Candice King And Steven Krueger Are Engaged!
It’s official — a Vampire Diaries universe crossover is happening, but this time it’s not on TV. It’s at the altar! Candice King, best known as Caroline Forbes from The Vampire Diaries, is engaged to Steven Krueger, who played Josh Rosza in its spinoff The Originals.
The news dropped in the sweetest way on May 14 when Candice posted a heart-melting message on Instagram just one day after turning 38.
“I think 38 just might be my favorite year yet,” she wrote, alongside a red heart and birthday cake emoji. “A couple of weeks ago @stevenakrueger gave me the best gift of all when he asked me to marry him.”
Candice called growing older a privilege and said sharing life with Steven makes it even sweeter. She added, “Thank you for asking me to dance through life with you.”
The actress, glowing with joy, shared six dreamy engagement photos taken at their favorite Nashville cocktail bar, Martha My Dear. Steven wore a classic black suit, while Candice channeled bridal vibes in a white satin mini dress with a bow detail — and yes, her engagement ring is a stunning square-cut diamond that sparkled just as brightly as her smile.
The couple toasted their love with what appeared to be old fashioned cocktails in every photo. Their photographer even teased fans with a cheeky message: “You get one guess on what the official wedding cocktail is going to be.”
The post sparked an outpouring of love from fans and famous friends alike. The official Vampire Diaries Instagram account dropped a trio of black hearts. Nina Dobrev, who played Elena Gilbert (Caroline’s bestie on the show), commented “Congratulations” with a shower of heart-eyed emojis. Michael Trevino, once Caroline’s on-screen flame Tyler Lockwood, also chimed in with a big, bold “Woo Hoo!!! Love IT!”
Riley Voelkel, aka Freya Mikaelson from The Originals, reacted with an excited “OMG screaming!!!!” And she wasn’t the only celeb cheering for the couple. Congrats also rolled in from Scarlett Hefner, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jenna Ushkowitz, and The Bachelorette’s Hannah Brown.
Candice and Steven went public with their romance on December 27, 2023, when she posted a joyful end-of-year video. The clip included everything from vacations and laughter to a sweet kiss between the two, sealing the deal that something special was brewing.
“I laughed. I cried. I laughed ‘til I cried. I loved. Thanks for the dance 2023,” the actress wrote at the time.
Candice was previously married to The Fray guitarist Joe King. They tied the knot in 2014 and split in 2022. The former couple shares two daughters, Florence and Josephine.
