‘Today’ Alum Kristen Welker Found Her Prince Charming! Meet Her Husband John Hughes

Today alum Kristen Welker found her happily ever after with her doting spouse! The White House correspondent married her husband, John Hughes, in 2017. 

Who Is Kristen Welker’s Husband John Hughes? 

Kristen and John met in October 2014 when they were set up on a date in Philadelphia by a friend. While she began her television career in the early 2000s, he started working in marketing for the pharmaceutical company Merck around the same time. They hit it off and planned their second date in Washington, D.C., where Kristen was on assignment. 

Though she arrived late to the second date, John presented her with a presidential-themed crossword puzzle that he made. She was blown away by his gesture and immediately realized she found The One.  

“That’s the moment he got me,” she told the New York Times in March 2017 about the thoughtful gift. “As a White House correspondent, it was so touching, and it marked him different than anyone else I ever dated.”

With her busy schedule centered around the presidential campaign, their relationship relied on phone calls and occasional trips to see each other. In June 2016, the marketing executive popped the question to his beloved in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 

They got married at the nearby Bellevue Hotel in June 2017. Weekend Today cohost Peter Alexander attended the ceremony where guests were given copies of the crossword puzzle John made for Kristen on their second date. 

Do Kristen and John Have Any Kids? 

In April 2021, Kristen announced on Today that she and her hubby were expecting their first child via surrogate. The pair previously got candid about their IVF journey and experiences with infertility before revealing the news. 

“Like many people going through the same thing, we felt very alone,” the news anchor wrote in a letter about her infertility struggles. “Your daddy and I cried a lot during that time, but we never ever gave up.”

In June 2021, they became parents to their daughter, Margot Lane Welker Hughes. 

“Margot is truly the love of our lives,” the proud mom told People after the birth of her first child. “Seeing her precious face and looking into her eyes had made every minute of our journey worth it.”

After the arrival of their baby girl, the lovebirds have shared some of her big milestones in photos on social media. They celebrated their little one turning 1 in June 2022.  

“Happy 1st Birthday, Margot Lane!” Kristen captioned a series of photos of Margot. “Celebrating you this weekend has been the greatest joy. You amaze me every day. Your dada and I couldn’t love you more. We’re so grateful for our family who made this an unforgettable weekend and for Uncle Ed who gave us the best new kicks! We’re also thinking of Grandpa Hughes, who we lost this year, but who was thankfully able to meet baby Margot.”

Kristen and John Announced They Are Expecting Their 2nd Child

In May 2024, Kristen and John appeared on Today to announce that they were expecting their second child together via surrogate. Margot could not wait for her baby brother to arrive.

“Margot has told all of her schoolmates that her parents are getting her a baby brother for her birthday!” Kristen told Today.com at the time.

The proud mom also revealed that Margot came up with a name for her sibling.

“She’s very proud of the fact that her baby brother will be sleeping in her old crib, and she’s even come up with a name for him: ‘Lolo,'” Kristen told People.

Once they found out they were expecting, the parents gifted Margot with a book to help explain that the family was expanding.

“The book explained that she was going to be a big sister [but] it took a couple of weeks to get through … but now, she has just been so excited and we are thrilled about that,” she said. “She’ll say things like, ‘Baby brother coming tonight?’ ”