Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton were first introduced in 2009 and now share two children

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton’s love has stood the test of time, cementing them as a fan-favorite celebrity couple.

The pair were first introduced by mutual friends Jensen and Danneel Ackles, who set them up on a blind date in 2009. Less than a year later, Morgan and Burton welcomed their son, Augustus.

The couple’s second child, daughter George Virginia, arrived in 2018. And despite speculation that they had tied the knot years earlier, Burton and Morgan said, “I do,” in 2019 during an intimate ceremony with family, friends and their two children.

After the nuptials, the former One Tree Hill star explained why they decided to make their relationship “more authentic” by getting married. “We had built this life together. We’d had kids together. I think there comes a point where you just don’t want to go another day by being inauthentic about it,” she told PEOPLE.

From a fateful blind date to raising their kids on a farm, here is a complete timeline of Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton’s relationship.

May 8, 2009: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton meetJason Merritt/Getty

Burton and Morgan have two famous friends to thank for introducing them — Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles. Danneel previously starred alongside Burton on One Tree Hill, while Morgan portrayed Jensen’s father on Supernatural. The Ackles brought the two together for a blind date at an Irish pub in Los Angeles on May 8, 2009.

Twelve years later, Burton fondly looked back on their first date with a post on Instagram captioned, “Twelve years ago today, @jensenackles and @danneelackles512 made me go on a blind date. The smokin hot @jeffreydeanmorgan showed up and it was game over.”

“Here’s to being crazy kids, living all over the country, giving birth to two doppelgängers, getting gray hair and still being totally inappropriate….together,” she continued.

March 14, 2010: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton welcome their first babyDavid Livingston/Getty

Burton and Morgan quietly welcomed their son, Augustus “Gus” Morgan, on March 14, 2010.

However, it wasn’t until August 2010 that Gus’ birth was confirmed by Burton during an interview with the New York Daily News. “We’re really happy, and we’re a very good team. And we got very lucky that our family is what it is,” the actress said.

At the time, she did not share his name or birthday. “I want to protect them like a mama wolf should,” she added.

April 20, 2010: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton make their red carpet debutAlberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Just over a month after the arrival of their son, whose birth had not yet been announced publicly, Burton and Morgan made their red carpet debut at the L.A. premiere of Morgan’s movie, The Losers.

November 14, 2011: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton talk about parenthood

Burton and Morgan opened up about parenthood for the first time publicly on the red carpet at the Breaking Dawn: Part 1 premiere in L.A. The Walking Dead actor also revealed that their son Gus’ favorite word at the time was “no.”

“He just said ‘no’ for the first time, which is f—ed up,” Morgan told E! Online. “In one week it’s just like, ‘No, no, no!’ ”

Morgan added that parenthood had consisted of “a lot of not sleeping.” He then joked, “Then our one adult night we come here … this is our date. Can you believe it?”

Early 2014: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton buy a candy store

Along with longtime friend Paul Rudd and his wife Julie, Morgan and Burton purchased a local candy store, Samuel’s Sweet Shop, in Rhinebeck, New York, following the owner’s passing.

In an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Morgan explained how the couple got involved with Samuel’s Sweet Shop.

“We moved to upstate New York. The first guy I met in this town called Rhinebeck was this Ira, and he owned this candy store,” he shared. “He passed away a couple years ago, and Paul and I had been friends for a while and we just didn’t want it to turn into a smoothie stand or something. It had been there since the early ’90s, so we were like, ‘Yeah, let’s pool our money together and get a candy store,’ so now we’re the proud owners of Samuel’s Sweet Shop.”

July 2015: Hilarie Burton joins Jeffrey Dean Morgan on Extant

The couple shared the screen together for the first time when Burton joined Morgan and Halle Berry for a role on the sci-fi series Extant. She even got to work with fellow One Tree Hill alum Tyler Hilton, who was a regular on the show.

September 17, 2017: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton confirm they’re expecting their second baby

At the 2017 Emmy Awards, Morgan confirmed the couple’s pregnancy news by placing a hand on Burton’s baby bump.

Later that month, Morgan accidentally revealed that the couple were expecting a girl during a Supernatural convention. Luckily, Burton was a “rockstar” about the slip-up, as Morgan shared on Instagram.

February 16, 2018: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton welcome a daughterBen Hider/Getty

The longtime couple welcomed their second child, daughter George Virginia, on Feb. 16, 2018. Burton had an all-natural birth, which included assistance from Morgan, as he explained during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

“George started coming and the midwife moved aside. And I just went in and grabbed her by her little cheeks and had her out in 3 seconds,” he said.

As for her name, the proud father revealed the origin of the moniker: an episode of Bonanza titled “A Girl Named George.”

“I loved the name and Hilarie loved the name. Gus is named after Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. We got a weird western theme going on,” he said.

April 2018: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton buy a farm

Burton and Morgan moved onto Mischief Farm, a 100-acre working farm in Rhinebeck, New York, an area the couple had already called home for several years. The farm is now filled with plenty of animals, including an internet-famous donkey and emu.

October 5, 2019: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton get married

After a decade of dating, Burton and Morgan secretly tied the knot on Oct. 5, 2019, in an intimate ceremony in New York surrounded by friends, family and their two kids. Burton shared the news on Instagram, posting a black-and-white shot of herself and Morgan kissing. The bride also penned an emotional message in the caption.

“We’ve lived as husband and wife for a decade. We’ve built a family, and a farm and found our community,” she wrote. “For years, publications have reported that we got married in 2014 or 2015 and that I’ve been married and divorced before. All untrue. But WE knew our truth. So it felt silly to try and correct anything.”

December 31, 2019: Hilarie Burton reflects on a decade with Jeffrey Dean MorganGregg DeGuire/WireImage

A few months later, Burton reflected on her and Morgan’s decade-long relationship as 2019 came to a close. Along with a collection of photos from their wedding day, the actress shared how much her life had changed in the past 10 years.

“Ten years ago, I was pregnant, unemployed, unsure about where I was gonna live or give birth and despite the bravado I may have projected, I was scared,” she wrote. “My whole life I’d thought I would follow the same path as everyone I’d grown up around. Have a steady job. Get married. Buy a house. Have kids. But the path didn’t unfold that way at all.”

She continued, “A decade later, I can look back at my younger self and say ‘it’s okay, honey! Happiness will surprise you! Let it!’ 2019 was incredibly good to our family. The wedding I thought I wanted when I was 26 was made so much sweeter by waiting.”

March 14, 2020: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton celebrate their son’s 10th birthday

The pair celebrated 10 years since welcoming their son Gus into the world, each sharing a message and series of photos dedicated to their firstborn.

“Happy birthday to our dude. 10. Double digits. How the hell did that happen? You were just born like… a second ago?! I love you punk. So much,” Morgan wrote. “The best decade of our lives because of you. Me n ma are super lucky and proud. Xoxodad”

Burton shared her own post, writing in the caption, “Our son, Gus Morgan, turns ten today. He is the most spectacular person. His dad @jeffreydeanmorgan and I are beyond lucky that he is ours. I love you, my boy. Happy Birthday!!!!”

April 17, 2020: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton debut their own talk show

Burton and Morgan embarked on a new adventure together in 2020, a weekly TV series on AMC. The video-chat-based show, Friday Night in with the Morgans, aired conversations with neighbors, frontline workers and famous friends about how they were navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 29, 2020: Hilarie Burton talks about her courtship with Jeffrey Dean MorganFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty

During an interview with PEOPLE, Burton revealed what first attracted her to Morgan: his confidence.

“When he came along, he was so sure of himself,” she said. “I was not a girl anyone pursued. I’ve always been alpha. And Jeffrey was like, ‘You’re going to be my girlfriend.’ It was so nice to be pursued. He’s a cute dude! And I liked that he knew exactly who he was. His confidence was intoxicating.”

May 12, 2020: Hilarie Burton opens up about infertility and struggles to grow family with Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Ahead of the release of her memoir, The Rural Diaries, Burton spoke to PEOPLE about her struggles with infertility and the miscarriages she experienced. The mom of two said she “took on so much guilt” and felt “blindsided” by her body after a year and a half of trying to get pregnant a second time.

“But there’s this thing that happens to your body after a miscarriage. Every single ache and every single pain, all of a sudden you’re scared it’s a death. It’s got to be the worst-case scenario. And I didn’t realize I had that, but every time I would have a cramp, I was scared it was something serious,” she said.

Burton also discussed how the experience affected her and Morgan’s relationship.

“By the time the next couple miscarriages came around, Jeffrey and I figured out how to talk to each other. Until you go through trauma with someone, you don’t know what their language is and they don’t know what your language is,” she shared. “It is painful to say that by the time we had our third miscarriage, we had figured out how to communicate and help each other and how to process together.”

April 4, 2021: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton star alongside each other on The Walking DeadJim Spellman/WireImage

The real-life couple became an on-screen couple when Burton made a cameo on Morgan’s hit show The Walking Dead, playing his character Negan’s late wife Lucille in a season 10 bonus episode. Negan’s iconic weapon of choice — a barbed wire baseball bat — was named after Lucille, who died of cancer before the zombie apocalypse.

Despite being “nervous as hell” ahead of Burton’s guest appearance, Morgan later said that working with his wife was “probably the highlight of [his] career.”

September 4, 2021: Hilarie Burton thanks Jeffrey Dean Morgan for supporting her

After more than 10 years together, Burton still feels lucky for her “catch.” In September 2021, she penned a touching tribute to Morgan on Instagram, thanking him for supporting her through “creating chaos,” career changes and more.

“My husband @jeffreydeanmorgan has supported every bit of it. Even if he hasn’t necessarily been a fan of every chosen paint color. He understands it’s all a trial and error process. That feels nice,” she wrote alongside two selfies. “So I want to say thank you to the person who picks up the slack so I can disappear into work, and makes me feel capable of trying new things. You’re a catch.”

September 19, 2021: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton’s son makes his acting debut on The Walking DeadMike Pont/Getty

Morgan and Burton’s son Gus had an exciting first acting role — a spot on his dad’s show The Walking Dead as a young zombie. The proud father shared a few behind-the-scenes shots of his son’s TV debut, including a time-lapse of the intense makeup routine Gus endured to transform into a zombie.

“My dude. Me, @hilarieburton and George … THATS MY BOY!! We are super proud of Gusy Dean,” Morgan wrote. “Thanks to @amcthewalkingdead and @gnicotero for making a dream come true… a damn hoot!”

October 5, 2021: Hilarie Burton celebrates two-year wedding anniversary with Jeffrey Dean Morgan

On their second wedding anniversary, Burton looked back on two years of marriage on Instagram and teased an upcoming project that the couple had in the works.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Celebrate 12th Anniversary of Their First Blind Date

“Today is our wedding anniversary, and rather than get each other gifts, @jeffreydeanmorgan and I have been working on a new project as a reminder of our favorite day,” she wrote alongside a carousel of images, including a few wedding photos. “Two years ago we threw a HELLACIOUS party. And so we wanted to create a tangible memory of epic toasts and tattoos, all while keeping everything local to our beloved Hudson Valley.”

“You’re a dreamer and it makes life so much more fun. Also, you’re impossibly hot. That helps. Happy Anniversary, babe. You’re the absolute coolest,” Burton concluded.

April 1, 2022: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton announce a line of spiritsJon Kopaloff/Getty

In addition to celebrating the Grey’s Anatomy actor’s 56th birthday, Morgan and Burton also launched a new business venture: their spirits brand MF Libations. Burton dropped the news on Instagram, sharing that the brand’s Blackberry Gin and Bonfire Rye were available to shop.

“That way our brand and our boy will always have the same birthday and we’ll always have a way to celebrate together!” she wrote. “I love seeing all the sweet videos you guys are posting for Jeff’s birthday, and so I want to raise a glass and make my own toast to him.”

July 29, 2022: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton flirt on TwitterJeffrey Dean Morgan/Twitter

Morgan posted a throwback photo of him and Burton on Twitter with the caption, “I love this woman immeasurably.”

Burton replied, “You flirtin’ with me??”

In the photo, which was taken earlier that summer at Burton’s former costar Sophia Bush’s wedding to Grant Hughes, the couple matched in all-black outfits.

February 14, 2023: Hilarie Burton calls Jeffrey Dean Morgan her “valentine for life”

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Burton and Morgan penned loving notes to each other on Instagram.

“When I first started talking to my Valentine-for-life @jeffreydeanmorgan, he knew that the way to my heart was winning over my roommate and BFF,” she captioned a throwback image with Morgan. “Jeff, thank you for loving me by loving all the people who were important to me. I’m a spoiled lady.”

The Supernatural star shared a few selfies of the long-time couple and wrote: “Happy Valentine’s Day to my every second of the days valentine. I love you so damn much it’s ridiculous.”

April 18, 2023: Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan attend AMC Networks’ upfront in New York CityJamie McCarthy/Getty

The couple walked the red carpet together at AMC Networks’ upfront, which took place at the Lincoln Center in N.Y.C. Burton looked chic in an orange suit, while Morgan rocked an all-black ensemble.

“Hot date with @jeffreydeanmorgan !!!! (I am such a sucker when he wears a suit! 😍),” the One Tree Hill alum wrote on Instagram. “Feels really good to have built this work family. They’ve been so supportive of our real family!”

 

June 13, 2023: Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan attend the Tribeca Film Festival

Rob Kim/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Morgan’s TV series The Walking Dead: Dead City premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City — and Burton was there to support him. The couple posed for photos on the red carpet before talking to PEOPLE.

“Our son has a Negan poster in his bedroom and a friend came over recently and he was like, ‘Why do you have a poster of your dad?’ ” Burton recalled, adding that Augustus replied: “Because my dad’s awesome.”

April 10, 2024: Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan attend AMC Network’s upfront for the second year in a row

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

The couple traded their farm threads for 𝑠e𝑥y all-black ensembles and attended AMC Network’s upfront in New York City.

“Thanks for the hot date @jeffreydeanmorgan! Always always always proud of you,” Burton wrote on Instagram about The Walking Dead star.

October 5, 2024: Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan celebrate five years of marriage

In honor of the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary, Burton penned a sweet post on Instagram about her husband.

“You spoil me, @jeffreydeanmorgan. I am the luckiest, proudest woman. Happy Anniversary, you absolute babe. Thank you for always surprising me. I adore you,” she wrote.

Morgan replied in the comments, writing, “My lady, that’s it. Just my lady. Greatest thing ever to happen to me… is you. The life we’ve built. I love you. Happy anniversary.”