Sarah Michelle Gellar once had the remarkable experience of witnessing the fateful moment when Kelly Ripa met her now-husband, Mark Consuelos. On the December 10th broadcast of their long-running daytime series, "Live! with Kelly and Mark," the Cruel Intentions star made a visit and recounted this captivating story. In the 1990s, when Gellar was in hair and makeup, Ripa came running in with those large Velcro rollers in her hair. She excitedly exclaimed, "OH MY GOD! There's the most beautiful man in the rehearsal hall. I have never... I'm in love!" And it was indeed Consuelos.

Surprise and Blushing

To Gellar's astonishment, Consuelos seemed oblivious to Ripa's touching first impression. After blushing at her words, Ripa was left speechless when they first crossed paths. Gellar humorously recounted, "She literally saw you, and this girl is never at a loss for words. She was at a complete loss for words." Ripa added with a laugh, "Thank God I recovered."

The Audition and Premonition

Ripa and Consuelos first met during his audition for "All My Children" in 1995. The show was searching for an actor to play the love interest for Ripa's character, Hayley Vaughan. When the casting director showed her Consuelos' picture, Ripa had a premonition. She revealed in 2018 on "Lunch with Bruce" that "When I saw him, the photograph of him, I saw my entire future with him flash before [my eyes] — like I saw it." This moment changed the course of their lives.

The Elopement and Family

In 1996, the two eloped and went on to build a life together. They eventually welcomed their now-adult children: Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 21. Their love story has endured and continues to be a source of inspiration.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.