Paul Wesley Is Engaged to Girlfriend Natalie Kuckenburg: ‘Always and Forever’

Paul Wesley is engaged!

The Vampire Diaries star, 42, asked girlfriend Natalie Kuckenburg to marry him, the 25-year-old model announced on Instagram on Saturday, July 19.

Kuckenburg’s ring was front and center in the post, which included a black-and-white snap of her and Wesley holding hands.

“Yes 🤍,” she captioned the close-up shot of her oval-cut sparkler. “Always and forever.”

Wesley marked the celebratory moment by sharing a sweet photograph of himself and Kuckenburg on his Instagram Stories. In it, they posed close together, with the model’s ring on display.

The actor previously shared a carousel of photos from a recent Italian getaway on Instagram on Wednesday, July 16.

“A beautiful time in Tuscany,” he wrote alongside the vacation post, which included a snap of Kuckenburg lounging in the sun. “The best time!!” the model added in a comment.

On Thursday, July 17, the pair was spotted soaking up the sun — and sharing a kiss — in Italy, this time on the Amalfi Coast.

Wesley and Kuckenburg were first spotted together while on vacation in the European country in November 2022. At the time, the couple were seen enjoying a romantic dinner date in Nerano.

After they were photographed sharing a kiss, they each posted photos from the same location on their Instagram accounts. (The pair also shared a kiss in Kuckenburg’s most recent post documenting their latest Italian vacation.)

Since they were first linked, Wesley and Kuckenburg have posted several sweet tributes to each other on their respective Instagram accounts.

In February, the model marked Valentine’s Day with a PDA-filled photo carousel on Instagram and wrote, “My best friend ❤️ My soulmate ❤️ My everything ❤️ every day is Valentine’s Day with you ❤️.”

“Love you @paulwesley. Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world!” she continued, as the actor replied, “❤️❤️❤️.”

The actor also dedicated a post to Kuckenburg on Valentine’s Day and, more recently, celebrated her birthday with an Instagram carousel in June. “It’s my favorite person’s birthday,” he captioned the sweet tribute.

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Wesley gave PEOPLE a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship in March 2024, explaining that laughter is crucial to their romance.

“There’s two people that are the funniest people in my life — Number one, my dog, and number two, frankly, my girlfriend,” Wesley said at the time.

“I think the reason we get along so well is because all we do is laugh,” he added, “and I think it’s probably one of the most important things in a relationship.”

Wesley was previously married to Ines de Ramon. In September 2022, a representative for the former couple confirmed to PEOPLE that they were no longer together, and their divorce was finalized in 2024.