Exciting Life Moments From Hallmark Stars In 2023

The stars of the Hallmark Channel have given us plenty to be happy about this year, with more new original movies than we could hope for and the perfect Countdown to Christmas to celebrate the season. However, it's not just the fans of the Hallmark Channel who've had plenty to be thankful for in 2023. The stars themselves have had a lot to celebrate, too. From engagements to professional endeavors and expanding families, the actors in some of our favorite, heartwarming content have had one amazing year. 

The Hallmark Channel has more than a few stars that its fans have come to know and love, and between all of them, it isn't easy to narrow down the most exciting news of the year to just a few. Still, there are some major milestones that Hallmark stars reached in 2023 that are just too great not to celebrate. Here's our roundup of our favorite Hallmark Channel celebrities' super-exciting moments from this year that you may not have heard about.

On June 21, Luke Macfarlane took to Instagram to announce the birth of his daughter, Tess Eleanor Macfarlane. The photos of his newborn daughter show their instant connection, and it's easy to see just how happy he and his partner Hig Roberts are to be new parents. Macfarlane's post announced that Tess was born on June 4, which was followed by some "hectic days." He wrote, "On Father's Day we got to take her home. Her Dads can't wait to introduce her to all the remarkable people and the beautiful world we live in." 

Hallmark fans know Alicia Witt from films like "A Very Merry Mixup" and "Our Christmas Love Song." But, beyond her acting career, Witt is also a musician. In 2023, the star showed off her singing chops from inside an elaborate costume on "The Masked Singer." After doing well throughout most of the competition show's ninth season, Dandelion's identity was revealed when Witt took off her mask. The gig came at just the right time in her life — too right after her battle with breast cancer. Her experience on the show inspired her new EP "Witness." 

For Brennan Elliot, this year's anniversary was a big one in a very special way. In April 2022, Elliott shared devastating health news about his wife on Instagram — the star's partner Camilla Row was battling stage IV stomach cancer. On March 7 of this year, Elliott took to Instagram once more to announce that Row was cancer-free. On September 10, Elliott shared a heartfelt post for his wife to celebrate the 12th anniversary of when he proposed. After gushing over his wife, Elliott wrote, "I will never leave your side." 

Carlos and Alexa PenaVega have introduced fans to multiple Hallmark movie couples played by these real-life lovers, in films like "Love at Sea" and "Love in the Limelight," to name a few. In addition to quite a few Hallmark movies, the couple has also created a beautiful family — and, as of 2023, it's growing. On November 11, the couple posted an Instagram photo flaunting Alexa's tiny baby bump. "Thank God we love adventures," the caption reads, adding "Oh baby here we come! Número cuatro!" Clearly, the PenaVegas are thrilled to welcome their fourth child. 

Among his other Hallmark credits, you may know Jake Foy for his role as Tuff McMurray on the network's series "Ride." This spring, the actor announced on Instagram that he'd gotten engaged to longtime boyfriend Nicolas La Traverse on May 8. The post included a beautiful photo series of the actor getting down on one knee to ask the big question at Banff National Park.

The pair had been dating for five years before Foy put a ring on it. The proposal came just five months after the couple bought a home together. 

If you're a Hallmark Channel actor, then you know a bit about holiday cheer. So, who better to make a seasonal soundtrack than one of Hallmark's favorite leading men? Surely this is what "Christmas Cookies" and "Haul out the Holly" star Wes Brown was thinking when he released a Christmas album this year. On November 15, he posted the announcement on Instagram. "My new record 'My Kind Of Christmas' is now out streaming on all music platforms!" he wrote. "Thanks for making myself and these songs a small part of your holiday. Forever grateful."

Wes Brown wasn't the only Hallmark star to debut new Christmas music this year. Jessy Schram, who's starred in movies like "Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas" and this year's "Mystic Christmas" came out with two of her own holiday tunes in 2023. And, that's not all — she also got hitched this summer. The star made it official with Sterling Taylor on June 18 in an antique shop in Chicago. From the sound of it, Schram's entire 2023 was something out of a Hallmark movie, and what could be more fitting than that? 

You may have caught Brant Daugherty in this year's new Hallmark movie "Joyeux Noel." And, he didn't just star in the film; he also co-wrote it with his wife, Kimberly Daugherty. And, that's not the only big news this couple had this year. They're also expecting baby number two. Brant announced that he will be a boy dad x2 this coming year with a cheeky Instagram post on October 5. The post featured a photo of Brant holding their son Wilder alongside Kimberly holding her pregnant belly with the caption, "Us and our boy...s." 

Torrey DeVitto has been in more than a few Hallmark Channel movies from "Love's Greek to Me" to "Twas the Night Before Christmas." In real life, she's right in the middle of a love story of her own. In September, the star posted a series of photos of her and her new fiancé Jared LaPine. "While walking the back trails at the farm, still in my PJs and goat boots, he got down on one knee, in what I hoped wasn't poison ivy, and asked for forever," DeVitto wrote. "My answer was obvious."

Hunter King is an up-and-coming Hallmark star with more and more movies under her belt, including 2023's "The Santa Summit." However, Hunter wasn't the first family member to grace the Hallmark Channel, though. Her younger sister, Emmy-nominated actor Joey King appeared in the Hallmark movie "Elevator Girl" in 2010. In September, Joey tied the knot with now-husband Steven Piet. Hunter celebrated alongside her sister as maid-of-honor. "I couldn't be happier that these two found each other and now get to spend forever together," she shared. "Truly the most incredible wedding for the most incredible people."