Tim McGraw and Faith Hill got married 30 years ago on Tuesday (Oct. 6), and McGraw marked the milestone anniversary with a post that shows just how much his wife means to him.
“I love you baby,” he wrote, alongside a montage of photos set to his song “My Best Friend.”
“You are my best friend, my lover, my wife, my shelter in any and every storm and the sunrise afterwards.”
READ MORE: The Secret to Tim McGraw + Faith Hill’s Early Romance? Grandma’s Dumplings!
“Many more sunrises and sunsets. Many more beautiful memories to come. I am a fortunate man,” the singer continued.
When Did Tim McGraw + Faith Hill Get Married?
Tim McGraw shared memories from the couple’s wedding day, which took place on Oct. 6, 1996.
“Under an old locust tree (I think) in my aunt’s backyard in Rayville, La., I stood there and watched my future walk towards me with the sweetest man I’ve ever known, her father Ted,” he reminisced.
READ MORE: The Happiest Marriages in Country Music
“In front of our closest family and friends, I was bound to the most beautiful soul,” McGraw continued. “A lady that was glowing in my eyes, expanding my heart, and giving me all the love she had. I was and still am bewildered by her capacity to love, forgive, nurture and be full of joy and laughter.”
Both members of the couple were already in the midst of successful country careers at the time they wed. But McGraw says that their private family life — shared with daughters Gracie, Audrey and Maggie — is even more sacred.
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“[Hill] is a gift to the world for sure; however, for us, we get Her, all of her,” he wrote. “And I (and my girls) know who is ours, completely. It’s difficult to describe what she means, she is the center of gravity to my life and our girls’ lives and anyone who knows Audrey Faith McGraw.”
Tim McGraw + Faith Hill’s Love Story
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill first crossed paths at Nashville’s Country Radio Seminar in 1994. They were both in relationships with other people — in fact, Hill was engaged to producer Scott Hendricks.
Two years later, Hill joined McGraw as an opening act on his Spontaneous Combustion Tour, and the spark between them was undeniable. Hill ended her engagement and she and McGraw fell in love — and he popped the question on June 26, 1996.
Actually, McGraw asked Hill to marry him a few times before she finally said yes. The proposal that wound up being successful happened backstage at Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colo., right before he took the stage.
When he returned to his trailer, he discovered that she’d written her “Yes” in lipstick on a mirror — the couple still have that mirror today!
Read More: Remember Tim McGraw + Faith Hill’s Surprise Wedding?
Hill and McGraw had a short engagement. The couple got married just over three months later in the backyard of McGraw’s aunt’s home in Rayville, La.
In 2011, McGraw told Regis & Kelly that the wedding was a surprise to most of the attendees, who had been told they were going to a charity softball game.
The big reveal came when the couple emerged from their tour bus in a gown and a tuxedo instead of sportswear.
“My sisters were a little upset because they wanted to dress up,” McGraw jokingly admitted later.
McGraw and Hill’s love story has stood the test of time and become one of country music’s most beloved romances. The couple has released several duets and a joint studio album, and they’ve co-headlined three joint Soul2Soul Tours.
They are also parents to three daughters.
READ MORE: Tim McGraw Shares Birthday Message For Faith Hill, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”
Though Hill has pulled back from the spotlight in recent years, and has deleted her social media, her family continues to celebrate her birthdays and major life events online.
McGraw shared a tribute post for Hill’s birthday in September, and their daughter Gracie posted what appeared to be some recent photos of her mom to celebrate the occasion.
Faith Hill Pictures, Through the Years
See pictures of Faith Hill through the years. The country star began her career in 1993 and enjoyed more than a decade of solo hits, plus great duets with husband Tim McGraw. She’s always been a woman on the front curve of hair and fashion.
