Celebrity Celebrity Relationships Celebrity Married Life Thomas Rhett Shares Sweet 11th Wedding Anniversary Tribute to Lauren Akins: ‘I Remember It All So Vividly’ The country music star and the author celebrated 11 years of marriage on Thursday By Sadie Bell Sadie Bell Sadie Bell was a digital news writer on the music team at PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023. Her work has previously appeared in Alternative Press, Billboard, NYLON, Rolling Stone, and Thrillist. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 12, 2023 05:01PM EDT Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins. Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Thomas Rhett loves Lauren Akins now just as much as he did when they were teens. The country music star, 33, shared a heartfelt Instagram post on Thursday in honor of his 11th wedding anniversary with wife Lauren Akins, 33. Alongside a carousel of three sweet photos of the couple embracing one another, he detailed memories from throughout their relationship, which began when they met in elementary school. Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins' Relationship Timeline “11 years married to this amazing woman,” the CMA Award winner wrote in the caption of his author/podcaster wife, who he shares four children with. Rhett went on to recall sweet memories from throughout their lives together, from childhood to when they tied the knot after a 10-month engagement in October 2012. The singer-songwriter shared, “I can still remember what she looked like in first grade. I still remember how much taller than me she was at church camp in 6th grade. I still remember picking her up on our first date at 16. I still remember how fast my heart was beating when she walked down the aisle. Basically I remember it all so vividly” All About Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins' 4 Kids “I can’t believe how much life we have gotten to share together,” Rhett added. After tagging Akins’ account and saying she’s “always” been his “best friend,” the Grammy-nominated singer continued, “I thank God for you every single day. I love you so much. Thank you for loving me and everyone you know so well.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Rhett concluded the post by writing, “Happy anniversary 🙌 you+me+4,” in reference to their children — Willa Gray, 7, Ada James, 6, Lennon Love, 3, and Lillie Carolina, 22 months. The Live in Love with Lauren Akins podcast host also posted an adorable anniversary post on Instagram, sharing two selfies of the entire family. “what 11 years with you looks like🤍 happy anni cutie 🥰,” Akins shared in the caption. Thomas Rhett, Lauren Akins and All Four Girls Match in Tangled and Encanto Costumes at Disney World The couple — who dated for a period in high school and then reconnected in 2011 before becoming engaged that year — have been outspoken about the love they share for each other and their children over the years. When they celebrated their milestone 10 years of marriage last year, Rhett shared a moving tribute on Instagram. He wrote, “I legit don't know sometimes if you are a real person or an Angel.” The “Where We Started” artist recently opened up on an episode of Kevin Bacon's podcast Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon about the first time he saw his eldest, whom he and Akins adopted. Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett. Katie Kauss/ABC via Getty Thomas Rhett's New Cowboy Boots Collab with Tecovas 'Tells a Story' Through Nostalgia and Family (Exclusive) "I've always thought my wife is the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life, but there was something about this picture that she was like, glowing man," the singer shared on the podcast, referencing a picture of his wife at an orphanage in Uganda, holding a baby. "And so was this baby, who I'd never met before, and I remember FaceTiming her that night and saying, 'Who was that baby that you were holding?'” Rhett recalled, explaining that Willa Gray was six-weeks old at the time and without any living relatives. He continued, "And my wife was just talking to me, like 'We have to find a home for this child.' And I'll never forget it dude, it was 2 o'clock in the morning where I was, half asleep, and it just kind of blurted out of my mouth. 'We're going to bring her home.'" Close