Inside NFL Star Russell Wilson's Marriage With Ciara
Ciara and Russell Wilson seemed to know from their first encounter that they were destined to be together. The couple's paths first crossed in March 2015 while attending a basketball game. During an Instagram Live, Wilson recalled that he was keen on asking his future wife on a date, but he had a pre-planned business dinner later. He initially rescheduled the dinner to later in the night so he could spend more time with Ciara.
He ultimately ended up being a no-show at his meeting because his conversations with Ciara were too good to walk away from, and he preferred to talk to her until midnight. The lovebirds also discussed how Ciara was weirdly fascinated by Wilson's worn-out wallet, which he had to use because he had misplaced his essentials. Their meet-cute only seemed more magical after Ciara told Essence that she manifested her ideal man into her life by penning a list of the things she wanted in her ideal man.
"I'm a big believer in writing down what you want in general. I'm a believer in seeing it, speaking it, and writing it down," she explained. "There's something about the power of the tongue and the mind, and you're actually affirming it by writing it down." The "1, 2 Step" singer added that after she wrote down everything she wanted in a life partner, she was able to love herself enough to refuse to settle for anything less and waited for her perfect match to show up.
Ciara and Russell Wilson practiced celibacy
Ciara and Russell Wilson made their first public appearance in style by attending the April 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner. In July of that year, Ciara told Access they had mutually agreed to practice celibacy until they tied the knot. She admitted that they were having difficulty keeping their hands off each other, so they turned their focus towards their shared joy over all the time they spent together.
Luckily for them, they didn't have to practice restraint for too long because Wilson surprised her with a vacation to the Seychelles in March 2016 and got down on one knee. Ciara and Wilson wasted no time and married in July in a fairytale ceremony in a castle in England. Speaking to E! News in 2019, the "Goodies" songstress shared that she had no regrets about their decision to remain celibate until marriage because it helped them create a deep emotional bond before the physical aspects of the relationship came along. "When [women] see a guy, we envision what he's like and whether this could be something special," she explained.
"Guys see us from an exterior point of view — that's something I learned along the way as a woman ... You shouldn't feel like you have to give your body away to get someone to like you." Ciara and Wilson share four kids. Their first, Sienna Princess Wilson, was born in April 2017, Win Harrison Wilson in April 2020, and Amora Princess Wilson in December 2023. Wilson also co-parents Future Zahir Wilburn from Ciara's previous relationship with rapper Future.
The couple has their hands full
Russell Wilson treats Future Zahir Wilson with the same level of compassion as his biological children with Ciara. The Denver Broncos quarterback shared his feelings about being a step-father in an interview with Buzzfeed News' morning show AM2DM. "You really find out what love's like," he said. "It's interesting. It's easy to love somebody that's blood and everything else, but when you can love somebody just like it's your own child and everything else, that's what real love is like."
The couple added another member to their family on Mother's Day 2022, a puppy named Bronco, who was Ciara's surprise gift for the special day. If Ciara and Wilson's hands aren't full enough already, they also have several business ventures to juggle. The power couple started their own production company, Why Not You Productions, in 2019. According to their website, they've worked on sports-centric films like "National Champions," "Unfinished Business," and a TV show titled "God. Family. Football." The spouses also own a part of the Seattle Sounders soccer team.
In 2020, Ciara and Wilson founded The House of LR&C, a sustainable fashion brand that gives 3% of its profits to social causes. Their non-profit, the Why Not You Foundation, is also dedicated to reducing poverty through better education opportunities. However, the Grammy-winning singer and the Super Bowl 2014 champion are never too busy to share their love on Instagram. They've written each other some adorable birthday posts and shared snaps of their laidback downtime with their kids.