Tia Mowry's Husband Waited a Year to Ask Her Permission for 1ST Kiss Even Though She Knew He Was 'The One'

"Sister Sister" alum Tia Mowry is married to film star Cory Hardrict. The couple has been married for fourteen years and plans sex dates to keep the spark alive.

Actress Tia Mowry and her husband, actor Cory Hardrict are both Hollywood stars in their own right. Hardrict started his acting career in the 1990s on TV shows including "ER," "Smart Guy," and "Felicity."

He made his cinematic debut in the classic movie "Never Been Kissed" alongside actress Drew Barrymore in 1999. Throughout the 2000s, Hardrict made appearances in films such as "Cold Case," "Pacific Blue," and "The District."

The Chicago native later starred alongside his wife Mowry in "Hollywood Horror" in 2009, and that same year appeared in "He's Just Not That Into You."

Hardrict and Mowry met when she and her twin sister Tamera were driving through Los Angeles and made their way to a neighborhood where he was working. Recalling that time, Hardrict told Essence:

"Her sister and her drove by, and they saw me waiting and asked to give me a ride. I was downtown. They gave me a ride, and we were friends ever since."

The "All American: Homecoming" star pursued his future wife for a year in 1999 before they decided to give romance a chance in 2000. The pair held out for a long time to ensure that they had a genuine interest in each other. Mowry revealed to OK! In 2013:

"I just held out. We weren't physical, we didn't do anything for a while to make sure this was something special, and this was something real."

The couple did not go out on dates alone; they invited other people. "We waited a year to kiss," the "Twitches" star disclosed. Hardrict proposed to her in 2006 on Christmas, in the presence of her family. The pair got hitched at The Four Seasons in Santa Barbara, California.

The duo opened up about the secret to their over-decade-long marriage during an appearance on "People the TV Show" in February 2021. Mowry revealed that she and her husband do not focus on specific gender roles in their household:

"If I’m being really honest, and we’ve been doing this for years, we don’t focus on specific gender roles. Meaning the women should just do one thing, and then the men should just do one thing. It's a team effort at our house."

The pair, who share a son, Cree, and daughter, Cairo, also try to instill the same qualities in their kids. Hardrict shared they have a loving household.

"We try to teach our kids if you have quality in the house, that can bleed over into the world, and that's what makes the world a better place," he said.

MOWRY AND HARDRICT'S TWO ADORABLE CHILDREN

Hardrict and Mowry became parents for the first time when they welcomed their son, Cree, in June 2011. Cree is a constant feature on his mother's Instagram account. "The Game" alum gushed on her child's traits when he turned five years old in a 2016 interview with People:

"I'm starting to see his personality shine and come through. He's very funny, considerate, and caring. Even his schoolteacher wrote me a letter saying just how caring he is of other people's feelings, and they said they really don't see that at a young age."

Cree is also a fan of his mom and aunt's 1994 "Sister Sister" sitcom, Mowry, revealed in September 2020 on Twitter while watching the show with her son.

In March 2022, the Disney Channel star posted a video telling Cree that he got accepted at his dream school, and the news brought him to tears.

Mowry penned that as a mother, her goal is always to support and provide her kids with opportunities that she never had as a child, adding for her son to get accepted at the said school was a dream come true for them both.

In November 2017, Mowry announced other good news, revealing that she and Hardrict were expecting their second child together. Their daughter Cairo arrived in May 2018.

The mom and daughter duo have bonded several times in the kitchen, with Cairo lending a hand in creating recipes. When the little one celebrated her third birthday in May 2021, her mom paid tribute to her with a montage on Instagram.

Mowry reflected on her choice to bring a second child into her family and noted how pleased she was that she did not give up on having a second baby:

"My darling baby girl #cairo. Having children was never easy for me. Maybe that's why I waited so long to try and go for a second round. I will tell you this; I am so glad I didn't give up!"

HOW HARDRICT WON OVER MOWRY'S HEART

Mowry is also happy to have met her spouse, who respects her values. During an appearance on "Larry King," alongside her sister Tamera, she revealed that she waited to be intimate with Hardrict.

The "Family Reunion" star said she was not dating for the sake of dating then and wanted a commitment. Therefore, she held out because she wanted to ensure that her future husband was serious about her.

Like her, Hardrict is also a man of faith and loves God, Mowry told Ebony.com in October 2012. That quality in him is important because she is the same way. She mentioned that he is confident, a nurturer at heart, and a caring person who protects, which is what she loves about him.

When the couple started dating, Mowry revealed that "The Oath" star asked for permission to kiss her, and that is how she knew that she had found the right man:

"He's such a gentleman and really, really sweet. I am more in love with my husband now than I was when I first met him."

The two also waited a year to share their first kiss. In Mowry's YouTube channel, "Tia Mowry's Quick Fix," she disclosed that her best memory before getting married to Hardrict was their first kiss:

"It was just so beautiful; it was at a park."

On how Hardrict knew his wife was the one, he revealed it was when Mowry was in his corner when he moved to Inglewood and did not have a dime to his name:

"I had two pillow drawers to my name, I was dirt poor, I didn't have anything, and she appreciated everything like for what it was, and she loved me for me."

The "American Sniper" star told himself that he would buy Mowry a ring when he eventually became financially stable and make her his wife.

At the time, Mowry had left a bad relationship, and he was patient with her when she did not want to be in another relationship so soon, only wanting some time for herself. "He never forced himself to kiss me or anything like that. I just thought that that was just cool and amazing," said Mowry.

She teared up when explaining that her husband taught her how to believe in herself and that he is her biggest supporter. On how they met, Hardrict said he had a jerry curl with flip flops when he waited at a bus stop when Mowry and her sister drove by and gave him a ride.

The couple also keeps the romance going with date nights. Mowry shared it is essential for two parties to still try and woo each other in a relationship. So, they have date nights at least once a week or once every two weeks.

The mom of two also disclosed the sweetest thing Hardrict has ever done for her. When they were still courting, Mowry said that he approached her after she had drinks with her friends and stopped her before she left the vicinity.

"He popped open his trunk, and he had roses in his trunk, and I took the roses," she explained. The "Instant Mom" star found the gesture sweet." In spending time together, the couple hit the trail together, and Mowry is into yoga.

During an episode of the "What to Expect" podcast in October 2020, she revealed that they make time for sex amid their busy schedules to prevent it from being neglected, especially with kids around.