Mark Consuelos Recalls Impulsive Vegas Wedding Proposal After Brief Split
Mark Consuelos is looking back on the impromptu moment he asked Kelly Ripa to marry him, which occurred only seven days after the couple’s short separation.
“I ended our relationship because I was foolish, and that week became the most torturous period of my existence,” Consuelos, 54, shared during the September 15 Monday broadcast of “The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast.” “I simply realized I could never endure that sensation again. It was a feeling entirely new to me.”
The performer disclosed that following their breakup, Ripa, 54, was not “answering any of his calls,” yet circumstances dictated they had to reunite for a “public relations engagement.”
“We were both cast members on a daytime drama,” he elaborated, mentioning their role was to “announce a victor” for the “Queen for the Day” feature on the Live with Regis and Kathy Lee Gifford. “Both of us attempted to avoid it. I contacted the publicist. … She also sought to withdraw from the commitment.”
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Mark Their 28th Anniversary of Love
The pair ultimately couldn't escape their professional duties, thus both appeared as scheduled.
“She appeared stunning. I vividly recall her wearing this exquisite small Chanel jacket … complemented by a kerchief. I thought, ‘Is she suddenly adopting a French style?’” Consuelos recounted. “My reaction was, ‘Wow, she looks incredible. What a mistake I made.’”
Consuelos continued by stating that Ripa was unwilling to engage with him, despite his numerous efforts to initiate dialogue. In due course, he persuaded her to take a stroll with him through Central Park.
“She truly was reluctant, but I managed to persuade her,” he stated. “We ultimately returned to my apartment downtown, and there I proposed marriage. … She responded, ‘Propose when you’re truly committed.’ And I replied, ‘I am absolutely earnest. … We have no work tomorrow. Let’s journey to Vegas and become husband and wife.’”
The couple ran off to Vegas to wed in May 1996. Even now, Ripa expresses gratitude that events unfolded as they did.
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“Honestly, I must tell you, [Mark and I] held our wedding in Vegas, and I am a staunch advocate for the significance of Vegas ceremonies,” Ripa informed former cohost Ryan Seacrest in May 2019.
Consuelos and Ripa subsequently welcomed their son Michael in 1997, followed by their daughter Lola in 2001, and their son Joaquin in 2003.
“I genuinely enjoy my wife’s company. Immensely. While our love is unwavering, I truly appreciate my wife,” Consuelos expressed enthusiastically to Us Weekly in July.
Ripa stated that their marital success stems from the fact that the pair possess “a deep mutual trust.”
“We share a common past, and that brings a unique comfort,” Ripa conveyed to Us. “It involves two individuals who have common passions, yet have also cultivated pursuits beyond their joint interests. Two people who preserve their distinct identities while simultaneously evolving side-by-side and uplifting one another.”
