Ten years ago, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court changed history with one ruling — same-sex marriage was now legal across all 50 states. It was a victory for love, a celebration of identity, and a long-overdue recognition of equality. For millions, it was the beginning of something new. And for couples like Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan, it was the beginning of forever.
The two first crossed paths in 2016 during an interview on Celebrity Page, where Jaymes was a host and Jonathan was a guest. What should’ve been just another red carpet moment turned into the stuff of queer rom-com dreams. Bennett, the Mean Girls alum with that signature smile, was immediately smitten. So much so that, as he’s since admitted, he ran to the bathroom mid-press day to fix his hair and nervously asked his producer, “Am I about to meet my future husband?” The answer was yes. Yes, he absolutely was.
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From first glance to forever, their love has been nothing short of heartwarming. After years of dating (and a proposal that had us all tearing up in 2020), Jonathan and Jaymes tied the knot in 2022 — a wedding filled with joy, love, chosen family, and a beautiful sense of arrival. For Jonathan, marriage was more than just a ceremony — it was a grounding moment. “There’s a sense of, ‘Okay, I have my person… I have a home,’” he told People. “It gives you a sense of exhalation.” And what a sweet sigh of love it was.
Now, the pair continue to remind us — through every Instagram story, candid moment, and perfectly filtered vacation selfie — what queer joy looks like. Whether it’s Jaymes supporting Jonathan’s Hallmark holiday film premieres, or Jonathan hyping up Jaymes’ solo music releases, they’re that couple who actually makes love look fun, supportive, and very, very real. They lift each other up — emotionally, creatively, and quite literally, as anyone who’s watched Jaymes lug five suitcases up the steps of Santorini can attest.
Their relationship, in many ways, is a celebration of what the 2015 ruling gave the LGBTQ+ community: the space to dream bigger, love louder, and build lives that aren’t just tolerated — but fully recognized and celebrated.
In a world where dating apps, ghosting, and commitment phobia are the norm, seeing two people continue to show up for one another is refreshing. Watching Jonathan and Jaymes simply be together — goofy, glamorous, in love — is a hopeful reminder that marriage is still magic, and love, when nurtured and protected, really can be the most powerful thing.
So here’s to ten years of marriage equality, and to couples like Jonathan and Jaymes — for showing us how far we’ve come and how good it can still be.
REFERENCES: People Magazine