View gallery Image Credit: Getty Images There has never been a First Couple quite like Barack and Michelle Obama. The 44th President of the United States and his accomplished wife have been together for more than three decades, celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary on October 3, 2025. To mark the occasion, Barack shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, calling his marriage to Michelle "the best decision I ever made." From his early days as an Illinois State Senator to two historic terms in the White House, and now through bestselling books, global projects, and family milestones, the Obamas continue to inspire with their enduring bond. Take a look back at Barack and Michelle's love story with this timeline of their relationship. Meeting In 1989 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Barack Obama (@barackobama) At just 25 years old, Michelle was working as an attorney in the Southside of Chicago when she was asked to mentor Barack. While their relationship remained strictly professional at first, Barack eventually built up the courage to ask Michelle on a date. "Once [Barack and I] started talking and became friends, he was very clear - just like, 'I want to date you.' At least in my experience up until then, men would be coy. They would, you know, sort of look around the room. It was all so complicated, and it felt, a little immature," Michelle recalled to Conan O'Brien. "What struck me about Barack was his, lack of pretense," Michelle said. "I mean, he was somebody who knew what he wanted, and wasn't afraid to say it. And, I thought, 'well, if he's that in tune with his emotions that he can say out loud to somebody that doesn't know.' He didn't know whether I liked him back! He was like, 'look, let me tell you, this is what I think about you: I think you're special, I think you're different, and I would like to take you out.' And that was rare. And it was attractive." Wedding Bells In 1992 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) Three years after their first date in the Southside of Chicago, Michelle and Barack exchanged their 'I dos' on October 3, 1992. Over the course of their nearly three-decade marriage, the couple have reflected on that day in the fall when they pledged their love for one another in front of family and friends. "You can't tell it from this photo, but Barack woke up on our wedding day in October, 1992 with a nasty head cold," Michelle began the caption to a photo she posted a few months before their 26th wedding anniversary. "Somehow, by the time I met him at the altar, it had miraculously disappeared and we ended up dancing almost all night. Twenty five years later, we're still having fun, while also doing the hard work to build our partnership and support each other as individuals. I can't imagine going on this wild ride with anybody else." Welcoming Malia In 1998 Barack and Michelle Obama with an infant Malia [AP].
Six years into their marriage, Michelle and Barack welcomed their first of two daughters after years of difficulty conceiving. In the past, the former First Lady of the United States has been so incredibly forthcoming about what she and Barack endured in order to welcome their two amazing girls. "I felt like I failed because I didn't know how common miscarriages were, because we don't talk about them," Michelle shared during a November 2018 interview. "We sit in our own pain, thinking that somehow we're broken. That's one of the reasons why I think it's important to talk to young mothers about the fact that miscarriages happen. I think it's the worst thing that we do to each other as women, not share the truth about our bodies and how they work." Thankfully, after IVF treatment, Michelle and Barack welcomed daughter Malia Ann Obama on July 4, 1998. But the family-of-three would soon have a new member to welcome! Sasha Is Born In 2001 The Obamas with young daughters Sasha and Malia [AP].
On June 10, 2001, Sasha made the Obama clan a family of four! Both Sasha and Malia have handled growing up in the spotlight with so much grace, having matured in the White House and lived on the national stage since they were just youngsters. But Barack and Michelle couldn't be prouder of the young women their daughters have become. "They're reflective of their generation in the sense they want to make a difference and they think about their careers in terms of: How do I have a positive impact? How do I make the world better?" the former president shared in a November 24, 2020 interview. "What particular paths they take in doing that, I think are going to change and vary between the two of them." Illinois Senate In 2004 The Obama family watching the returns of the Illinois State Senate race [AP].
By 2004, the Obamas were steadily rising to the national stage. Barack announced himself as the newly-elected Illinois State Senator in 2004, and began to mold his legacy by working with his constituents. For her part, Michelle was always at Barack's s