It seems like Ciara and Russell Wilson have been together forever, but they actually met in 2015, and were married only a year after they first connected. Together, the musical artist and Broncos star share three children: their daughter Sienna Princess, their son Win Harrison Wilson, and Ciara’s son Future Zahir Wilburn from her former relationship with the rapper Future, whom Wilson treats as his own.
Here’s their complete relationship timeline so far.
March 2015
The couple met on March 26, 2015, while at a basketball game at the University of Wisconsin. BET reports that Wilson asked Ciara out for dinner, seeing if she could meet him after a business meeting, but she said it was too late. He changed his plans.
“I completely forgot about the 10:30 [P.M.] dinner,” he said. “Next thing I knew, it was 12:00 [A.M.], 12:30 [A.M.], and I was sold on you.”
April 2015
Only a month later, they made their first official appearance together at the White House, during an event for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe.
June 2015
Things went well, and soon, they were walking the red carpet at the BET Awards.
July 2015
The couple made headlines when Wilson shared that they had decided to remain celibate until marriage.
“I told somebody that’s the girl I want to be with before I even met her,” he explained during an interview with San Diego’s The Rock Church. “Before I met her, I was like, ‘I’m probably going to end up with Ciara.’”
He continued, “She was in the dressing room getting ready to go before she went on stage, and she was sitting there, and God spoke to me and said, ‘I need you to lead her.’ And I was like, ‘Really?’ And he was like, ‘No, I want you to lead her.’ So I told her, ‘What would you do if we took all of that extra stuff off the table and just did it Jesus’s way?’”
He added, “I ain’t going to lie to you all now. I need you all to pray for us. I know you’ve seen her on the screen. If there’s a 10, she’s a 15.”
July 2015
The couple made an appearance at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards at UCLA, which Wilson was hosting.
February 2016
Ciara told Cosmopolitan more about their celibacy decision, saying, “You get to hug and you get to have a nice good kiss, but you have to be careful not to go too far so you don’t end up in the place you’re trying to avoid being in. Strong, strong, strong, strong! Just the strongest resistance to temptation.”
In another interview that month with People, Ciara said, “I’m not gonna lie. I’m human, so it is not easy, especially when I look at him, and I think he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen—that I’ve ever laid my eyes on, to be honest.”
They also attended the pre-GRAMMY Gala together and posed for this iconic photo.
March 2016
A year after meeting, Wilson proposed to Ciara while they were on a trip in the Seychelles with a 16-carat custom diamond ring, according to Us Weekly.
“She said Yes!!! Since Day 1 I knew you were the one. No Greater feeling… #TrueLove @Ciara,” he posted on Instagram on March 11, confirming their engagement.
July 2016
They were married a few months later on July 6 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England, surrounded by friends and family. She wore a Roberto Cavalli gown with custom embroidery, bell lace sleeves, and a laced-up bodice, while Wilson was in a Giorgio Armani suit, People reported at the time. Celebs at the event included Kelly Rowland, Jennifer Hudson, and La La Anthony.
“We are The Wilsons!” Ciara wrote over a photo from the day.
Ciara told People, “Our wedding was like a fairytale… We loved the countryside. We looked at a venue in the U.S., but we also looked abroad, and England just seemed magical and perfect.”
She added, “This is the happiest I have ever been.”
October 2016
That fall, the couple announced they were expecting. Ciara shared the news on her 31st birthday, writing on Instagram, “On this special Birthday I received an abundance of love from friends and family.. and I’m excited to Finally share one of the Greatest Gifts of All that God could give… 👶🏽🍼💃🏽☺️❤️”
February 2017
Wearing a floor-length red velvet gown from Jovani Signature to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February 2017, Ciara’s pregnancy was very visible, and she looked radiant.
April 2017
Their daughter Sienna was born on April 29, 2017.
“Dear Sienna Princess Wilson, No matter how big the wave, we will always be your calm in the storm. We Love You. Love, Mommy & Daddy,” Ciara wrote on Instagram.
February 2018
They shared the first photos of Sienna months later.
May 2018
Ciara told E! that since marriage and welcoming a new child, her home has “been full of so much life and love.”
“He’s been such an incredible father since day one,” she said of Wilson’s parenting skills. “He’s so loving and very patient. He also likes to have fun—he’s very spontaneous and we just have a good time as a family… He inspires me, he’s so driven and very ambitious, and he’s always working hard whether he’s on the field or off the field.”
She added, “He’s always trying to make an impact in any way that he can. It’s really inspiring to watch and to have a partner that has that kind of ambition. I’m also a very ambitious person, I’m very driven…it really just flows.”
July 2018
Two years after their wedding, the couple went on an official honeymoon in Botswana, Africa.
“I could wake up like this every morning,” the singer wrote over a safari video.
Shortly after, the couple launched Why Not You productions to develop both scripted and unscripted TV and movie projects.
“While we work in different fields in our day-to-day, we are excited to come together to collaborate and create stories that we hope will touch people’s lives,” they said in a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are both storytellers at heart and we want to be able to share stories that uplift people and inspire others to create positive change. That’s ultimately what we want this company to represent.”
May 2019
While promoting her new album Beauty Marks on The View, Ciara shared more about her relationship.
“When you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you become your strongest,” she said. “When I met the love of my life it was not only loving me, it was to love my son.”
Later that month, she told Access Hollywood, “You know my husband’s pretty awesome and you know it’s been an incredible journey…Time goes by so fast and we’ve been having the time of our lives. We call it organized chaos because obviously with him doing football and me doing music, the worlds are both moving fast and kinda like in two different directions, but sometimes parallel at the same time.”
January 2020
In January 2020, Ciara announced she and Wilson were expecting again.
“Number 3,” she captioned a shot of herself in a bathing suit featuring a baby bump.
July 2020
On July 23, their son Win Harrison was born.
“Happy Birthday WIN!!! Mommy & Daddy Love You!” Wilson wrote on Instagram.
Ciara also shared a video of herself with the new arrival.
September 2021
Ciara honored her husband at the 2021 Met Gala by wearing his jersey number in Seahawks green on a gown by Dundas while wearing his Super Bowl ring from Super Bowl XLVIII and carriying a football clutch covered in crystals
March 2022
The couple released a children’s book together titled Why Not You?, encouraging kids to dream big. It is an extension of their shared Why Not You Foundation.
September 2022
Ciara told People that young Future loves football, and Wilson has been helping him train.
“He’s all about the details. He’s all about the technique,” she said. “He’s firm with love though…He’s all about coming back with love and so it’s beautiful.”
October 2022
Ciara brought Future and Sienna to watch Wilson play for the Denver Broncos in Las Vegas, Nevada.
January 2023
At the end of a difficult season with the Broncos, Ciara wrote her husband a loving message of support on Instagram.
“This season has been a roller coaster ride like no other… I’ve watched you endure so much and keep your head up high through it all! Your faith, belief, and confidence never wavered!” she wrote. “What I do know is a Winner is someone that gets back up when they’re knocked down, someone who doesn’t stop believing. Someone who embraces adversity and stays neutral through it all. Someone who can’t be influenced by the words or opinions of others. Someone who loves loving others, serving others, and is always there for his family. All of that you are!”
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.