Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher's Love Story in Photos

After almost refusing her bassist Mark Childers’ attempt to set her up with his friend, Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher, Carrie Underwood agreed. The pair met at a backstage meet-and-greet following one of her concerts. Underwood and Fisher’s encounter proved successful — particularly when it came to physical attraction. “Hot, hot, hot,” the singer recalled of her first impression of the Canada native.

Despite their undeniable chemistry, Underwood and Fisher couldn’t see much more of each other right away, considering the country crooner was based in Nashville and the National Hockey League star lived in Canada. “I mean, can I make dating more difficult?” Underwood recalled on VH1’s Behind the Music. “Let’s get a hockey guy who lives in another country. Awesome.”

They began long-distance dating, which consisted of regular phone calls — before eventually reuniting in person once more three months later.  

Underwood and Fisher’s long-distance communication soon paid off on New Year’s Eve in 2008 when they shared their first kiss as the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight. 

“We were in front of people, and he’s not a big PDA guy,” the “Church Bells” singer told Glamour. “I figured, I’ll go in for it because he can’t leave me hanging, right? So I made him kiss me in public.”

After a whirlwind romance, Underwood and Fisher took their relationship to a new level when the athlete proposed to the star on Dec. 20, 2009, on a cozy afternoon in his home. “It’s true,” Fisher told the Toronto Sun the next day, confirming their engagement. “We’re both obviously excited and very happy.”

Following their engagement news, Fisher and Underwood began appearing at high-profile events together more frequently. Notably, the hockey player served as Underwood’s date at the 2010 CMT Awards — where the singer snagged the award for video of the year — in June. Despite Fisher’s aversion to PDA, he and his then-fiancée shared a sweet kiss before she took the stage to accept her trophy. 

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Fisher! After almost two years of dating, the couple tied the knot on July 10, 2010, at the Ritz-Carlton resort on Lake Oconee, Georgia. The pair shared what their wedding planner called “a spiritual expression of their love” — a special moment for a “very special couple.”

After splitting their time between Nashville, Tennessee and Peterborough, Ontario, Underwood and Fisher reunited in February 2011 — due to the hockey player getting drafted by the Nashville Predators. 

“I was praying a few days before about [moving teams],” Fisher said of the experience. “I was just so frustrated and said ‘God, if you have me go somewhere take care of it, look after it,’ and he sure did that. He put me in a place I was comfortable with and I think that’s part of reason that this is the place I’m supposed to be and that’s comforting for sure.”

Five years after getting hitched, Underwood and Fisher welcomed their first child together — a son named Isaiah, now 3 — who has joined the singer backstage at shows, enjoys yoga and savors quality time with his athlete-dad.

“My husband is as wonderful as he is hot, and I feel like that’s rare,” Underwood told E! News of Fisher and his fatherhood role. “He’s amazing,” she continued. “He’s such a great dad and he’s so supportive of what I do and I’m supportive of him and we just love our little family.”

“Here’s to 8 years, babe! Where does the time go?!” Underwood captioned a selfie of the pair out on their eighth wedding anniversary. “I love you today more than yesterday…which was more than the day before…and so on and so forth. Here’s to many more years together! ❤ you!”

Just one month after the special day, Underwood shared some big news: the couple is expecting baby No. 2!