Thomas Rhett is just as smitten with Lauren Akins as the day they met, many, many years ago. The couple is celebrating their 11th wedding anniversary on October 12, with Rhett gushing about his wife with a series of photos, and a sweet message on social media.
“11 years married to this amazing woman,” Rhett wrote. “I can still remember what she looked like in first grade. I still remember how much taller than me she was at church camp in 6th grade. I still remember picking her up on our first date at 16. I still remember how fast my heart was beating when she walked down the aisle. Basically I remember it all so vividly. I can’t believe how much life we have gotten to share together.
“[Lauren], you have been and always will be my best friend,” he continued. “I thank God for you every single day. I love you so much. Thank you for loving me and everyone you know so well. Happy anniversary, you+me+4”
11 years married to this amazing woman. I can still remember what she looked like in first grade. I still remember how much taller than me she was at church camp in 6th grade. I still remember picking her up on our first date at 16. I still remember how fast my heart was beating… pic.twitter.com/7b8a2TEBb0
— Thomas Rhett (@ThomasRhett) October 12, 2023
The couple is now the proud parents of four children, with Akins also honoring their anniversary on social media, by sharing a few photos of them with their four daughters.
“What 11 years with you looks like🤍 happy [anniversary] cutie,” Akins captioned the photos.
what 11 years with you looks like🤍 happy anni cutie 🥰
Posted by Lauren Akins on Thursday, October 12, 2023
Rhett and Akins are very happily married, but the “Angels” singer makes it clear their marriage is far from perfect, especially with his busy touring schedule.
“I think if you would’ve asked Lauren when she was like 17 years old if she would marry a country singer, her answer probably would have been absolutely not,” Rhett previously told his record label. “But somehow we made our way back to each other. And she spent the entire first year of my road life on the bus with me and eight of my band members, and has seen probably 6,000 of my concerts, and has just put up with me as a person through all this stuff.
“I just want people to know that our life is not this fairytale land at all times,” he added. “We have our ups, we have our downs, but it’s just about like sticking with each other through the thick and the thin, and how much she’s had to sacrifice and how much we both had to sacrifice to make this whole thing called music work.”
Although they had no idea how much Rhett’s career would explode, the couple insisted, even before they said “I do,” that they would be together forever.
“It was even in our wedding vows. We said, ‘Divorce is not an option,’” Rhett revealed. “Because marriage is fricking hard. No matter what you do for a living, when you start to add kids into the equation, things just change. You start to love each other differently.”
Find all of Rhett’s music and tour dates at ThomasRhett.com.
Read ‘Thomas Rhett: 11 Things To Know About the Superstar’ here.