A Look Back at Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann's 22-Year Storybook Romance

Hargitay first met Hermann in 2001 when he was cast in the recurring guest-starring role of Trevor Langan on "Law & Order: SVU." After filming wrapped, and following a conversation about religion, Hermann asked Hargitay on a church date. Hargitay told InStyle that date was when she knew Hermann was the one. "I thought, 'That's my husband.'"

After three years of dating, Hargitay and Hermann said "I do" at a Santa Barbara chapel in August 2004. "I recited my vows so loudly, you could have heard them in Oregon, but Mariska's were quiet and small," Hermann shared with InStyle. The "Younger" star later revealed in a 2019 interview with People that he knew he wanted to marry Hargitay while at her 40th birthday party in January 2004.

"I actually saw Mariska with all of the people that she loved around her. It was like seeing this person who was now in the soil, that she was just dying to be planted in it. Right?" Hermann told People. "Which was this abundance of people and this abundance of love and I thought, 'I want to be part of that soil.' And that was the moment when I had not just parted the soil, but to be a lot of the soil. I think I got a look at what she is like when she is planted, when she is in the soil she's designed to be planted in. And I wanted to be that soil. Something like that!"

After two years of marriage, the pair officially became parents! Hargitay and Hermann welcomed their son August via an emergency c-section on June 28, 2006. "Nobody wanted to be pregnant more than me," Hargitay told People in 2007. "From the minute I found out, I was wearing full-on maternity pants."

Hargitay and Hermann adopted their son Andrew in October 2011, just months after adopting their daughter Amaya. In an interview with Good Housekeeping, the actress revealed the pair named Andrew after a close friend they'd lost earlier that year. She also shared that their oldest son, August, was beyond excited to be a big brother!

Hermann released a children's book titled "If The 'S' In Moose Comes Loose," and his wife didn't hesitate to celebrate the moment. She gushed about his accomplishment in an Instagram post, calling him "My brilliant AUTHOR husband."

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight that year, Hargitay and Hermann were asked if their children had watched either of their shows. Hermann shared that the kids were too young, but explained that that's one of the reasons he wrote his book.

"Why do you think I wrote it?" he said. "You can't watch the shows, but here is a really funny book that you get to watch!'" On a more sentimental note, Hargitay added, "It's hard to explain, but the point is for the kids to see the book and also to see their names in the dedication."

Hargitay and Hermann are a fairly private couple, but in March 2018, the couple opened up about their relationship in a joint interview with Entertainment Tonight. When asked how they'd kept their relationship strong for over a decade, Herman explained, "There is no secret." He added, "It's fundamentals — kindness, listen well, and fight fair." The "Younger" star even referenced a lesson from their son's basketball coach, saying that relationships — like sports — require work on the foundation and fundamentals to thrive.

Hermann supported Hargitay at a New York City screening of "I Am Evidence," a documentary about survivors whose rape kits went untested for years navigating the legal system produced by the "Law & Order: SVU" star. The pair coordinated their outfits, wearing all black and an "I Am Evidence" t-shirt under their blazers. The couple's close friend Debra Messing ("Will & Grace") was also in attendance.

In a 2018 interview with Us, the decorated actress had sweet words about her husband. "I have an incredible support system with my husband," said Hargitay. "He's an actor, so he also understands." She stressed the importance of Hermann's support given her busy filming schedule, and praised him for helping her find a balance between work and home.

In an interview for People in 2019, the couple credited laughter with keeping their relationship healthy. "It's the way we find our way back to each other," shared Hermann. His better half also shared a sweet anecdote about the early days of their relationship. "We got married and we knew that it was going to be good and I think we both knew, sort of, what we found. We sort of knew that we found the right one."

Another rare red carpet appearance for the Hollywood pair! Hargitay and Hermann enjoyed a fancy New York City date night at the Atlantic Theater Company's 25th Anniversary Couples Choice Gala in March 2020. Other stars in attendance included Ted Danson ("The Good Place"), Rose Byrne ("Bridesmaids", "Neighbors"), and Hargitay's "Law & Order: SVU" co-star Christine Lahti.

The couple attended a Hamptons screening of "Black Widow," starring Scarlett Johansson, together in June 2021. And although the Marvel film is an action-thriller, most of the commotion happened for the couple after the showing — Hargitay fell and broke her ankle while leaving! A source told Page Six that Hermann was by her side the entire time, including with her in the ambulance as they rushed to Southampton Hospital.

When Hargitay celebrated her 500th episode as Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU," Hermann congratulated her publicly. "You're at 500 episodes tonight," he wrote on Twitter. "You astonish me. We met in episode 54. Best 447 episodes of my life. Congratulations, you beautiful life force. I love you. #SVU."

In honor of their 18th wedding anniversary, Hargitay shared an old black-and-white photo on Instagram of the couple all smiles at their ceremony. "Eighteen years. Grateful. In love. Together," she wrote in a caption. In her post, the "Law & Order: SVU" star also included a more current black-and-white photo of the couple cozied up on a boat.

On July 29, Hargitay and Hermann were spotted picketing in New York City during the SAG-AFTRA strike. Hargitay wrote on Instagram, "I'm breaking out my DVDs instead of streaming, in honor of the strike. Everyone deserves a fair wage. A liveable wage. I'm standing with you all."

Hargitay posted a sweet tribute to Hermann for the 19th wedding anniversary, writing on Instagram alongside a photo of their first dance from their wedding, "19 years. Best dance of my life. Only dance of my life."