How Did Beyoncé & Jay Z Become So Crazy In Love?

Since there are tabloid rumors aplenty that the era of Bey and Jay is supposedly coming to a rocky, painful end, there are only a few solutions to cope with what could end up being devastating news. The obvious first choice? Wine. Gallons and gallons of wine. Second, you can move to a remote island with only a volleyball to keep you company before any split news officially breaks, spending the rest of your days thinking that the hip-hop mega moguls magically cured whatever problems were plaguing their relationship and lived happily ever after. Lastly, you can do what I'm choosing to do, and reminisce about the good times, particularly on how Beyoncé and Jay Z started dating in the first place.

How did this union come to be exactly? There aren't that many details since the couple was apparently into CIA-level secrecy since the beginning, but there are definitely some major details that have slipped out over the years.

1998 - 2001

Once upon a time, when Queen B was still just Princess B at the young age of 18, she first laid eyes on her future hubby. It might be hard to believe that the Destiny's Child singer was at first "not impressed" with the "99 Problems" rapper, who explained how he had to wine and dine her to Vanity Fair after they appeared together on the cover of the mag's 2001 Music Issue.

We were just beginning to try to date each other. Well, you know, you've got to try first. You got to dazzle. Wine and dine.

Oprah also got the scoop (obviously), when Bey appeared on the show and mentioned how she was just friends with Jay for the first year and a half, until she finally gave him the green light for romance.

Beyoncé confirmed it all again when she was interviewed by Seventeen a few years later, telling them "I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started dating." Talk about young love! She further elaborated to the popular teen magazine, "I really don’t believe that you will love the same thing when you’re 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule: Before the age of 25, I would never get married.”

2002

With the exception of everyone continuously speculating on were they or weren't they, the twosome kept details about their possible romance locked down while they worked on '03 Bonnie and Clyde together.

2003

No one has ever looked as good in a plain white tank top as Beyoncé did in the "Crazy in Love" video, and no one ever will. Accept it, America! 2003 officially turned up the heat on the Bey + Jay = truluv4eva rumors.

In an interview with Playboy, Jay Z was asked about all the speculation swirling around the pair, and whether or not his "Crazy in Love" costar was more than just a friend. He coyly answered, "She’s beautiful. Who wouldn’t wish she was their girlfriend? Maybe one day." Jay you sly dog!

2004

Attention 2004 rumor mill: you can take a break! Beyoncé showed up to the 2004 VMAs on the arm of none other than Jay Z. The fact that they were together thankfully took away from the fact that she was wearing a short-suit made of gold tinfoil that Tina Knowles probably spent hours bedazzling. *shudder*

They also attended the EMI Music Publishing holiday party together, where there was no doubt more gossip about Beyoncé's questionable decision to wear that poop brown fedora than there was about her relationship with Jay.

2006

Let the baby bump spotting begin! Beyonce told Cosmo,

Right now, the tabloids are saying I’m pregnant, and they’re naming the baby. [It’s] hilarious. I don’t know when I’ll want to get married. I never pictured myself as a bride, but after my sister’s wedding, I did start thinking about what kind of wedding I’d want. I don’t think I want a big one.

Unfortunately, the world wouldn't be blessed with the perfection that is Blue Ivy until much later. No word on whether a 2006 Bey-Jay baby would've resulted in a better baby name, though.

2008

The couple finally tied the knot in April 2008, in a wedding so top secret James Bond would've been proud. Until they released some snippets of footage during their current On The Run tour, what went on behind those church doors was still a mystery. Welcome to the world, Knowles-Carter family!

2009

The pair was named Forbes' top earning celebrity couple, bringing in a casual $162 million. Chump change, amirite?!

2011

This was a super emotional year for the Knowles-Carters. Despite winning a whopping SIX Grammy awards in 2010, Beyoncé experienced the ultimate low when she suffered a miscarriage. Carrying on like the true Queen she is, the singer returned to the studio, and in one of the most exciting moments in VMA history, announced that *squeal* SHE WAS PREGNANT! The world rejoiced. Parades were held in her honor. Poverty ended and world peace began.

2012

Beyoncé gave birth in a New York hospital on January 7, 2012 to a beautiful, bouncing baby girl named Blue Ivy Carter. (I'm still not over the name. I'm sorry, but BLUE? Come on.) While we didn't get to ogle the tot in People, the always-original couple decided to release personal snaps of baby Blue a few weeks later on Beyoncé's Tumblr page.

2013

Like some kind of musical genius (aka musical Jesus), Beyoncé dropped a self-titled album/video collection overnight, and somehow became even more of a superstar than anyone ever thought possible. While she reigned supreme on the chart (and in our hearts!), the first rumblings of trouble in Bey-Jay paradise began. Her hit song "Drunk In Love" was catchy, but the allusions to domestic abuse in Jay Z's part of the song were hard to miss. The lyrics on the track "Mine," featuring Drake, also hinted at marital probs.

I’ve been watching for the signs/Took a trip to clear my mind/Now I’m even more lost/And you’re still so fine, oh my oh my/Been having conversations about breakups and separations/I’m not feeling like myself since the baby/Are we gonna even make it? Oooh/Cause if we are, we’re taking this a little too far/Me being wherever I’m at, worried about wherever you are

2014

Oh 2014, why you gotta be so cruel? From "elevatorgat e" to the changed lyrics during a performance of "Resentment" during their On The Run tour, rumors of cheating and divorce have latched on to Beyoncé and Jay Z's marriage with a kung fu death grip. We're all just going to have to ride out the storm, and hope the King and Queen of the music industry can figure it out. Don't turn your backs on your relationship, you two!

Pray for a better 2015, y'all.

Sources: Getty Images; beyoncegifs/Tumblr continuumissues.wordpress.com