Lauren Akins Was Thomas Rhett’s School Crush before Becoming His Wife – Inside Their Love Story

Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. has been famous for almost as long as he has been married to his high school sweetheart Lauren Akins. Known by his stage name Thomas Rhett, the country singer gained mainstream success with his 2013 debut, “It Goes Like This.”

Son of singer-songwriter Rhett Akins, Thomas Rhett married his life-long friend Lauren Akins months after signing his first record deal. The couple celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary this year. He wrote “Marry Me” and “Die a Happy Man” about their relationship.

Early profiles on the crooner cast the mother of four as the supportive wifey who was almost the “one that got away.” She reclaimed her narrative by sharing her side of the story in her vulnerable memoir.

ABC’s “CMA Country Christmas” stars Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett. | Source: Getty Images

Thomas Rhett Got Friend-Zoned

The young couple met in first grade in Valdosta, Georgia. They remained in each other’s obit and formed a strong friendship by 6th grade at annual church camps. As sophomores, the pair had an unsuccessful first kiss on a trampoline by awkwardly smashing their teeth together.

Rhett was still crushing hard when she decided it was better to be friends. They both had a few serious relationships that almost led to engagements. At a family function, he confessed his love for Lauren to her dad Steve Gregory. Gregory gave this ultimatum:

“If you don’t tell her how you feel about her, I’m going to.”

Thomas and Lauren Advised Not to Get Married at 22

The paramours spoke until 4 a.m. after he took his future father-in-law’s advice and sealed their rekindled romance with a kiss. A lifelong friendship meant the high school sweethearts did not need a long courtship and got engaged within six months. Rhett told PEOPLE:

“Everybody was telling us not to … but we just fell in love at a young age. The first year she was on the bus with me 285 days, sharing a bunk, which is smaller than a twin bed. It’s been five years on the road now.”

The couple was 22 when they said their “I dos in a rustic Tennessee ceremony on October 13, 2012. The groom saw the bride before she walked down the aisle for photos, and their love protected them from superstitions.

Meaningful Advice from Father-in-Law

As a child of divorce, Rhett turned to his father-in-law for advice before his nuptials. Gregory owns a Nashville charter company and witnessed the rock-and-roll lifestyle of any of country music’s top stars firsthand. He told the singer-songwriter on the cusp of becoming a star:

“‘You better keep your head on straight. ‘ He was like, ‘You better not do anything out there on the road because I promise you, I’ve seen it, and I will call you out immediately.’ And I was like, ‘You don’t have anything to worry about.'”

He realized he was naïve, believing life on the road would be without temptations. After being groped backstage, the Christian immediately channeled his “guilt and shame” into action by instituting a policy of no strangers backstage.

Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins attend the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 24, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: FilmMagic for dcp

Lauren Admitted She Lost Her Identity on Tour with Rhett

On the advice of a marriage counselor, Lauren put her nursing career on hold to be with her new hubby on tour. As much as this decision helped cement their strong bond, the young wife felt her “light dimming.” She told The Tennessean that she tried to find a role on tour:

“I kept asking the tour manager and the assistant tour manager, anyone who would listen, for a job. … ‘Can I, like, do something? I’m kind of losing my mind. You don’t have to pay me; just give me something to do!’ […] They just laughed.”

The restless former nurse found meaning in life with the opportunity to go to Haiti and Uganda through church missions to aid children. It was in Uganda where she fell in love – with an orphan girl she would later adopt with her crooner husband.

Philanthropist Podcaster

Lauren leaned into her new calling by getting involved with the Christian non-profit “Love One.” Country Living reports she also launched a jewelry line in 2021 to aid Ugandan communities, but it is no longer available on her website.

Lauren almost lost her Rapunzel tresses when her girls got a comb stuck in her hair.

The mother of four spun her story into a bestselling book, “Live in Love,” and roped in author Annie F. Downs for a podcast extension of the memoir. Already in its second season, the Southerners have “meaningful conversations” with people who have impacted Lauren’s life.

Muse and Video Vixen

Rhett’s love note to his wife, “Die a Happy Man,” won the 2016 CMA Award for “Single of the Year.” The video for the love song was filmed on location at their honeymoon spot in Oahu, Hawai’i. The country star explained why he cast his wife in the intimate video:

“We love to let people in on our lives and be an example of what it means to be in love.”

He proposed with a wine bottle that had “Marry Me” scribbled on it with a Sharpie. However, his hit single “Marry Me” had a darker theme. It played off in the darkest timeline, where the love of his life decided to marry the other guy.

Thomas and Lauren Raise Four Beautiful Daughters Together

While adopting Willa Gray, they discovered they were pregnant with Ada James. The pair was further blessed with another two girls, Lennon Love and Lillie Carolina. The dad revealed on TODAY that the girls were concerned about losing their parent’s affection after Lillie’s birth:

“It affected Lennon quite a bit, but now, watching them take on this amazing big sister role has been the coolest things as a dad to get to watch. It’s been incredible.”

Lauren almost lost her Rapunzel tresses when her girls got a comb stuck in her hair. Defeated, the hands-on mom appealed to her Instagram following for help and got over 4 000 suggestions. In a follow-up post, she gave a play-by-play of her mother-in-law rescuing her hair.

Meet the Fabulous Akins Sisters

The young Willa Gray Akins is already taking after her singer-songwriter dad, who shared her first tune on Instagram. In her bouncy debut, the “Moana” fanatic name-drops her playmates Olivia Rose and Luca Reed, singer Tyler Hubbard’s kids.

Rhett calls his second daughter Ada a “beaming light in this world.” The giggling tot had a viral moment with her sweet reactions and steel resolve during the “Toddler Challenge,” where she sat with a bowl of colorful sweets that were off-limits until her mom said so.

Lennon’s parents are proud of their “firecracker” third daughter, who made her red carpet debut when her pregnant mom attended the CMA Awards in November 2019. Her mother thinks she has “bigger than most adults.”

Lillie was born on November 15, 2021. In her birth announcement, her mom shared lyrics from “Jireh” by American worship bands Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music, “If He dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor / How much more will He clothe you?”

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