Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins have been together for over a decade and have welcomed five beautiful children together. So, as they celebrate baby #5, let's take a look at their love story.
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins are basking in the joy of welcoming their fifth child. However, that has left many to wonder about their personal lives and how the two came together. With one of the most adorable stories ever, Thomas and Lauren's romance didn't take off backstage at a concert or on a glamorous red carpet; it started in elementary school.
The childhood friendship turned into something more. Decades later, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins have built a life that includes more than 13 years of marriage, five children and a partnership they’ve openly worked to strengthen through life’s many changes. And now as the couple welcomes their fifth child, let's take a look at their journey.
Both Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins grew up in Nashville and first met when they were in elementary school. While they knew of each other as children, their bond deepened years later. It was in sixth grade when they attended the same summer camp and later recalled that this was when he realised he had feelings for Lauren. Even though she didn't feel the same way at the time, their friendship continued. By the age of 15, Thomas and Lauren briefly dated for about six months. However, the teenage romance didn't last, they remained close friends. Over the next several years, they each dated other people but stayed in one another's lives.
Years later, winds changed again and Thomas and Lauren reunited at the latter's sister's graduation party, and Thomas decided it was time to be honest about how he felt. After speaking with her father, he made his move, which he later described as "a moment out of a movie". He told Lauren he had loved her for years and asked if he could kiss her once. He promised they could go back to being friends if she felt nothing. Nonetheless, that kiss changed everything. Within months, they rekindled their relationship, and Thomas got down on one knee in December 2011. He planned a romantic moment to Frank Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight and wrote "Marry Me" on a wine bottle.
The couple got married in an outdoor ceremony on October 12, 2012, in Nashville. They were just 22 years old at the time, and many people questioned whether they were too young to tie the knot. However, they felt confident in their love. In 2015, Thomas wrote a loving song for his wife titled Die a Happy Man. She appeared in the music video, and the track quickly became one of his biggest hits. The song won Single of the Year at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards. The track remains one of the most personal highlights of his career.
In 2016, Thomas and Lauren felt called to adopt a child. During their trip to Uganda, Lauren met a little girl named Willa Grey, whom they eventually adopted. They made several trips to Uganda between April and December 2016 to complete the legal process. While in the middle of those efforts, they received unexpected news: Lauren was pregnant. After a long battle with getting pregnant, the couple welcomed their little daughter, Ada James, just three months after bringing Willa home.
In February 2020, Lauren gave birth to their third daughter, Lennon Love. Less than two years later, in November 2021, they welcomed daughter, Lillie Carolina. They are now parents to five kids, with their youngest being born on February 27, 2026. Born nearly two weeks early and weighing close to 10 pounds, Brave marked a new chapter for the family after four daughters.
In May 2020, Lauren published her memoir, Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life's Changes. The book offered an intimate look at her childhood, faith, humanitarian work, adoption journey and marriage. She spoke candidly about the pressure to appear perfect, especially in the public eye. In the memoir, she emphasises that their marriage, like any other, has required growth, humility and effort.
In 2020, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins opened up about attending marriage counselling, with the former admitting that there were seasons, particularly during pregnancy, when he didn't fully understand what his wife, Lauren, was experiencing. He further described counselling as a humbling and transformative experience that strengthened their communication and deepened their empathy for one another.
What are your thoughts on Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins' love story? Let us know.
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