Jaymes Vaughan and Jonathan Bennett attend The 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 02, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.Photo:Randy Shropshire/Getty
Randy Shropshire/Getty
Jonathan Bennettfound his Hallmark love story with his husband, Jaymes Vaughan.
The couplefirst met in October 2016on the news programCelebrity Pagewhen Vaughan interviewed theMean Girlsstar. Bennett toldThe Knotin 2021 that when he first saw Vaughan, he thought he was “the most beautiful man” he’d seen and immediately ran to the bathroom to fix his hair.
“I came out of the bathroom and his producer Jade was standing in front of me,” he recalled. “I asked her this exact question: ‘Am I about to meet my future husband?’ And she said, ‘I think so.’ “
Vaughan had a different version of the story, though he did note that he felt “electricity” with Bennett when they took a photo together. He explained, “I love how he says it was love at first sight for him. For me, I was just ready to do my interview, get it done and get on with the day.”
He explained, “We kept having to stop and remind ourselves that we weren’t on a movie set, but this was actually our real life. If you had told me this was one of my Hallmark movie sets, I would have believed it. It was that perfect.”
For Vaughan, the couple’s relationship and wedding were also a dream come true for his childhood self. He spoke toOut Travelerin January 2023 about his personal journey leading up to their wedding day, telling the outlet, “Jonathan showed up in my life and changed it for the better.”
So, who is Jonathan Bennett’s husband? Here’s everything to know about Jaymes Vaughan and his relationship with the actor.
He’s from Virginia
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan take a selfie on the beach.Jaymes Vaughan Instagram
Jaymes Vaughan Instagram
Before he moved to Nevada, Vaughan grew up in the south, hailing from Chesterfield County, Virginia. As an adult, Vaughan settled in Las Vegas, tellingLas Vegas Weeklyin June 2021, that it was the place that felt most like home to him. He explained, “No matter where you go, Vegas has that small-town feel. Regardless of what industry you’re in, people always have your back.”
“When Jonathan said yes, I was like, ‘You realize it means you live in Vegas with me now, because Vegas is home,’ ” Vaughan said of the couple’s 2020 engagement. “He was like, ‘Oh, my God, I love Vegas. You kidding me?’ “
Bennett and Vaughan previously split time between Las Vegas and Palm Springs, California, with Bennett tellingPalm Springs Lifein November 2022 that he would drive back to Los Angeles for an audition or work if needed. The pairhave since moved outof their Palm Springs home as of August 2023.
Jaymes Vaughan attends the 2019 American Music Awards on November 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
While he was working as a Chippendales host in Las Vegas, Vaughan and his colleague James Davis appeared onThe Amazing Raceseason 21. In a 2012 interview with theAssociated Press, Vaughan revealed he and Davis initially turned down the opportunity to be on the show, but they had a change of heart when Vaughan’s dad was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
After meeting Bennett onCelebrity Pagein 2016, Vaughan stepped away from his role as host after eight years in 2022. He went on to play characters in the moviesChocolate City: Vegas StripandThe Plus One, the latter with Bennett as part of the cast, too.
He and Bennett were the first gay couple to appear on the cover ofThe Knot
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan take a selfie.Jaymes Vaughan Instagram
Bennett and Vaughan made history when they became the first gay couple to appear on the cover ofThe Knotfor the magazine’s summer 2021 issue. Reflecting on the moment withOut Travelerin April 2021, the couple shared what it meant to be featured, with Vaughan saying he was “super proud ofThe Knotand what they did with the issue.”
“I think that’s our job as this generation of LGBTQ+ people, to make it easier on the next, and help them feel seen, normal, and hopeful for their own future,” Vaughan explained. “And to open doors for others in our community to follow through.”
He added, “When you see two men on the cover and then open it up and see the diversity, and the representation for so many groups of people, it’s really dang special to be a part of.”
He and Bennett had a “Hallmark movie fantasy” wedding
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan on their wedding day in 2022.Todd Danforth Photography
After their wedding, Vaughan told PEOPLE he had gotten to marry his “best friend” and opened up about the emotions that came along with their special day.
“I knew we’d be emotional but I don’t think either of us realized just how overwhelming that moment would be until we were in it," he explained. “Seeing him crying only made me cry harder, and then our guests cry harder, and then we’d all start laughing, and then all back into crying.”
Their first dance was to “Our Song,” a tune Vaughan wrote for Bennett as part of their proposal. Bennett described the moment as “unforgettable” in a December 2023 interview with PEOPLE.
“We got to slow dance to the song and I got to hear my husband sing it. Then there were fireworks and all of our friends and family were around us,” Bennett said. “It was a moment that looked like a Hallmark movie that I’m in. So it was like for the first time I wasliving my actual Hallmark moviefantasy.”
“Two years ago today, I married my best friend. Two years ago today, I became the luckiest man alive,” he wrote. In a separate post, Vaughan said: “Two years in I can honestly say it is way better than anything I ever dreamed of. I get to wake up every day with my best friend, my practical jokester, my soul mate.”
He and Bennett run a company and podcast together
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan embrace while at an event.Jaymes Vaughan Instagram
Bennett and Vaughan have separate passions but have joined forces on several projects over the years. They own the LGBTQ+ travel company, OUTbound, and host the iHeartRadio podcastPridecasttogether, which wasnominated for a GLAAD award.
The idea for OUTbound was born during the COVID-19 pandemic when the couple were yearning to go on a trip with other members of the LGBTQ+ community, Bennett said in a January 2023 interview withOut Traveler.
Alongside their friend, Eric Hodgson, they founded the company to “create a queer safe space for people to travel and see the world, and do these amazing international things.”
As owners of a travel company, they also embrace their love for adventure. The pair have shared glimpses of their trips with their followers on social media. In 2023, Vaughan documented their travels, including toItaly,Austria,the Netherlands,South AfricaandJapan.
He’s a supportive husband
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan pose for a photo outdoors.Jaymes Vaughan Instagram
In December 2022, Vaughan posted several times about his husband’s Hallmark movieThe Holiday Sitter,calling the role his “favorite thing he’s ever done"on Instagram.
Most recently, in January 2023, Vaughan joined Bennett in New York City for his Broadway debut inSpamalot. In honor of the special moment, Vaughan shared a heartfelt tribute to Bennett, praising his determination.
He and Bennett had a heartwarming reaction to Hallmark’s first film featuring a gay couple
Jaymes Vaughan and Jonathan Bennett attend Hallmark Channel’s ‘Christmas on Cherry Lane’ New York Screening on December 07, 2023 in New York City.Craig Barritt/Getty
Craig Barritt/Getty
Bennett and Vaughan were together when Bennett got the script for 2020’sThe Christmas House,Hallmark’s first movie to feature a gay couple prominently. Bennett recalled the story on thePEOPLE Every Daypodcastin November 2022, explaining that he was overcome with emotion after he read the script.
“I got to the first scene where I’m with my husband of the movie and we’re talking about adoption and I was like, ‘Wait a minute’ — and then I had to go back and look at it again because they didn’t tell me what the character was. They just said, ‘Here’s the role,’ " Bennett said.
He added, “I remember distinctively screaming to Jaymes, being like, ‘Babe, there’s a gay character.’ And he came running up the stairs.I think I had tears in my eyesactually because it was such a moment of feeling so seen.”
source: people.com
