Derek Hough Has Exciting Relationship News

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert have been inspiring engagement rumors for a while now. Hough and the "Dancing with the Stars" troupe dancer have been going strong since 2015, with Hough opening up about the possibility of children for the couple. In 2018, the "DWTS" veteran told Us Weekly that he definitely wanted a few mini-me's. "You kind of live in that time where you say, 'Yeah, yeah, I want kids' but I think you just sort of say it automatically ... but I'm certain now that I definitely want kids," Hough told the outlet.

In recent years, the couple has also adopted a Zen attitude about romancing in the public eye. "It's just tiring," Hough told ET in 2020 of hiding their relationship in the past. "I think I just kind of got almost conditioned to feel or believe that I have to hide everything," Hough added. "When in reality I was just like, 'You know what? There's a freedom to just being open about it."

The couple, like so many others, quarantined together during the coronavirus pandemic. As Hough said on a 2020 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (via People), the quality downtime brought them together and "we grew as a couple tremendously." Hough and Erbert's latest relationship move would certainly support this.

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert had an aww-worthy proposal

After seven years together, Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert are ready to put a ring on it. The "World of Dance" star announced their engagement in a June 2 Instagram post, sharing a photo of the two embracing in front of a candlelit floral arrangement. "It's only the beginning...the beginning of forever," Hough captioned it. Among the celebrities to write in congratulations in the comments was "Come Dance With Me" judge Jenna Dewan, who gushed, "Awwwwww yay congratulations!!!!!!" Meanwhile, Hough's famous dancing sister, Julianne Hough, simply commented a series of heart emojis. 

As People reported, the proposal — which happened on May 23 — was planned by Hough alongside event planner Troy Williams. As Williams explained to the outlet, "Derek surprised her and got her out of the house for the afternoon. He wanted their home transformed." He also elaborated on the significance of Hough proposing at home. "Their home is their sanctuary and it's where they fell even more in love," Williams said, adding, "It was just everything — such a special, beautiful moment and just so them."