Luke Bryan and his wife, Caroline, have been married for over 15 years and are raising five children together. Two of their sons are their own, while three—Luke’s nieces and nephew—came into their care after a family tragedy.

Their journey wasn’t smooth from the start. The couple first met in 1998 at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Caroline, a freshman, noticed Luke across a bar and was immediately drawn to his smile. Luke, a senior already performing music gigs, sent a friend to introduce them before approaching her himself. They began dating shortly after but split up about a year later when talk of marriage made Caroline feel unready. Even though they parted ways, they stayed in touch through email and occasional encounters at Luke’s shows.

Years later, fate brought them back together when Caroline unexpectedly attended one of Luke’s performances. They reconnected that night, worked through a brief misunderstanding, and soon rekindled their relationship. From then on, their bond grew stronger.

Luke’s proposal was both thoughtful and surprising. He created a CD of songs that were meaningful from their college days, blindfolded Caroline, and led her to a spot where he got down on one knee. The two married on December 8, 2006, in an intimate ceremony in Turks and Caicos with close family and friends.

Together, they welcomed two sons, Thomas Boyer (“Bo”) and Tatum Christopher (“Tate”). In 2014, their family grew when Luke’s nieces Jordan and Kris, and his nephew Til, came to live with them after the sudden passing of Luke’s brother-in-law, Ben. The children had previously lost their mother, Luke’s sister Kelly, making Luke and Caroline their guardians without hesitation.

Reflecting on the strength of their marriage, Caroline says the secret is communication. “Talk, talk, talk,” she advised, stressing the importance of always expressing feelings and putting in effort from both sides.