Tarek El Moussa recalls chaotic first date that ended in love

Tarek El Moussa says his first date with wife Heather Rae El Moussa was a comedy of errors.

In a video shared on Instagram Reels, the Flip or Flop alum, 44, looked back on what he called a “debacle” of a first date ahead of their upcoming fourth wedding anniversary.

The pair first met on July 4, 2019, through mutual friends in Newport Beach, California. Although Heather initially canceled their date, Tarek convinced her to give him a chance — and the two soon arranged to meet for wine.

But before that, he had to rush from a speaking event in Orange County to meet her in Los Angeles—later realising he'd ended up wearing a heavy blue sweater in the middle of July. 

“I could feel sweat rolling down my forehead,” he joked, adding that Heather noticed his frequent bathroom breaks to cool off. 

When Heather asked if he was okay, he admitted to having an anxiety attack. “She said, ‘We should just get drunk and have fun,’ ” he recalled. “Next thing I know, we’re taking shots.”

Later, the pair decided to leave for another venue but realised Heather forgot her sweater at a bar. As Tarek ran back to retrieve it, he slammed into a door and nearly knocked himself out. “I acted like nothing happened,” he joked. “By the way, she didn’t even use the sweater.”

Despite the mishaps, the date ended with a kiss and the beginning of their relationship. “This debacle of a date pulled off a miracle,” Tarek said.

“Everything that could go wrong, did… but it still turned out to be unforgettable,” Tarek wrote, calling Heather “the love of my life.”

The couple got engaged in 2020, married in 2021, and share a son, Tristan, 2. Tarek also has two children, including Taylor, 15, and Brayden, 10, from his previous marriage to Christina Haack.