The Truth About Lori Loughlin And Mossimo Giannulli's Marriage

Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have been married for a long time. But if there's one thing you probably never would have predicted when they tied the knot, it's that one of the biggest Full House stars would end up in prison, along with her spouse. Yes, both Loughlin and Giannulli have been faced with numerous court cases, prison time, and a ton of public scrutiny since 2018. Obviously, the college admissions scandal, otherwise known as Operation Varsity Blues, was a huge deal, and the fact that Hollywood stars were involved made it even juicier (via NPR). Loughlin and Giannulli were both part of the scandal, and it obviously got people talking.

After news of Operation Varsity Blues broke, people were obsessed with learning about the details, as well as Loughlin and Giannulli's family and marriage. But really, the truth about Loughlin and Giannulli's marriage is that it's a lot longer-lasting, more complicated, and even more interesting than you'd imagine. The pair have been together for years, but that's not the whole story — and neither is the college admissions scandal, because their relationship in and of itself is seriously intriguing.

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have obviously been through a lot together. But, their marriage wasn't the first for either Loughlin or Giannulli; that might be one reason why they've lasted so long, because they both knew how fragile a marriage can be. "Moss and I had both been married before, so we thought, 'Well, it didn't really work out well for us the first time around,'" Loughlin told Entertainment Tonight. 

Additionally, in an interview with Closer Weekly, Loughlin shared that her first marriage to Michael R. Burns from 1989 to 1996 simply wasn't meant to be. "He was a great human being, but I just felt he wasn't the one for me," she explained. "I was probably too young and didn't know enough about what I needed, but I couldn't say one bad thing about him." 

Giannulli, for his part, has never really opened up about his first marriage, but he did have a child with his first wife, as noted by Us Weekly. Whatever happened in each of their first marriages, it's obvious that Loughlin and Giannulli needed to find each other when they did.

Both Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's first marriages ended before there was an endless loop of celebrity gossip, so there's no real way to know what the fallout from their divorces was. But, one thing that is interesting is that the two met at a complicated time, and dated for a while before getting married.

Reportedly, there was some overlap between Loughlin's first marriage and her relationship with Giannulli. As Closer Weekly reported, Laughlin's marriage to her first husband, Michael R. Burns, ended in 1996. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Loughlin met Giannulli in 1995. Specifically, the pair were introduced at a Los Angeles restaurant, and dated for two years before taking things to the next level. 

Loughlin and Giannulli might have met while she was still technically married, but her marriage to Burns had probably already fizzled before she and Giannulli got too romantic. Whatever happened, Loughlin and Giannulli took some time to date before getting engaged or married, which is understandable, all things considered.

As cheesy as the saying, "when you know, you know," is, it's kind of true. Sure, it might seem a little rushed to get engaged to someone you met only weeks ago on a reality show (cough cough, The Bachelor, cough cough), but in the real world, that happens sometimes. Of course, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli didn't get engaged after a few weeks of awkward group dates and manufactured drama, but Loughlin, for her part, knew pretty quickly that Giannulli was the one.

In an interview with Closer Weekly, Loughlin explained that there was just a moment where she was sure that Mossimo was it. "I just knew when I met Moss that he was my guy," she revealed. "I don't know how to explain that — I just knew it was something different than with anybody else I've ever met." If that isn't the most romantic thing you've heard then what is?

Despite the fact that Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli were both adults with successful careers — and probably plenty of money — they decided not to have a big, luxurious wedding. And as it turns out, that was a very spur-of-the-moment yet calculated decision. In a nutshell, eloping was what worked best for Loughlin and Giannulli, and that's all that matters.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Loughlin explained that her nuptials were pretty romantic. "Somehow we started talking about my elopement and I said, 'Yeah, we got up on Thanksgiving morning'... We had Moss' best friend and a minister meet us, and we got married at sunrise," she recalled. "And then we went to Thanksgiving dinner and we told everybody." 

Loughlin also explained that because it was their second marriage, they didn't need a lavish ceremony. "We had talked about doing a wedding and we just thought, 'Let's get up and let's go do it,'" she added. However they got married, Loughlin and Giannulli seem to have had a pretty romantic go of things.

Even if you'd never heard of Lori Loughlin or Mossimo Giannulli before 2019, you probably heard of them after the college admissions scandal. Because of that, it should come as no shock that Loughlin and Mossimo share two daughters. Specifically, they have Isabella Rose Giannulli who was born in 1998, just one year after they eloped, and Olivia Jade Giannulli who came a year later, in 1999 (via Town & Country).

Their daughters are obviously important to Loughlin and Giannulli, but as Loughlin explained in an interview with Closer Weekly, parenthood changed her life in ways she never saw coming. "I never thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I had to give up that job,'" she said of having kids. "I said to myself, 'If I bring human beings into the world, they're going to be my priority.' And I love them." 

Becoming parents obviously impacted Loughlin and Giannulli's marriage, and as they allegedly bribed their daughters' way into college; it's clear that the two of them love their children and would do just about anything for them. Literally.

For two people with highly-demanding careers — Lori Loughlin is an actor and Mossimo Giannulli is a fashion designer — time is of the essence. And while they can't always spend every waking moment together, Loughlin has said that she truly enjoys Giannulli's company, and even tries to ensure they'll have as much quality time together as possible.

In an interview with Closer Weekly, Loughlin explained that she used to organize her schedule around her kids, but not anymore. "Now that they're on their own and their lives are full, I think about my schedule in terms of my husband, because I don't want him to be left alone," she shared. Aw! It's pretty sweet that Loughlin actually makes an effort to see her husband plenty, despite them being busy. 

While their marriage has certainly endured a lot, and they've been together for so long, Loughlin's determination to carve out alone time with Giannulli is probably one reason why they've lasted as long as they have.

Before all the drama went down with Operation Varsity Blues, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli managed to make their marriage work for decades with relatively little issue. That's not to say they never fought, but there wasn't a lot of press out there reporting on their marital troubles. And that might just be because they managed to keep things calm and respectful.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Loughlin explained that in addition to just plain pure love, there are some other tactics that she and Giannulli employ in order to make their marriage work long-term. "It's communicating, it's listening, it's picking and choosing your battles," she said. "It's being flexible, it's all of that." 

Additionally, Loughlin added one more tip. "One day at a time, one step at a time," she continued, making it clear that she tries not to jump the gun and just be in the moment with Giannulli. Hey, if it works for them, then who's to say Loughlin's marriage advice is wrong?

Oh, Operation Varsity Blues, the college admissions scandal that shook the nation when news broke in 2019 of the rich and powerful parents who allegedly tried to bribe their children's way into top colleges. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli were both brought in on charges relating to the scandal, and it's safe to say that after that, the public's perception of them shifted greatly.

As the BBC reported, the charges leveled against Loughlin and Giannulli were pretty scandalous indeed. Specifically, they were said to have allegedly paid a grand total of $500,000 in bribes in order to secure their daughters' position at the University of Southern California. Both girls were admitted as rowing-team recruits, despite not actually being rowers or on the rowing team at all. It was obviously a huge deal, and one that changed the trajectory of their lives almost immediately.

Still, throughout all the drama, court cases, and legalities, Loughlin and Giannulli's marriage remained intact.

When you've been married for as long as Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have been, and seen as much drama as they have, it would be understandable if they forgot an anniversary or important date every now and then. However, as Loughlin learned, she and her husband had been celebrating their anniversary on the wrong date almost every year since tying the knot.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Loughlin recalled how she was discussing her wedding with some friends one day, when one pointed out that she had the date of the celebration wrong; Loughlin had said that her anniversary was on November 25, and that they had married on Thanksgiving in 1997. However, her friend noted that November 25 was a Tuesday that year, meaning that their anniversary was actually on November 27. "So I called my husband, and I 'm like, 'Oh my goodness, we have been celebrating two days early,'" she revealed. "I think we're going to make [our anniversary] a three-day festival now." Hey, wrong date or long that's still an impressive feat to be married that long.

For any couple, going through a legal battle would be stressful, but to do so in the public eye, with millions of people watching and waiting to see what your fate will be, it must be excruciating. And that certainly seemed to be the case for Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli. After the pair's legal battle in the college admissions scandal began, they really struggled in their relationship, and just in general.

According to Us Weekly, the two weren't doing well in October 2019. "Moss is in good spirits and continues to socialize as if nothing's wrong — either he's in complete denial or it's a front that he's mastered so nobody judges him," a source told the publication. "Lori has started wearing large hats and scarves to avoid people noticing her. She doesn't wait around to see anyone, and when she plays golf, she tees off from the fourth hole to avoid being spotted by members inside the clubhouse." 

Loughlin and Giannulli definitely had their world shattered, and it showed.

For anyone, having a set of beliefs or morals or religious faith can be a huge part of their life, and the same can be said for celebrities. And when it comes to Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, faith is crucial to both their marriage and their life together.

In an interview with CBN, Loughlin explained that her faith is super important to her. "I do believe in God. I was raised Catholic," she stated, adding that she wouldn't do a project if it didn't align with her beliefs. In fact, even when Loughlin was serving her prison sentence following the college admissions scandal, her beliefs were keeping her afloat. "She prays day and night. Her faith has gotten her through it," a source told Us Weekly of Loughlin's time in prison. 

As for Giannulli, Loughlin has said that their "backgrounds are very similar" (via Wonderwall). It's likely, then, that Giannulli also values faith and religion, though he's a lot more private than Loughlin.

Even celebrities can't get away with just anything. That includes Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, who had to see justice served to them in 2020.

According to Us Weekly, Loughlin and Giannulli both had to serve time in prison for their crimes. In May 2020, it was reported that Loughlin's sentence for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud would be pretty rough for her; Loughlin would spend two months in prison, pay a hefty fine of $150,000, undergo two years of a supervised release and serve 100 hours of community service. 

Then, in August 2020, Giannulli's sentence was handed down, which was a bit harsher; Giannulli had to serve five month in prison, pay up a $250,000 fine, serve 250 hours of community service, and have the same two years of supervised release as his wife. None of that sounds very appealing, but as the saying goes, you do the crime, you do the time.

Everyone knows that in order to make a marriage work, you have to put in time, effort, and honesty; marriage can be fun, but it also requires sacrifices and hard work. But if you do that with the right person, then it's less like hard work. And that's what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have found to be true, because no matter what they have going on in life, Loughlin explained that she and Giannulli always come back to each other.

In an interview with Closer Weekly, Loughlin shared that the main reason she and Giannulli were still so happily married was because they both choose to put each other first in life. Yes, careers are important and they both maintain busy schedules, but Loughlin and Giannulli always make sure they can hang out. "Whether it's [saying] 'Every Friday is date night' or 'We're going to put aside time for us,' you just have to keep communicating and working at it," Loughlin said of keeping their relationship healthy and happy.

For a lot of married couples, becoming parents can bring up a lot of emotions and even some turmoil. It's hard to agree on parenting styles, sleep schedules, and all the minute details that make having a baby so complicated. However, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have managed to parent their children together without too much drama, and they found plenty of common ground.

In an interview with Wonderwall, Loughlin discussed how she and Giannulli worked together to raise their daughters. Specifically, Loughlin explained that as she and Giannulli were a lot alike, which helped them know how they wanted to raise their family. "Growing up, I think, we had very similar upbringings, and so when we parent our children we come from the same place, [and] that makes it a lot easier," she said. "We're usually on the same page." 

Being on the same team, especially when kids are concerned, is so important in a marriage, and Loughlin and Giannulli have nailed it. Well, mostly.