Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s Relationship: All About Their 25-Year Romance
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber were married in 1998 and have two children together
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber are one of Hollywood’s long-lasting love stories.
The couple met in the early 1990s, when Crawford was at the height of her modeling career. They were both in other relationships at the time (Crawford was married to actor Richard Gere from 1991 to 1995), but their friendship eventually turned romantic, and they were married in 1998.
Since then, they’ve welcomed two children, son Presley Gerber and daughter Kaia Gerber, who has followed in her mom’s modeling footsteps.
Related: Rande Gerber on 25 Years with Wife Cindy Crawford: 'It’s Important to Remain Friends' (Exclusive)
Crawford and Gerber, a businessman who owns Casamigos Tequila with longtime friend George Clooney, have shared the secrets behind their rock-solid marriage.
“All throughout our marriage, we have made time to just be together, whether it’s a walk on the beach or a weekend away,” Crawford told PEOPLE in 2017. “And I think we laugh with each other and we really respect each other’s opinion. Even when we don’t agree. When he doesn’t agree with me, I am fascinated. I want to know why, because I respect him enough to hear him out and he does the same for me.”
Here’s everything to know about Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s relationship.
They were both in relationships with other people when they met
Crawford and Gerber met in the early 1990s when the supermodel was still married to actor Richard Gere and Gerber was also in a relationship. In a 2015 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Crawford said that she's glad her and her now-husband were friends first.
"We met at my agent's wedding,” she recalled. “When I met him I was still with Richard [Gere] and he didn't want to go to the wedding with me … Rande also had a girlfriend at the time so he wasn't looking to meet anyone either and that's the best time to meet someone because that's when you're truly yourselves. We became friends and after Richard and I broke up then we started dating."
During a 2013 episode of Oprah’s Master Class, Crawford credited her and Gerber's friendship as the reason their marriage has lasted.
“Being rooted and based in friendship, it keeps the relationship elevated,” she said. “There’s always a certain level of respect. We respect each other’s opinion about parenting and our personal life, but also for work stuff … We really listen to each other. I would want that friendship in my life no matter what.”
They were married in 1998
On May 29, 1998, when Crawford was 32 and Gerber was 36, the pair got married on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. The intimate ceremony, which included the exchanging of traditional wedding vows, took place on the beach in front of about 90 guests.
Rather than a custom wedding gown, Crawford opted for a John Galliano mini dress for the beachy affair. "I wore John Galliano off the rack because the wedding was supposed to be secret,” she later explained to Harper’s Bazaar. “We married in the Bahamas in front of our friends and family and it was so special — it was different for my second wedding. We walked each other down the aisle."
Floral designer Michelle White supplied dendrobium orchids and frangipani for Crawford’s bouquet and decorated with native bougainvillea, hibiscus and monastera leaves. The menu included seafood, pasta, roast beef and a three-tiered carrot cake — Crawford’s favorite.
The event was captured by renowned fashion photographer Arthur Elgort (Ansel Elgort's dad).
They have two children together
Crawford and Gerber welcomed son Presley in 1999 and daughter Kaia in 2001. Both children were delivered at the couples’ home, an experience that Crawford has spoken positively about.
"Having kids changes your life in every way — in ways you didn't think possible before you have kids,” the model told Harper’s Bazaar in 2015. “They teach me how to not abuse Instagram, they're like, 'too many hashtags, Mom!' They taught me how strong I am.”
Related: Cindy Crawford on Instilling Good Values in Her Kids: 'Try to Be In the Moment' [Exclusive]
Now, Presley and Kaia are starting their own careers. While Presley is in real estate, Kaia is taking after her mom as a model.
In 2023, Gerber told PEOPLE that while he sometimes misses his kids being little, he loves the stage they’re in now. He added that despite his business accomplishments, his proudest moment has "definitely" been "getting married and having kids.”
“Nothing comes close, that’s for sure,” he said.
They’ve shared their secrets to a happy marriage
After 25 years together, Crawford and Gerber are still going strong.
Now that their children are adults, the couple have learned to adapt to being empty-nesters. Making time for each other, Crawford says, has been an important part of the process. “We can go for a walk on the beach,” she told PEOPLE in 2017. “It reminds me of when we first got together. I love the simplicity. And we do not worry about the kids because they are fine. They’re doing their own thing.”
When disagreements arise, Crawford says that she and Gerber respect each other’s opinion. “When he doesn’t agree with me, I am fascinated,” she said. “I want to know why, because I respect him enough to hear him out and he does the same for me.”
In a 2009 interview with Redbook, Crawford also noted that date nights and prioritizing intimacy are important parts of her marriage.
“If you just wait for the moment to strike, you’re going to have some dry spells. Sometimes you have to grease the wheels a little,” she told the outlet. “You just need to make it a priority and say tonight is going to be the night. If you’re not in the mood, it’s easy enough to get into the mood.”
Crawford shared more thoughts on her marriage with PEOPLE in May 2024, admitting that their friendship being the foundation for their relationship is their secret to success.
"Definitely, we had chemistry, but we had a friendship, and I think that that is a great foundation to build a marriage on because even when you're going through stressful times, the way you treat a good friend is with respect and understanding and compassion," she said. "I feel like that's helped us weather 25 years and some storms."
She also added that they "don't fight ugly."
"We try to fight about just what we're fighting about and not character assassinate each other," she said.
They spend a lot of time with their children
Seemingly a tight-knit family, Crawford and Gerber are frequently spotted out and about with their two children. For years, the family has attended the annual Casamigos Tequila Halloween party together to support Gerber, oftentimes dressing in themed costumes.
In 2022, Crawford and Gerber even accompanied Kaia and her boyfriend, actor Austin Butler, on a double date. Before Memorial Day weekend, the group was seen heading to Roberta's restaurant in Culver City, California. Later that year, Crawford attended Burning Man with her daughter.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Crawford reflected on the extra family time the quarantine allowed them.
"We were really blessed last summer because, even though our kids are both like at an age where they would normally be off doing your own thing, we had everyone back in the nest," she told PEOPLE.
They’ve guided their children through life in the public eye
After decades in the spotlight, Crawford and Gerber have plenty of advice for their children on handling life in the public eye — particularly Kaia, who is not only a successful model but dating a fellow high-profile celebrity.
"I think that she kind of sees how my husband and I have dealt with it throughout the years," Crawford told PEOPLE in May 2023. "Which is not like, we don't ever try to, 'Oh, we can't go there because we might get photographed.' "
"It's a much different landscape than it was kind of when I was her age," Crawford said of social media. "Like anything, there's good and bad sides to it. The good thing is you have direct communication with your audience. The bad thing can be, it's a lot of pressure, and you see a lot of snarky comments on there."
She concluded, "I'm learning along with her about that stuff, but I feel like she seems like she has a very good head on her shoulders and is figuring out how she wants to create that private work-public balance."
They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in May 2023
In celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary, Crawford and Gerber both shared heartfelt words about their marriage.
Related: Cindy Crawford Says She and Husband Rande Gerber Have 'More Traditional' Roles at Home [Exclusive]
On Instagram, Crawford posted a series of black-and-white photos from their 1998 wedding. “I want to congratulate ‘us’ on making it 25 years,” she wrote in the caption. “We have been blessed in so many ways, especially our two children @presleygerber and @kaiagerber … I’m proud of how we have navigated life together — looking to each other for strength and comfort. You have been my best friend and rock and I can’t imagine a life without you."
Gerber also opened up about his marriage with Crawford, revealing the key to their long-lasting relationship. "It’s important in relationships to remain friends,” he said in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. "Go out, have fun, laugh and try not to take life too seriously. Let loose and enjoy the time that we do have."
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