Luke Combs and Nicole Hocking's Relationship Timeline

Luke Combs is a recently married man! But his wife, Nicole Hocking, has actually been in his life for several years now. They first met in 2016 after locking eyes across the crowd and his wife quickly became the inspiration behind some of Luke's biggest country hits. After proposing in 2018, Luke and Nicole became husband and wife on Aug. 1, 2020, during an intimate, family-only ceremony. Ahead, a complete timeline of Luke Combs' relationship with wife Nicole Hocking, including everything you need to know about the woman who captured the country star's heart.

• Luke Combs first met wife Nicole Hocking in May 2016 while they were both attending the Key West Songwriters Festival.
• By September 2016, Luke and Nicole were officially dating; and the country star proposed two years later.
• Luke wed wife Nicole on Aug. 1, 2020, and the newlyweds are already enjoying married life.
• Nicole is currently a recruiting coordinator at Broadcast Music Inc. but also joins her husband on tour.

May 2016: Luke Combs Meets His Future Wife

Luke Combs and Nicole Hocking met long before his music career skyrocketed. Luke recently revealed to fans that he first met his future wife at the Key West Songwriters Festival in 2016. The couple supposedly locked eyes across the crowd, prompting Nicole to invite Luke to hang out with her and her friends, per Country Fancast.

September 1, 2016: Officially Dating

Following the festival, Luke invited Nicole over for dinner in their hometown of Nashville. The couple bonded over shared interests like water sports, boating, fishing, and of course, country music. And on Sept. 1, they were officially dating.

June 2, 2017: Nicole Inspires "Beautiful Crazy" Hit

Luke Combs' 2017 song "Beautiful Crazy" was the track that launched his career—and the musician has his Nicole to thank. The artist wrote the love song for his future wife a year earlier (before they were even dating!). With lyrics like "Beautiful, crazy / she can't help but amaze me / The way that she dances, ain't afraid to take chances / And wears her heart on her sleeve / Yeah, she's crazy but her crazy's beautiful to me," the tune became an instant classic, all with Nicole as muse!

November 14, 2018: New Artist of the Year

For Luke's first appearance at the Country Music Awards in 2018, Nicole was right by his side. He went on to win the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year that night, subsequently solidifying his status as a country music star.

November 29, 2018: At-Home Proposal

On November 29, 2018, Luke and Nicole revealed their engagement on Instagram during a vacation in Hawaii. But the proposal occurred weeks before the couple broke the news to fans. In fact, Luke popped the question to his future wife while they were moving into their first home together. He planned to put the ring on her cat's collar but the cat had an "accident" on the way, he told fans via Instagram. So, he got down on one knee in their kitchen instead. Of course, Nicole said yes!

February 10, 2019: Engaged at the Grammys

The engaged pair attended the Grammy Awards in 2019. While Combs didn't take home the award for Best New Artist that night, Nicole continued to inspire his music throughout the year. Songs like "Better Together and "Nothing Like You" from his 2019 album What You See Is What You Get were all written about Luke's fiancée.

August 1, 2020: Luke and Nicole Get Married

Luke married wife Nicole on Aug. 1, 2020, at their home in southern Florida. "Yesterday was the best day of my life. I got to marry my best friend. I love you @nicohocking, here's to forever," wrote Luke on Instagram following the ceremony. The couple kept their wedding party small, inviting family to witness their marriage on the beach. Even with the threat of a hurricane, the longtime couple managed to tie the knot (and plan to host a bigger celebration in 2021!).

November 11, 2020: Two More CMAs

At the Country Music Awards in 2020, Combs brought home two awards with his new wife by his side. His album, What You See Is What You Get, gave him the trophy for Best Album and he also won Best Male Vocalist. "Such an incredible night with the hubs," wrote wife Nicole on Instagram after the event.