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Updated Mar 06, 2025Inside Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson's Love Story With Andrew East
This athletic power duo met through his brother at the 2012 London Games.
Photo: Getty Images | Design: Natalie Romine
Shawn Johnson and her husband Andrew East share a love story worth flipping out over. The four-time Olympic gymnastics medalist met her husband, a fellow athlete, through the 2012 Games in London. After getting engaged at a baseball game in 2015, they tied the knot in Tennessee the following year.
Now, with three children together, the couple candidly documents family life on their YouTube channel and through comedic Instagram Reels. Here, we take a deep dive into Shawn Johnson and Andrew East's love story, breaking down their fateful meet-cute, their relationship timeline, and the sweetest details from their rustic wedding day.
- Shawn Johnson is married to Andrew East. They have been together since 2012.
- Shawn Johnson and Andrew East met through his brother, Guy East, at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Shawn Johnson and Andrew East got married on April 16, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Shawn Johnson and her husband share three children together: Drew, Jett and Barrett.
In this article:
- Who is Shawn Johnson's husband, Andrew East?
- How Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Met
- Shawn Johnson and Andrew East's Relationship Timeline
- Inside Andrew East and Shawn Johnson's Wedding
- All About Shawn Johnson and Andrew East's Children
Who is Shawn Johnson's husband, Andrew East?
You're probably quite familiar with Shawn Johnson: a world-renowned gymnast who took home four medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, including a gold in the balance beam event. But did you know her husband, Andrew East, was also an athlete?
The Indiana native played football for Vanderbilt University and had a four-year career in the NFL. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in May 2015 and went on to play for a handful of teams. He completed his career on the Washington Commanders and announced his retirement in 2022.
How Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Met
Shawn Johnson met her husband Andrew East in the most on-brand way: at the Olympics! Following her retirement from gymnastics in 2012, she attended the London Games that summer as a commentator. While there, she met Andrew's brother, Guy East—a cyclist who was competing in the tournament. After they hit it off as friends, Guy insisted that Johnson had to meet his brother, Andrew…and the rest was history.
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
Shawn Johnson and Andrew East's Relationship Timeline
Shortly after the 2012 Olympics, Shawn Johnson and Andrew East met IRL, thus embarking on a beautiful love story together. Take a peek inside their complete relationship timeline here, including the biggest milestones they've shared as a couple.
August 2012: Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Meet in Person
Once they were connected by his brother, Guy, Andrew East and Shawn Johnson began talking via Twitter. At the time, Johnson was in California while competing on season 15 of Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars. Since East was living in Tennessee, their correspondence was long-distance. After messaging for a few weeks, Johnson invited East to visit her in LA between dance rehearsals—an offer he happily took her up on.
On their second date, Johnson flew to Nashville to watch one of East's football games at Vanderbilt University, which turned into a four-day affair. "I fell head over heels," Johnson later told E! News. "I was like, 'Yeah, I could see myself with this guy.'"
For East, the connection was also instant: "I probably fell in love before she did." Four months later, Johnson moved to Tennessee to pursue her romance with East.
July 2015: Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Get Engaged at a Baseball Game
Three years after they met, Andrew East proposed to Shawn Johnson at a Chicago Cubs baseball game at Wrigley Field. He got down on one knee after Johnson threw out the first pitch, catching her in complete shock. "Well I know it's not a secret.... But I experienced the greatest surprise a girl could ever ask for today," she captioned a video of the engagement on Instagram. "The love of my life @andrewdeast asked me to be his forever AND I SAID YES!!!!!!"
April 16, 2016: Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Get Married
Andrew East and Shawn Johnson got married on April 16, 2016, in their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. The couple's "rustic elegance" nuptials took place in front of 350 guests and leaned into a bucolic aesthetic inspired by the farmhouse setting. We break down all the details of Shawn Johnson's wedding below.
October 2017: Shawn Johnson Opens Up About Her Miscarriage
Two days after learning they were pregnant in 2017, Shawn Johnson and her husband suffered a miscarriage. The couple opened up about the devastating experience on their YouTube channel: "The past 48 hours have been some of the happiest, scariest, and saddest times of my life," Johnson captioned the emotional vlog. "My husband Andrew and I found out that we were unexpectedly pregnant, only to find out hours later some tragic news. I have been crying more than I ever have, but am still optimistic for what is next."
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She shared more about the sequence of events in the video, saying, "So, it's been a roller coaster of a few days. We just got back from the doctor and I'm no longer pregnant. Somehow, I lost the pregnancy already. It sucks. It's definitely no fun, guys…and having a doctor confirm that we miscarried doesn't feel good." East consoled his wife, adding, "We've grown through it babe. And I can't emphasize enough how proud I am of you."
October 2019-December 2023: Andrew East and Shawn Johnson's Kids Join the Family
Two years later, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Drew Hazel East, on October 29, 2019. In the birth announcement shared on social media, Johnson confirmed Drew's name was inspired by her husband.
Drew became a big sister two years later with the birth of the couple's second child, son Jett James East. Like his older sibling, Jett's name also held significant meaning, as it was inspired by East's brother and Johnson's great-great-great grandmother.
The Johnson-East clan grew once again in December 2023 with the arrival of their third child, son Barrett "Bear" Madison East. Johnson's husband opened up about the birth experience in their newsletter, writing, "It's been amazing to see Shawn push through another C-section with a smile on her face and love this baby with everything she has. She's incredible. These are the moments life is all about!"
Inside Andrew East and Shawn Johnson's Wedding
Shawn Johnson's wedding to Andrew East took place on April 16, 2016, in Franklin, Tennessee. Although there were 350 guests at the special occasion, Johnson told People that she intended to keep it a highly significant and personal event. "We weren't trying to put on an elaborate wedding or have a wow factor," she explained. "We wanted it to be quirky and traditional and we wanted it to represent us."
The couple hired Sara Fried of Fête Nashville to bring their "rustic elegance" vision to life. The ceremony took place at a private farm nestled among the Tennessee mountains, which gave off a "relaxed" atmosphere. The bride wore a strapless lace wedding dress and accessorized with her mother's original wedding ring.
Similar lace details adorned the reception tables, along with exposed hanging bulbs that cast a cozy glow over the farm. For dinner, guests enjoyed fried chicken and waffles, buttermilk biscuits, polenta-dusted salmon and short ribs.
As is tradition in the groom's family, East presented his wife with a string of pearls on the day of the celebration. He later gifted her a handwritten letter and a surprise serenade during the reception. Johnson also crafted a thoughtful present for her husband. "Shawn is so loving and thoughtful," he told People. "She took the time to put together a collection of mementos that were special to us: tickets to MLB and hockey games we had been to together, the Cubs tickets from the game where we got engaged.
In 2021, Johnson shared a heartfelt tribute to her husband on their fifth wedding anniversary. "What I've learned since then is that marriage is amazing. If only I could have told myself back on our wedding day... that what I felt then couldn't even compare to what was to come," she wrote on Instagram. "@andrewdeast you are my everything. You never cease to amaze me. Thank you for fighting with me, laughing with me, and loving me through the years. Cheers baby.... to the next 95 ;)."
All About Shawn Johnson and Andrew East's Children
Shawn Johnson and her husband Andrew East share three children together: daughter Drew Hazel, and sons Jett James and Barrett Madison. The couple has been candid about their parenthood journey, often chronicling their highs and lows on Instagram and YouTube. After going through a tragic miscarriage in 2017, the couple said it helped strengthen their relationship.
Now, the East family is happier than ever. After welcoming their son Barrett in December 2023, Johnson opened up about motherhood in her newsletter. "It really never gets old," she wrote. "You spend your whole pregnancy wondering how you could possibly love another baby just as much as your first two and then in an instant your heart expands and basically triples in size, it's incredible. Being a mom is truly my favorite thing."
