The Lord of the Rings‘ biggest romance storyline is between Aragorn and Arwen, and it’s clear that their relationship predates The Fellowship of the Ring. While Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies don’t have much time to dwell on the characters’ history with one another, J.R.R. Tolkien’s books offer more insight into the beginning of Aragorn’s and Arwen’s relationship. The two may not tie the knot until after the War of the Ring is over, but their love is established long before Frodo sets out to destroy the One Ring.

With The Lord of the Rings movies mostly covering their romance as it pertains to the War of the Ring, casual viewers may be left wondering how exactly Aragorn and Arwen met — and when. Given how dedicated they are to one another, it may come as a surprise that they wait until after Sauron’s fall to marry each other as well. Fortunately, Tolkien’s writings outline everything readers need to know about Aragorn and Arwen’s romance, which begins more than 60 years before The Lord of the Rings.

Aragorn & Arwen Met Over 60 Years Before The Lord Of The Rings

Aragorn Was Instantly Taken By Her Beauty

Aragorn spent his childhood in Rivendell, but according to Tolkien, he didn’t meet Arwen until he was around 20 years old. With Arwen residing in Lothlórien, the two simply didn’t cross paths before then. When they did finally encounter one another, Aragorn immediately fell for her. In fact, he was so taken by her beauty that he ᴀssumed he was dreaming and believed she was Lúthien, one of the fairest beings in Middle-earth. This initial meeting places the start of their love around 67 years before The Lord of the Rings, as Aragorn is 87 when the story begins.

Aragorn and Arwen hit it off instantly, but the two spent another 29 years apart after this point (via CBR). Given their lengthy lifespans — Arwen being an Elf and Aragorn being one of the Dúnedain — this didn’t make a huge difference in the grand scheme of their romance. When they finally reconnected in Rivendell, Arwen chose to give up her immortality and pursue a future with Aragorn instead. However, they didn’t actually get married until around 40 years later, as seen in The Lord of the Rings.

Why It Took So Long For Aragorn & Arwen To Get Married

Aragorn Needed To Seek Out His Destiny First

Despite meeting more than 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn and Arwen waited to marry one another — though the books and movies offered slightly different explanations for why. In both versions of the story, Elrond insisted that Arwen and Aragorn wait before fully committing to one another. In Tolkien’s source material, Elrond wanted Aragorn to seek out his destiny before permanently binding himself to his daughter. With Aragorn being the rightful King of Gondor, Elrond was well aware of the challenges ahead of him. He wanted Aragorn to overcome them before marrying Arwen.

Jackson’s movies altered Elrond’s feelings about Aragorn’s relationship with Arwen, suggesting he was displeased with his daughter wedding a mortal Man. He was concerned about her sacrificing her immortality for Aragorn, warning that she would watch her family grow old without her. This didn’t sway Arwen’s decision, but she still waited until Aragorn had reclaimed his throne before tying the knot. Fortunately, the two went on to have a long and happy life together after The Lord of the Rings, remaining together for another 120 years.

Source: CBR