Los Angeles ? They met at a music video shoot. She was an 18-year-old high school student working as a background model. He was 21, living in wealthy Pacific Palisades with a huge NBA contract and millions of dollars in endorsement deals.

Six months later, Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine were engaged. A year later, in April 2001, they walked over red rose petals to begin their life together.

Even before the accusations of sexual assault against the Los Angeles Lakers’ standout, their marriage already had endured many hurdles.

About a dozen people attended their private wedding ceremony, but the basketball player’s parents — Joe and Pam Bryant — weren’t among them.

Kobe’s parents already had moved after living with their only son during his first couple years in the NBA. A rift developed because his parents objected to his marriage to Vanessa.

“I had taken matters into my own hands, marrying my wife so young, they didn’t know her,” Kobe told ABC Sports in June.

After the marriage, his father rarely attended Lakers games and the two reportedly didn’t speak to each other for nearly two years.

“Twenty years from now, when his own child grows up, he’ll understand what I’m doing,” Joe Bryant told the Los Angeles Times in an interview in April.

Vanessa’s mother, Sofia Laine, also had misgivings.

Kobe Bryant kisses the hand of his wife, Vanessa, at the Teen Choice Awards 2003. They attended the show Saturday in Los Angeles. Even before the accusations of sexual assault against Bryant their marriage had already endured many hurdles.

“Although I was happy for Vanessa, particularly since Kobe is a very kind and respectful young man, their relationship caused a great deal of stress for me,” she said in court documents filed in her divorce case.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson also questioned the wisdom of such a young person getting married.

Since their marriage, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant led their lives out of the limelight — as much as possible for a celebrity couple.

Their marriage license is a special type covered by confidentiality laws. And it is not known, for example, whether the couple has a prenuptial agreement. Such agreements are private contracts and typically don’t become public unless there is a divorce filing.

Kobe Bryant usually keeps to himself when on road trips with the team; and Vanessa rarely attends Lakers games or Hollywood events.

But when her husband was charged with sexual assault, she appeared at a news conference, holding his hand and stroking it tenderly as the NBA player admitted he was guilty of adultery — but nothing else. Earlier, she had issued her own statement to the media, vowing to stand by her husband.

The Bryants’ representatives will not answer questions, instead referring calls to Kobe’s criminal defense attorney, Pamela Mackey. Her office said the couple isn’t accepting interview requests. Attorneys in the case now also are under a gag order.

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant made a rare public appearance Saturday night, attending the 2003 Teen Choice Awards, where he was honored as favorite male athlete. Bryant made a peace sign with his fingers and a thumbs-up gesture, and waved to fans. He also kissed his wife’s hand.

Three days after he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Colorado, Bryant surprised his wife with a $4 million, eight-carat purple diamond ring while at a Santa Monica jewelry store, according to People magazine. The ring had been commissioned two weeks earlier.

“They looked very happy together,” jeweler Raffi Kouyoumjin told the magazine.