Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann's Sweetest Throwback Photos Together

The 'Law & Order: SVU' star and her husband fell in love on set and have been married since 2004

Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann share a love that spans two decades.

The TV stars met in 2002, married in 2004 and have been supporting each other ever since. From praising each other's career achievements to becoming parents of three, they've been side by side since they met on the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Look back on the longtime duo's love story with some of their sweetest throwback photos from their early days of power-coupledom.

Spotted on Set

Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann initially caught each other's eyes when Hermann appeared on season 3 of Law & Order: SVU. Though she was in character as Detective Olivia Benson, Hargitay couldn't help but take an interest in the guest star, as she later recalled on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2022.

"Who is that Clark Gable, Superman guy that I need to marry today?" the actress remembered thinking when she first saw Hermann on set in 2002.

Heartfelt Start

Once they were acquainted, Hermann made a move to take their relationship off set and invited Hargitay to attend church with him. Reminiscing on their first date with PEOPLE in 2019, the actress says their connection was immediate and electric.

“We went to church together, and it was like getting hit with a lightning bolt,” she said. In fact, Hargitay was so moved by her fondness for Hermann that she burst into tears during their outing.

"Peter thought I was crying because I was so moved by the service,” the Emmy winner said. “No, it was because I was just overwhelmed, realizing he was the one.”

Lover's Intuition

She was certain their chemistry would last after their emotional first date and shared her instinct with a close friend afterwards: “I told her, ‘This is it. This is the man I’m going to marry,’ ” Hargitay recalled when she and Hermann appeared on the cover of PEOPLE to celebrate their 15th anniversary in 2019.

Night to Remember

The California-born beauty and her beau tied the knot in 2004 with a ceremony held in Santa Barbara. Wedding planner Yifat Oren called their nuptials "enchanting" and "really magical," per PEOPLE's reporting at the time.

“They’re mad about each other,” Oren said. “And they’re hilariously funny together.”

Marrying Right

“I waited and married the right one and it’s better than I thought it was," Hargitay reflected in conversation with PEOPLE. "Because sometimes you take a snapshot and you go, ‘I can’t believe this is my life.’ "

'Too Good to Be True'

Years later, when the Golden Globe winner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013, she echoed that same sentiment in her speech. After praising their three children, she thanked her husband: "To Peter, you're too good to be true."

Love and Laughter

The key to their long-standing love? Constant humor and happiness.

“I never thought I would have this much laughter in my life,” Hermann told PEOPLE in 2019. The Younger star added, “Not just actual laughter, but also the way that Mariska is just the embodiment of laughter — of joy.”

A Full House

In 2006, Hargitay and Hermann's team grew one bigger when they welcomed son August Miklos Friedrich. In 2011, the longtime duo welcomed their daughter Amaya Josephine and another son, Andrew Nicolas, by adoption.

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Read the original article on People.