How Did Alec Baldwin Meet His Wife Hilaria Baldwin? All About Their Chance Encounter Nearly 15 Years Ago — and Why the Actor Waited 6 Weeks to Kiss Her

Mar. 15, 2025

Hilaria Baldwin and Alec Baldwin on June 22, 2021 in New York City.Photo:Monica Schipper/Getty

Monica Schipper/Getty

After a six-week courting period,Alec BaldwinandHilaria Baldwinwere all in.

The couple met in February 2011 at a restaurant in New York City. At the time, Alec wasn’t looking for a new companion, but his connection with Hilaria was undeniable, and the pair started dating that summer.

The30 Rockalum proposed in April 2012, and they married two months later. Alec and Hilaria always planned to have a “ton of kids,” and they went on to welcomeseven children together. Hilaria is also a stepmom to Alec’s daughterIreland Baldwin, whom he shares with his ex-wife,Kim Basinger.

With their new TLC showThe Baldwins, which premiered on Feb. 23,Alec and Hilariaare giving fans an inside look at their relationship and pulling back the curtain on the “good, bad [and] wild” reality of raising their large family.

“Telling your story is one thing, and showing your story is something else,” Hilaria told PEOPLE in February 2025. “It felt authentic, it felt human. It felt very empowering.”

Here’s everything to know about how Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin met.

How did Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin meet?

Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin in 2011.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News

The couple first crossed paths in February 2011 when they both happened to be dining at the same restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, in N.Y.C.

During a joint interview withThe New York Timesin July 2012, Alec admitted that his opening line wasn’t very clever.

“I was standing near the door with my friends when he walked up and took my hand and said, ‘I must know you.' And then he gave me his card,” Hilaria recalled.

With a bit of encouragement from a friend, Hilaria called Alec, and they had their first date a few days later. She told PEOPLE that the actor took things slow in the early days of their relationship, waiting six weeks to kiss her.

“He shook my hand. No hug, nothing,” Hilaria said. “He was very respectful.”

When did Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin get married?

Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin at Lincoln Center on November 07, 2023 in New York City.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Alec fell “madly in love” with Hilariaand proposedin April 2012at a lighthousein East Hampton, N.Y.

“He took me out to Montauk, and … he got down on his knee, and then I don’t remember the rest because I started crying,” she toldExtrashortly after the engagement.

“You think once you get married, everything’s like, you’re done,” Hilaria told theAssociated Pressahead of the special ceremony. “But it’s really good to say, ‘Hey I’m still in this.’ ”

How many kids do Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin have?

Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin and their seven children in January 2025.Gillian Laub

Gillian Laub

Romeo Alejandro Davidjoined the Baldwin family on May 17, 2018, andEduardo “Edu” Pao Lucaswas born on Sept. 8, 2020. The couple welcomed their daughterMaría Lucía Victoriavia surrogate on Feb. 25, 2021, and their most recent addition to the family, daughterIlaria Catalina Irena, came into the world on Sept. 22, 2022.

While Alec is still changing diapers in his late 60s, he told PEOPLE that he loves his big, chaotic family and “wouldn’t change anything.”

The couple are likely done having children, but Hilaria says her husband is “always asking me for more kids.”

“They’re so cute,” Hilaria added. “But my body’s really tired.”

Who did Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin date before meeting?

Hilaria Baldwin and Alec Baldwin at The Museum Gala held at the American Museum of Natural History on December 1, 2022 in New York City.Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty

Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty

Alec and Ireland once had a rocky relationship but have since developed a close bond. Hilaria also considers Ireland one of her own.

“We all have a great relationship,” the mom of seven told PEOPLE in April 2019. “Ireland is so smart, so funny, she just is a special soul.”

As for Hilaria’s dating history, she has never publicly discussed past romances.

source: people.com