The Sweetest Photos of Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard Over the Years

The couple, who are high school sweethearts, have welcomed four children together

Ron and Cheryl Howard's love story is decades in the making.

The couple, who met in high school and went on their first date in 1970, have been by each other's sides for all of life's big moments.

Cheryl, who is a published author, and Oscar-winning director Ron expanded their family four times over with the addition of their children, daughters Bryce Dallas, Jocelyn Carlyle and Paige Carlyle, as well as son Reed Cross.

From their early days as a pair to their more recent outings, take a look back at some of the sweetest photos of the longtime couple.

Longtime Love

Ron Howard and Cheryl Alley met while attending John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California, and had their first date in 1970.

"Nov 1 1970 Cheryl & I went on our 1st date," Ron wrote alongside an Instagram post commemorating the 40th anniversary of the moment in 2020. "We went to see a re-release of Stanley Kramer's It's a Mad Mad Mad World and then got some pizza at now defunct Barnone's in Toluca Lake. Quite a start, right?"

He added a sweet detail sharing that to celebrate, "We'll be driving in the same '70 VW Bug I picked Cheryl up in 5 decades ago. It runs great. So do we."

Sporting what appears to be a signature look for a young Ron Howard, the couple is seen here in the 1970s.

Wedding Bells

After Ron Howard proposed three times, the two tied the knot in 1975 in Burbank. Special guests for their big day included the actor's famous costars from The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, including his TV dads Andy Griffith and Tom Bosley.

Eyes for You

See what we mean about the ruffled shirts?

Sweet Moment

The two took their date night to the 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 1979.

Baby Makes Three

In 1981 the couple expanded their family when they welcomed their first daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard — seen here with her parents in 1982. Their family continued to grow over the years with the addition of twins Paige Carlyle Howard and Jocelyn Carlyle Howard in 1985 and later son Reed Cross Howard in 1987.

Bring It In

Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard were all smiles when they attended the third annual Carousel Ball of Hope in Denver in 1983.

Beaming with Pride

And Cheryl Howard was of course on deck to celebrate her husband's film Parenthood at the L.A. premiere in 1989.

Winner's Circle

The two were all dressed up in 1996 when Ron Howard won the Directors Guild of America award for Apollo 13.

To the Nines

The same year, the couple stepped out for the Oscars, where Ron Howard opted for a classic black tux while Cheryl Howard wore a blue gown.

Fancy Date Night

The couple, who are now grandparents six times over, are still each other's favorite dates decades later.

Over the years, Cheryl Howard has also "been in everything" that Ron Howard has directed since "11th grade in high school," he's said.

"At a certain point, I became very superstitious about making sure that she appears, that she's at least identifiable in one frame," Ron explained to the Television Academy, calling Cheryl his "good luck charm." "They don't have to be big cameos, but she's gotta be in there."

Five Decades in the Making

From high school sweethearts to grandparents, Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard have a love story for the ages.

"I met her, and there was never anybody else," Ron, seen here with his wife in 2022, told PEOPLE in 2019. "She's unbelievably supportive and always has been. Our compatibility has endured through all kinds of experiences."

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Read the original article on People.