Barack and Michelle Obama are celebrating 34 years of marriage, and they still have plenty of sweet things to say about each other.
The former president, 65, and former first lady, 62, marked their wedding anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 3, with separate Instagram tributes celebrating more than three decades together.
Barack shared a photo of the couple from their July 2026 PEOPLE cover shoot, showing him wrapping his arms around Michelle as the two smiled together.
“Happy anniversary, @MichelleObama!” he captioned the photo. “I’m still the luckiest guy in the world to be with you.”
Michelle celebrated their anniversary with a reel featuring photos and videos from different stages of their relationship, including their 1992 wedding, their years in the White House and more recent moments together.
“Loving you just keeps getting better and better!” she wrote. “Happy anniversary, @BarackObama. Here’s to many, many more years of joy, laughter, and memories to come. 💕.”
The couple tied the knot in Chicago on Oct. 3, 1992, and later welcomed daughters Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, per PEOPLE.
Barack and Michelle Obama’s Love Story Started at Work
Long before their years in the White House, Barack and Michelle first crossed paths in 1989 while working at the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin.
According to ELLE, Michelle, then Michelle Robinson, was assigned to mentor Barack when he joined the firm. Barack was interested in her almost immediately, but Michelle was initially hesitant to date someone she worked with.
He eventually convinced her to give him a chance. Their first date included a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, a walk through the city, ice cream and a movie.
Two years later, Barack proposed during a dinner celebrating his passing the bar exam. The couple married in 1992 and welcomed Malia in 1998 and Sasha in 2001.
Their marriage has since taken them through parenthood, Barack’s political career and two terms in the White House. Michelle has also been open over the years about the fact that their relationship has included difficult periods along with the happier ones.
During a 2020 episode of “The Michelle Obama Podcast,” she acknowledged there were times when their marriage was particularly challenging but stressed that difficult stretches did not mean their relationship was over. She later spoke about how raising young children tested their marriage and said she eventually realized marriage is not always an even “50-50.”
More than three decades later, the couple has continued to speak openly about the partnership they have built.
Barack and Michelle Say They Still Make Each Other Better
Just a few months before celebrating their latest anniversary, Barack and Michelle opened up to PEOPLE about what they have brought to each other’s lives.
Barack said he knew early in their relationship that Michelle was someone special.
“I knew almost immediately, and looks like I made a pretty good bet, that this was a one-of-a-kind woman with the integrity and character, smarts and values to make me better,” he said. “Just being with her made me better, and she still does.”
He also praised Michelle for the foundation she helped provide for their daughters.
Michelle described their relationship from the other side, calling herself and Barack “each other’s counterbalance.” She said meeting her husband pushed her to think bigger about her life and what she could do beyond following a traditional career path with her Harvard law degree.
“He gave me the courage,” Michelle said. “He was my ballast. He was like, ‘I got you.’ And however hard it’s been, the ups and downs, he’s got me.”
Barack said the balance works both ways, crediting Michelle with keeping him grounded throughout their life together.
“And she grounds and anchors me,” he said. “It’s worked out a’ight.”
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Barack and Michelle Obama Celebrate 34 Years of Marriage With Sweet Tributes