Ree Drummond would never have guessed that a chance encounter with a cowboy in a smoky bar would lead to a 26-year marriage. But that's exactly how she and her husband Ladd first met.
They've now been married for more than two decades, and share five awesome kids, seven adorable dogs, and a handful of successful businesses in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Here's all the details about their epic love story, which all started with a much-needed night out and one (very belated!) phone call.
How did The Pioneer Woman meet her husband?
When Ree headed out for a casual girls' night, her expectations were low.
She had just moved back from Los Angeles and was making a pit stop in her hometown of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for a few months before moving to Chicago. Desperate for a fun time with old friends, Ree agreed to meet her childhood buddies at a local dive (and didn't even bother to put on eyeliner before rushing out the door!). The only thing on her mind was a much-needed glass of chardonnay.
Then, she saw him.
Ladd was standing across the bar wearing a pair of Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots, sipping on bottled beer. He had blue-green eyes and salt-and-pepper hair—but it was the cowboy's hands that made him impossible for Ree to ignore.
"They were big and strong," Ree recalls. Within minutes, they were talking.
She felt an instant connection during their long conversation and was certain he'd call her the next morning.
But he didn't.
Ree moved on and was gearing up to start her new life in Chicago. When her phone rang nearly four months later, the morning after her brother's wedding, she never expected it to be the "Marlboro Man–esque character" she'd met at the bar over Christmas.
Ladd picked up Ree to take her to dinner the following evening and their first date ended with a kiss on her parents' front porch. At the time, it didn't seem like their lives were very compatible: He was a cattle rancher and she was about to move to a big city.
Still, that didn't stop Ladd from saying "I love you" to his future wife on the back porch of his ranch just two weeks later.
When did Ree and Ladd get married?
Ree and Ladd got married in an Episcopal church ceremony on September 21, 1996. She wore a classic white dress and he traded in his jeans for a black tuxedo (with cowboy boots, of course). While the entire evening was memorable, there are two moments from their wedding that Ree says she'll never forget.
"During our reception, my brother, Mike, got up on stage and belted out 'Elvira,'" Ree says. "Then, Arizona State, Ladd's alma mater, beat Nebraska—the two-time defending national football champions at the time. Ladd and his college friends were in the men's locker room almost the whole reception to watch the game. They were so excited!"
How many kids do they have?
After Ree and Ladd got married, the newlyweds left for a honeymoon in Australia.
"We decided to take the 'let nature take its course' approach to family planning once we tied the knot," Ree explains. Nine and a half months after their wedding day, she gave birth to their first child, Alex. The couple's oldest daughter was followed by another girl, Paige, who was born in 1999. Almost three years later in 2002, Ree and Ladd's first son Bryce arrived. They gave him a brother when their youngest, Todd, was born in 2004.
Ree and Ladd thought their family was complete—until they met Jamar.
"Fostering a kid was never something Ladd and I pursued or felt called to do, but Jamar’s circ*mstances presented themselves to us in a way we couldn’t ignore," Ree says. "So, long story short, all six foot five inches of him showed up at our house one afternoon, bag in hand, ready to move in."
It's been over a year and a half since Ree and Ladd's "bonus kid" joined their family, and he's become an inextricable part of their wacky lives.
Now, all of the Drummond kids—who range in age from 18 to 25—are nearly all grown up.
What's their secret to a long marriage?
After 26 years of marriage, Ree and Ladd are still going strong. A lot has changed since the night they first met in that smoky bar, but they still enjoy the simple things in life.
"Ladd and I always wind up together on the couch in the evenings, no matter how busy we've been throughout the day. We both have a soft spot for old Westerns, any of The Godfather movies and '80s flicks," Ree says. "We're on the same page with snacks, too. Queso for us and popcorn for the kids!"
There you have it, folks: Couples who eat cheese together, stay together.
Kelly O'Sullivan
Senior Editor
Kelly O’Sullivan is the senior editor for The Pioneer Woman and manages the website’s social channels, in addition to overseeing content strategy and news.
