A Timeline of Michelle and Barack Obama's Charming Relationship

A romance that won over the nation.

Michelle and Barack Obama will go down in history as one of the most beloved first couples, who then created one of the most adored first families with the births of their two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Over the course of Barack's political career, the sweethearts have charmed the nation with gushing tributes to each other on every birthday and anniversary, the most heartwarming dances during galas and balls, and loving gazes and warm embraces at political engagemnts. Their palpable devotion to one another over the past couple decades makes it hard to believe that Michelle first turned her future husband down. But, that's exactly what happened. The former first lady originally found Barack's advances "completely tacky," as he shot his shot just one month after meeting her at the Chicago law firm where they both worked. However, she eventually came around ,and they quickly fell in love. From their fairytale wedding to Barack's first inauguration, see ahead for the Obamas' relationship timeline.

1989: They meet.

The two first crossed paths at law firm Sidley Austin LLP in 1989, when Barack was assigned Michelle (née Robinson) as his mentor.

"I went to Harvard and he went to Harvard, and the firm thought, 'Oh, we'll hook these two people up,'" Michelle told ABC News in 2008. “I remember being struck by how tall and beautiful she was," Barack told O, The Oprah Magazine in 2007.

July 1, 1989: They have their first date.

After just one month of working together, Barack shot his shot, which Michelle found to be "completely tacky." She declined his first advance, but came around shortly after. The two enjoyed an afternoon at an art museum, a Spike Lee movie, ice cream, and a goodnight kiss during their first date on July 1, 1989.

"On our first date, I treated her to the finest ice cream Baskin-Robbins had to offer, our dinner table doubling as the curb. I kissed her, and it tasted like chocolate," Barack told O Magazine in 2007. Michelle said of their outing, "We clicked right away…by the end of the date, it was over…I was sold."

July 31, 1991: Barack Obama proposes.

The couple enjoyed a romantic dinner at Chicago's Gordan's Restaurant to celebrate Barack passing the bar exam—which, unbeknownst to Michelle, doubled as a proposal.

"As we were reaching the end of the meal, Barack smiled at me and raised the subject of marriage. He reached for my hand and said that as much as he loved me with his whole being, he still didn't really see the point. Instantly, I felt the blood rise in my cheeks," Michelle recalled in her book Becoming. "It was like pushing a button in me—the kind of big blinking red button you might find in some sort of nuclear facility surrounded by warnings signs and evacuation maps. Really? We were going to do this now?"

She continued: "Eventually, our waiter came around holding a dessert plate, covered by a silver lid. He slid it in front of me and lifted the cover. I was almost too miffed to even look down, but when I did, I saw a dark velvet box where the chocolate cake was supposed to be. Inside was a diamond ring. Barack looked at me playfully. He'd baited me. It had all been a ruse. It took me a second to dismantle my anger and slide into joyful shock. He'd riled me up because this was the very last time he would invoke his inane marriage argument, ever again, as long as we both should live."

October 3, 1992: They tie the knot.

The couple exchanged vows on October 3, 1992, at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Michelle wore a dramatic satin, off-the-shoulder gown, while Barack donned a classic tuxedo with a white bowtie. After the ceremony, they celebrated with a reception at the South Shore Cultural Center, where they had their first dance to Stevie Wonder's "You and I."

November 5, 1996: Barack Obama begins his political career.

Barack was elected to the Illinois State Senate, kicking off the Obamas' political life.

July 4, 1998: Malia Obama is born.

Barack and Michelle officially became parents on July 4, 1998, when they welcomed their daughter, Malia. In Becoming, Michelle opened up about suffering multiple miscarriages and undergoing IVF treatments before giving birth to her daughter.

June 10, 2001: Sasha Obama is born.

Nearly three years later, their family of three became four, when the couple welcomed a second daughter, Natasha (Sasha), on June 10, 2001.

November 2, 2004: Barack Obama is elected to the U.S. Senate.

The Obamas were ushered into the national spotlight after Barack was elected to the U.S. Senate.

February 10, 2007: Barack Obama announces his presidential bid.

Barack broke his big news with his wife and daughters by his side.

November 4, 2008: Obama is elected president.

Barack was elected the 44th president of the United States following a triumphant 21 months of campaigning. He made sure to shout out his life partner during his acceptance speech.

"I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next first lady, Michelle Obama," he gushed.

January 20, 2009: They charm the nation.

Barack's inauguration took place on January 20, 2009, and commemorated the Obamas' official move into the White House. The event was not only historic, but swoon-worthy. Barack and Michelle shared a dance to Etta James' "At Last," performed by Beyoncé, during the Inaugural Ball.

"First of all, how good-looking is my wife?" Barack asked the crowd.

November 6, 2012: Barack Obama is re-elected.

Barack clinched 332 electoral votes during the 2012 election, beating out Republican candidate Mitt Romney and solidifying another four years in the White House.

August 26, 2016: Southside With You comes out.

Director Richard Tanne took Michelle and Barack's love story from the national stage to the big screen in Southside With You, a romance drama that follows the to-be president trying to win over Michelle's heart.

January 20, 2017: The Obamas leave the White House.

After two terms as president, Barack passed the baton and White House keys over to Donald Trump on January 20, 2017.

As Michelle wrote in her book, she and her family were looking forward to living a less public life: "I want to open my front door without discussing it with anyone—and just walk. I want to go to Target again! I’ve heard so many things have changed in Target! I tell my friends they’re going to have to give me a re-entry training for like, 'OK, what do you do at CVS now? How do you check out?'"

October 3, 2017: They celebrate 25 years of marriage.

Michelle commemorated 25 years with her true love with a sweet tweet: "A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know."

The Obamas appeared to be enjoying post-presidential life, as they vacationed in Italy, Hawaii, and the British Virgin Islands.

May 6, 2020: Becoming hits Netflix.

The world just couldn't get enough of the Obamas' love story—so Michelle gave them more. The former first lady teamed up with Netflix to release an intimate documentary looking at her life, her hopes, and her relationships.

November 12, 2020: Barack Obama opens up about married life.

In his memoir, A Promised Land, Barack bares all about how life in the White House put a strain on his marriage.

"Despite Michelle's success and popularity, I continued to sense an undercurrent of tension in her, subtle but constant, like the faint thrum of a hidden machine," he wrote. "It was as if, confined as we were within the walls of the White House, all her previous sources of frustration became more concentrated, more vivid, whether it was my round the clock absorption with work, or the way politics exposed our family to scrutiny and attacks, or the tendency of even friends and family members to treat her role as secondary in importance."

He continued: "Lying next to Michelle in the dark, I'd think about those days when everything between us felt lighter, when her smile was more constant and our love less encumbered, and my heart would suddenly tighten at the thought that those days might not return."

Michelle explained during a 2019 interview with People that they focused on finding love again following their exit from the White House.

October 3, 2022: They celebrate 30 years of marriage.

Michelle celebrated three decades with her beau with pics from a sweet beach day, a throwback snap from their wedding, and the most lovey-dovey caption.

"Happy anniversary to the man I love! These last 30 years have been an adventure, and I’m grateful to have you by my side. Here’s to a lifetime together. I love you, @BarackObama! ❤️😘"

November 25, 2022: Michelle Obama shares some marriage advice.

Michelle shared the sweetest photo booth pictures with Barack on Instagram, shouting him out with a heartwarming tribute: "I’ve lived in a number of places, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ve only ever had one real home. My home is my family. My home is Barack."

She also doled out some honest relationship advice: "Our marriage has never been perfectly 50-50. One of us is always needing more or giving more. We have to be willing to listen to each other, honestly and without defensiveness. Only then, can we evolve together. Over the years, a lot of young people have asked me about marriage. And my response usually goes something like this: You have to prepare yourself for long stretches of discord and discomfort. You have to learn how to make real compromises in the way you’ve lived as an individual. Glamorizing a relationship while you’re dating will lead you straight to difficulty once you’re married. You can’t paper over problems when you’re living with someone day in and day out."

January 8, 2024: Michelle Obama gets real about her marriage—again.

Michelle bared it all during an appearance on the "On Purpose With Jay Shetty" podcast, where she admitted her marriage to Barack has never been perfect and they've "made a lot of mistakes" and "gotten it wrong."

“I don't want people looking at me and Barack like hashtag couple goals and not know that no, no, there are some broken things that happen even in the best of marriages,” she said, adding that they still find themselves at odds sometimes, but have figured out how to navigate arguments better.

She continued: “It's the choice to figure it out, not to quit when it gets hard. So yeah, I said something that I didn't mean to say, right? Year five, we might've had hurt feelings and it would have taken days to rectify it. Year 30, it's like, ‘Ah, there she goes again, or there he goes again.’ I know how to talk to him about it and when, because we've practiced it.”

August 2024: They're back on the campaign trail.

The Obamas returned to the campaign trail—this time for Kamala Harris. They each endorsed the Vice President and Democratic Nominee for President, stepping out at the Democratic National Convention. In addition to urging voters to rally behind Harris, they put their love and united front on display.