Weekly). Over the years, the two remained friends and became neighbors in Calabasas, California, and as a result, their kids became friends, too.
Kardashian opened up more about their relationship in her family Hulu series "The Kardashians," per Today, and said the timing was finally on their side during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I was definitely always attracted to Travis. I think it was just the right time in my life," she said. According to the reality star, she made the first move and shared her feelings with Barker, and it was mutual.
From captivating the world's attention with their PDA-filled appearances to blending their families and going on adventurous trips, here's the complete timeline of Kardashian and Barker's relationship.
Travis Barker originally had eyes for Kourtney Kardashian's famous sister
Kourtney Kardashian wasn't the first Kardashian who caught Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker's attention. It was her sister, Kim Kardashian. He met Kim in Amsterdam through his girlfriend at the time, Paris Hilton, in 2006, he told US Weekly in 2015.
"Kim was Paris' assistant," he told the outlet, adding, "She got all of Paris' belongings together wherever we traveled." Despite being in a relationship, Barker couldn't help but feel attracted to the famous Kardashian. "How could you not stare at Kim? Mind you, I enjoyed hanging out with Paris, but I love curvy girls," he confessed, adding, "Kim was eye candy. I was no way disrespectful to Paris, but I couldn't keep my eyes off Kim!"
Kim and Barker continued hanging out with Kim back home in California — but strictly just as pals. They'd typically meet for lunch, and it was during one of those meet-ups Kim asked Barker if she should sign on to appear on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." At the time, Barker was a reality TV star himself on "Meet the Barkers," a show about his family. Little did Barker know another Kardashian would catch his eye.
They were friends and neighbors for years
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker weren't hot and heavy in the beginning. In fact, for years, they enjoyed a platonic friendship that blossomed as neighbors. During Hulu's 2022 premiere episode of "The Kardashians," a series spotlighting the famous family, Kardashian shared (via Today) how she'd known Barker since the '00s and that he even appeared on the family's original E! series "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." The two eventually wound up as neighbors in Calabasas, California, and their children (from previous relationships) became friends.
"We would almost, like, play house because we would do things together with our kids. We would go to museums and go to church," Kardashian recounted about Barker and his family in the premiere episode (via Today). According to PopSugar, the couple met as early as 2006, but, at the time, Barker was dating socialite Paris Hilton. The Kardashian connection was Kim, who, at the time, was working as Paris's stylist.
It would be years until Kardashian and Barker would pursue a romantic relationship.
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian sparked romance rumors in 2018
Fast forward to 2018, when things between Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian seemed to be heading the romantic route. That year, Metro caught the two Hollywood stars having dinner at a Vegan restaurant co-owned by Barker. Per the outlet, Barker walked her to her car, and they spoke a little before saying goodnight. A month before the meet-up, Barker slid into Kardashian's DMs and commented on an Instagram photo of her posing on a bike in Los Cabos, Mexico, sparking romance rumors.
The following year, the two were seen leaving restaurant Nobu Malibu together per E!. A source told the mag that it was a "family dinner," and they brought their kids along, and that the two enjoy a "really nice friendship." According to the E! source, the Nobu dinner was just one of the many times the two have hung out together, either alone or at family functions, throughout the years.
So are they, aren't they? The two kept fans guessing.
Travis Barker shot down dating rumors with Kourtney Kardashian
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian remained mum about their romantic relationship status before making it official on Instagram in 2021 — but later on that. In an interview with People during the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Barker shot down the romance rumors swirling about him and the famous Kardashian. "Kourtney's like a dear friend. That's it," he told the outlet, adding that while he does care for her, he sees her as a good friend. "I mean, I love her to death. I love her family to death. But yeah, just friends."
In the same People article, a source alluded to the mag about the future of Barker and Kardashian's budding romance. "They could turn into something in the future, but it hasn't happened yet," the source said, adding, "They're just talking and spending a little bit of time together. This isn't a big romance, but I'd say there's some mutual interest there."
The two didn't stay in each other's friend zones for too long after that.
The two started officially dating
After years of romance rumors swirling around Tinseltown and beyond about this famous duo, a source confirmed to US Weekly in January 2021 that Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian had officially become an item. "They have been close friends for years and have been dating for a couple months. Travis is very smitten with Kourtney and has been for a while," the source told the outlet.
The day before the big news surfaced, US Weekly published another piece on the duo and shared how they spent quality time together at Kris Jenner's mansion in Palm Springs. According to the mag, Kardashian shared an evening and night photo poolside on her Instagram account during their romantic getaway. While multiple outlets, including People and E!, reported about their change in relationship status as told by unnamed sources, Kardashian and Barker would later confirm the happy news, celebrity-style.
The duo confirmed their relationship on Instagram
After multiple sources confirmed to numerous outlets that Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were dating in January 2021, the duo kept fans on the edge of their seats before confirming the news. And, of course, they had to make it Instagram-official before anything else.
Kardashian took to Instagram on February 16, 2021, with a photo of her manicured hand holding Barker's, full of tattoos. It was the first photo the reality TV star shared of her and her drummer boyfriend on her Instagram account. Kardashian posted the photo on Instagram two days after Valentine's Day (via People).
The duo reportedly took to their Instagram stories before the big reveal to show fans a glimpse into their first Valentine's Day together, per People. The lovebirds shared photos of a fireplace on their respective Instagram stories, and Barker shared a photo on his story of what could've been his gift to Kardashian, a diamond anklet.
In September of that year, the two made their relationship red carpet-official by attending the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards together, as reported by People.
They haven't been shy about packing on the PDA
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have no aversion to public displays of affection. From glamorous red carpets to romantic dinner dates, it doesn't seem like the famous pair can keep their hands off each other. After making their relationship Instagram official in early 2021, the duo has been spotted on countless occasions showing PDA. According to Just Jared, the two couldn't help but kiss and cuddle on a dinner date in Calabasas, California, where they live.
Kardashian and Barker made their Oscars debut as a couple during the 2022 ceremony, per People, and showed plenty of love (and open-mouth kisses) in front of photographers and viewers at home on the red carpet before the televised event.
Kardashian shared a behind-the-scenes photo album of Oscar night with fans on Instagram, which showcases more photos of the lovebirds embracing and holding hands. This album is just one of the many PDA-filled photos on Kardashian's Instagram feed, including a photo of the two kissing intimately in a pool in late 2021. Seems like things are hot and heavy in the Kardashian and Barker love bubble.
The lovebirds blended their families
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker make one big, happy blended family. Kardashian has three kids with her ex-boyfriend Scott Disick — sons, Mason and Reign, and daughter Penelope — and Barker, who was married twice before, has a stepdaughter Atiana, a son, Landon, and a daughter, Alabama, with ex-wife Shanna Moakler per People.
This blended family does a lot of world travel, from ski escapades to amusement park adventures, and seems to have fun together. Kardashian regularly shares family photos on her Instagram feed. In November 2021, the blended family took to the ski slopes of Deer Valley, Utah, per Billboard. Kardashian shared a series of photos with her Instagram followers of their magical winter vacation.
In April 2022, the family headed to the most magical place on earth, Disneyland, for Kardashian's birthday. She took to Instagram to share a photo album of the family vacation, including a photo of mom and dad posing in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle.
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian professed their love with tattoos
Travis Barker is no stranger to tattoos. According to People, he's got over 100 of them. Some of the most meaningful of them are the ones inspired by Kourtney Kardashian.
In 2021, Kardashian posted a photo on Instagram with a close-up shot of her name tattooed in cursive on Barker's skin. According to People, it was the first tattoo Barker dedicated to his lady. That same year, Kardashian posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram showing the reality TV star tattooing Barker's arm, writing the words, "I love you."
Barker shared on his Instagram story, per People, that the "I love you" tattoo is his favorite. He captioned the post: "My favorite tattoo from my favorite tattoo artist." Barker made things even more permanent when he got a third tattoo inspired by Kardashian, this time, her lips. Per People, he added a scorpion tattoo with an imprint of Kardashian's lips to his body in 2021. It seems like these two are written in ink.
Travis Barker popped the question in the most romantic way
Red roses in the shape of a heart, countless white candles, and the Pacific Ocean sunset as the backdrop — Travis Barker made his proposal to Kourtney Kardashian a swoon-worthy event. After around nine months of dating and decades of friendship, Barker asked Kardashian for her hand in marriage on the beach of the Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel in Montecito, California, in October 2021 (per Page Six). Kardashian shared a photo album of the romantic engagement photos on Instagram with the caption: "I woke up all night thinking it was a dream."
Per Page Six, the engagement was a family affair and included Kardashian's sister Kim and Barker's daughter, Alabama. There was a post-engagement dinner and plenty of Instagram photos of Kardashian's dazzling new rock. Barker worked alongside jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, who told People that the diamond was custom-designed by Barker.
A source told People that the engagement was a surprise to Kardashian, but Barker let their families in on the secret and urged them to keep quiet. He chose the Rosewood hotel because it's their go-to weekend getaway destination. How romantic!
The duo tied the knot (unofficially) at a Vegas chapel
When in Vegas, you tie the knot in a wedding ceremony in front of an Elvis Presley impersonator. At least, that's what Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian figured when they found themselves in Sin City for the 2022 Grammys without a wedding license. As always, Kardashian took to Instagram afterwards with a series of photos documenting the happy night — or morning. According to Kardashian's caption, they wed in front of the (fake) King of Rock 'n' Roll at 2 a.m. She later explained on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that they tried to get a license but it was impossible at that hour.
Per People, they said "I do" unofficially at the One Love Wedding Chapel. The chapel owner told the outlet that he had to scramble to get an Elvis to his 24-hour chapel after the late-night request. "I didn't know who it was until they pulled up. I advertise as 24-hours but they wanted to make sure I was still there. They paid and they requested Elvis Presley, that was mandatory," Marty Frierson told the mag.
A source told People the duo are planning for a small wedding later on in 2022, as of this writing.
They're sharing their love with TV viewers
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian are streaming their love. The pair appear in Hulu's "The Kardashians" series, which premiered in 2022. Barker is no stranger to reality TV, making a cameo in "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and on his own MTV reality series, "Meet the Barkers," between 2005 and 2006.
The Kardashian show documents various aspects of the famous Kardashians' lives — Khloe, Kim, and Kourtney, including their significant others and children. Mom Kris, and her other two daughters, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, also share the screen. Per Billboard, the cameras document Barker's journey proposing to Kourtney. In one early episode, Barker is shown telling Kourtney's family of his proposal plans.
"The 17th is the first day we ever hung out and, like I told your mom, I've been madly in love with Kourtney forever and I believe she's my soulmate," Barker told Kris and Khloe over the phone before sharing that he planned to propose. Seems like nothing is off limits when this duo is on the screen.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are growing their blended family
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian want a baby of their own despite having children from previous relationships. Kardashian opened up about their journey with in vitro fertilization on her new family Hulu show "The Kardashians," which aired in April 2022 (per Today).
"Travis and I want to have a baby," the reality TV star said during an episode, adding, "My doctor took us down this road of doing IVF, and it hasn't been the most amazing experience." Kardashian believes the medicine given by her doctor has made her depressed and caused other complications, like early menopause.
A source told People the couple started their IVF journey in the summer of 2021, just months after they began dating. During an episode of "The Kardashians," Kardashian addressed the body-shaming comments and pregnancy rumors. "Every single person on social media is always like, 'Kourtney's pregnant, Kourtney's pregnant, Kourtney's gained so much weight.' I'm like, it's so rude to comment on people when you have no idea what they're actually going through," she said in the episode (via People).
Though the future is uncertain, one thing is clear: Kardashian and Barker are in it for the long haul.
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