Why Hallmark's Alexa PenaVega Never Got Her Dream Proposal From Husband, Carlos PenaVega
Alexa PenaVega first found fame as one-half of the iconic sibling duo in the "Spy Kids" franchise. She went on to star in the movie "Sleepover" and the Freeform series "Ruby & the Rockits." In 2016, PenaVega appeared in her very first Hallmark movie, "Ms. Matched." Aside from her acting endeavors, PenaVega has frequently made headlines due to her unique love story with her husband and Big Time Rush member Carlos PenaVega.
The two met at a Bible study group in Los Angeles and got married in 2013. Upon tying the knot, they decided to combine their last names, changing from Alexa Vega and Carlos Pena to Alexa and Carlos PenaVega. The happy couple combined their professional lives as well, competing against each other on "Dancing With the Stars." The PenaVegas have also appeared in Hallmark films together, including "Enchanted Christmas" and "Love at Sea."
Although they've already enjoyed several years of marital bliss together, how they got engaged did not go entirely according to the couple's vision.
Carlos PenaVega planned to propose with an elaborate display
Alexa PenaVega told Us Weekly that her husband, Carlos PenaVega, originally planned a "super cool and romantic" proposal while they were enjoying a cruise ship vacation. "I thought it was so genius. There's this water show on this cruise ship — he was in talks with them and chickened out last minute — where in the middle of the show, the floor [would come] up, and then all the acrobats [would] come out of the water and they're literally lifted out of the water," she recalled.
Alexa continued, "He wanted to come up out of that while I'm watching the show and propose to me that way." Though the "Spy Kids" star loved the idea she still obviously said "yes" to Carlos's more subtle approach when he proposed while the couple was simply having dinner with friends. Carlos later slyly confirmed their engagement on Instagram, posting a photo of Alexa in September of 2013 wherein her engagement ring is clearly visible. The dreamy Mexico wedding, meanwhile, took place just four months later.
Alexa and Carlos PenaVega signed a deal with Hallmark for more films
Despite not following through with the lavish cruise ship show proposal idea, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega have been going strong ever since. The couple now shares three children together: Ocean, Kingston, and Rio. In 2017, Alexa and Carlos left LA to live in Hawaii after feeling that they did not "fit the Hollywood mold" when it came to how they wanted to manage their marriage and family life (via People).
However, the couple seems to have found a perfect fit with Hallmark as they aim to be together as much as possible. This means that they enjoy working on the same projects, hence the films in which both Alexa and Carlos appear. "Hallmark has just been so accommodating with that and anytime there's an opportunity for us to work together, they bring it up. And if there isn't, they fly the whole family out and we're together anyway," Alexa told Southern Living.
Their ongoing partnership with the network is really paying off, too. In 2022, Alexa and Carlos both signed lucrative deals with Hallmark to appear in more films in the future.