Mariska Hargitay Details Unusual 1st Date with Husband Peter Hermann

Mariska Hargitay spoke of the time she broke down in tears when she realized she had finally met the man she would marry.

Hargitay appeared in People magazine's latest issue where the actress recalled the time she met her husband in 2001.

It was on the set of the popular crime drama, "Law & Order: SVU" where Hermann was guest starring. He later reprised the role as defense attorney Trevor Langan several times after.

After their first meeting, Hermann waited till filming was over before asking out Hargitay. Their first date was at a church service.

Speaking to People, Hargitay said:

“As a little girl you’re told, ‘Oh, when it’s the right person, you’ll know. You’ll know,’ but listen, I had been engaged previously, and I never knew.”

Hargitay described her realization as something that she definitely couldn't have missed:

"We went to church together, and it was like getting hit with a lightning bolt. I just started sobbing. Peter thought I was crying because I was so moved by the service."

The 55-year-old told her future husband that it was because she was "just overwhelmed, realizing he was the one." Right after the date, she told a close friend she was going to marry Hermann.

In 2004, the couple exchanged vows, and Hargitay has never regretted her decision. "I never knew I’d so often be reminded on this journey that I married the right one. I waited and married the right one," she said.

On Thursday, Hargitay also spoke to the "Today Show" host Jenna Bush-Hager and guest co-host Savannah Guthrie about her true love experience. She shared her sweet story once more with the audience.

She then explained, “I cried because I was feeling something that I’d never felt before, but I kind of knew what it was." Hargitay expressed her awe at going to church for a first date, but said, in the end, it was "perfect."

Hargitay and Hermann have been married for 15 years now and share three children. August Miklos Friedrick, 12, is Hargitay's only biological child. The couple adopted son Andrew Nicolas and daughter Amaya Josephine in 2011.

Hargitay's role on "Law & Order: SVU" has allowed the series to not only share meaningful stories with others and heighten awareness of atrocities, but it's also achieved greatness in the entertainment industry.

In April 2019, the show made history as the longest-running live-action prime-time series ever in television. Hargitay shared a short clip on Instagram in celebration of the achievement.

"I'm profoundly proud of how far we've come. Prouder still of how far we will go," she wrote underneath. The show began airing in 1999. It follows stories about sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic crimes.

The original show, "Law & Order," stopped at 20 seasons. "Law & Order: SVU" will be premiering the first episode of its 21st season in September. Meanwhile, Hermann stars on TV Land's "Younger."