Ciara and her husband Russell Wilson have been together for more than eight (!!) years, which is a lifetime by Hollywood standards. Luckily, these two have given us a sneak peek at just how incredible their marriage is via all their touching social media posts; But if you’re a fan who needs to know absolutely E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G about this celebrity couple, here’s your handy-dandy guide to the Grammy-winning singer and Denver Broncos quarterback’s remarkable love story.
March 26, 2015
Ah, the first encounter! Ciara met her future husband Russell for the first time at a University of Wisconsin basketball game, which is already iconic in and of itself. But! Turns out their convo ultimately led to Russell asking the singer to dinner…even though he’d already made plans with friends.
Once Ciara agreed, the athlete quickly informed his friends he’d meet up with them later and totally ended up forgetting about it. “I completely forgot about the 10:30 [p.m.] dinner,” he recalled on a future Instagram Live. “Next thing I knew, it was 12:00 [a.m.], 12:30 [a.m.], and I was sold on you.”
Oh, and it didn’t take long before the rumor mill started b-u-z-z-i-n-g with rumors after the two were spotted out together on various occasions—including a Mariners game in Seattle on April 19, 2015.
April 28, 2015
Talk about an epic first public appearance: These two walked hand-in-hand at the freakin’ White House for its annual Correspondents’ Dinner and chose the event to first mega-hint at their relationship status. Ahem, witness:
Although the couple didn’t ~officially~ confirm their relationship until June, they were giving “could it be any more obvious?!” vibes at this event for sure.
July 7, 2015
During an interview with Pastor Miles McPherson, the quarterback revealed that, at the time, he and Ciara were abstaining from sex, per PopSugar. “She was in the dressing room getting ready to go before she went on stage, and she was sitting there, and God spoke to me and said, ‘I need you to lead her,'” Russell recalled of making the decision while his then-girlfriend was on tour. “And I was like, ‘Really?’ And he was like, ‘No, I want you to lead her.’ So I told her, ‘What would you do if we took all of that extra stuff off the table and just did it Jesus’s way?'”
“I ain’t going to lie to you all now. I need you all to pray for us. I know you’ve seen her on the screen. If there’s a 10, she’s a 15,” he cheekily added.
July 16, 2015
Roughly a week after Russell’s interview, it was Ciara’s turn to open up about the couple’s decision to practice celibacy during an interview with Access. “It’s until the deal is sealed. It was an organic thing for him and I think he was just being honest about where we are,” she said.
March 11, 2016
Just shy of a year after first meeting Ciara, Russell popped the question while the couple was vacationing in Seychelles. “She said Yes!!! Since Day 1 I knew you were the one. No Greater feeling…#TrueLove,” gushed the NFL player on Instagram.
July 6, 2016
The couple celebrated their love in a secret wedding ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England. And what does the union of an iconic singer and an all-star athlete guarantee? A star-studded roster of A-list guests, of course! Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland, and La La Anthony were all attendees, and Ciara’s son, Future Zahir Wilburn, even served as the ring bearer on the special day.
The artist stunned in a beautiful, custom-made Cavalli Couture gown embellished with white silk tulle and floral embroidery, and her veil included a *chef’s kiss* sentimental touch: Russell’s initials. The quarterback, for his part, donned a Giorgio Armani tux.
October 15, 2016
On Ciara’s 31st birthday, the singer revealed she was pregnant! (Before her relationship with Russell, Ciara previously welcomed her son Future, whom she shares with her ex-fiancé of the same name.)
“On this special Birthday I received an abundance of love from friends and family.. and I’m excited to Finally share one of the Greatest Gifts of All that God could give… 👶🏽🍼💃🏽☺️❤️,” she shared on social media.
April 28, 2017
The couple officially welcomed their first child together—a daughter named Sienna Princess Wilson!
April 29, 2019
Russell and Ciara pivoted to being business partners after they started a production company together called Why Not You Productions. The athlete dished to The Hollywood Reporter that his and Ciara’s mission was “to be able to impact lives.”
“That’s what we want to do at the end of the day—even from the kids space. We just want to tell stories that connect with the world and to the emotions.”
August 13, 2019
Turns out, Ciara and Russell wanted to keep the good times (and major $) going, because the couple became part of the ownership group for the Seattle Sounders soccer team.
“Football. Fútbol. We Love them both! @ciara and I are fired up to announce we are Team Owners of the Seattle @SoundersFC one of the best soccer franchises in the world! We can’t wait for our kids to grow up loving Soccer! Family is everything! #SoundersIsFamily,” retweeted Russell once the news dropped.
January 30, 2020
During their family vacation in Turks and Caicos, the couple shared the OMG-worthy news that Ciara was expecting her third child via the most iconic back-to-back Insta posts.
July 23, 2020
Ciara gave birth to her second child with Russell, and they named him Win Harrison Wilson! And because Ciara knows how to give the people what they want, just a day after her bb boy’s birth, the singer posted a sweet vid of her serenading him with the song “Happy Birthday.” S’cute!
February 11, 2021
The longtime couple starred in GQ‘s The Modern Lovers issue and opened up about all the special moments in their relationship…though Ciara’s hot takes were def 🔥🔥🔥. When speaking about Russell as a father, Ciara said, “The father in him is by far one of the things that makes him the most sexy to me. Hot. To me it’s hot.”
Russell, for his part, discussed how special it was getting to be a stepfather to Ciara’s eldest son Future. “When I got to meet Future, he was young. And the reality was that for me it was a blessing and an opportunity to really hopefully be there for him every day and try to care for him in a way that was important for me, that I always wanted someone to do for me. Like my dad did for me,” the quarterback said.
“And so I think the greatest thing that I’ve ever learned in life is probably in that relationship with Future, because the reality of being a stepparent is that biologically they’re not necessarily yours, but the reality is that you have to love them as if they are. They’re your own blood in a way. You get to love them that way. And I think every kid deserves that and needs that and yearns for that,” he added.
September 13, 2021
The night after Russell led the Seattle Seahawks to victory over the Indianapolis Colts (during his first game of the 2021 NFL season, NBD), Ciara wore her husband’s jersey number on her stunning Dundas gown to fashion’s biggest night out—aka the Met Gala. The singer also not-so-casually accessorized the look with her husband’s Super Bowl ring from the Super Bowl XLVIII and a crystalized football clutch. Talk about being *the* most supportive spouse ever!
^ The 💍 is 💍-ing!!!
March 1, 2022
The couple released their first book together, titled Why Not You?—a project that was inspired by loving their kids and doubled as an extension of their Why Not You Foundation, which they started in 2014 to “equip today’s youth with the skills and opportunities to become tomorrow’s leaders.”
At the time, Russell spoke with People about how the book came to be and revealed, “When Ciara and I first met, one of the first things we talked about is if we could do one thing, what would it be?”
“We talked about opening up a school. Well, we did that with the Why Not You Academy, and then we also talked about having a book, and so our goals and dreams are being accomplished as we speak,” he said.
The athlete also said he and his wife were excited to give kids a “sense of hope” and provide something they can pass on to their own children. Plus, he confessed that Future, Win, and Sienna”love reading” and “Ciara is the queen of reading to our kids. I’m pretty good, but they always want mama to read the most.”
March 3, 2022
Ciara guest-hosted an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and was joined by Russell, who not only presented her with a gorgeous bouquet of roses but took the opportunity to re-propose to his wife and ask her if they could have “at least” one more baby.
“We definitely can, but we’ve got a little time before we get there,” the singer gushed as she laughed at the grand gesture.
December 20, 2022
The couple visited patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado to sing holiday carols and read their book Why Not You? to patients.
In a video shared with People, the singer expressed her excitement to be meeting with the kids and doing good: “We are going to do what I love doing every year. We’re going to carol a little with the kids and bring them a little holiday cheer.”
“She’s going to do the singing and I’m going to do the cheerleading,” added Russell.
January 3, 2023
After Russell’s first season with the Denver Broncos, Ciara wrote a touching tribute to her husband on Instagram.
“I don’t know exactly where to start with what I want to say, as this season has been a roller coaster ride like no other… I’ve watched you endure so much and keep your head up high through it all! Your faith, belief, and confidence never wavered!” the singer began in an emotional caption.
She continued: “I’m so proud of you @DangeRussWilson! Proud of the husband, father, and man that you are! Truly grateful to be on the beautiful journey of Greatness with you! I know this season wasn’t exactly how you envisioned and wanted it to be, but I have no doubt The best is ahead! Keep being you #3! #BroncosWin #Winning.”
And that’s pretty much all we know for now, but rest assured we’ll keep you updated on all things Ciara and Russell and their love story. 🥺❤️
Assistant news editor
Gretty Garcia is the assistant news editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers all things news, entertainment, and pop culture. Before joining Cosmo, Gretty was a social strategist for Mrs. Dow Jones and a features and special projects editor at Editorialist. She holds an MS from the Columbia Journalism School and studied art history at Harvard College.