Boston Rob and Amber Celebrate 20 Years of Marriage With a Tribute to Their ‘Survivor’ Love Story
The power couple found love while competing on Season 8 of the hit competition show
They met on a beach and fell in love under the watchful eye of millions. Now, two decades later, Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano and Amber Brkich are still going strong. The Survivor alums celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on April 16 with a heartfelt Instagram post that had longtime fans swooning. With four daughters and nearly two dozen reality show appearances between them, Rob and Amber’s love story is nothing short of legendary. Here’s a look back at their iconic love story.
Boston Rob and Amber celebrate their 20th anniversary
To mark the special occasion, Rob shared a sweet throwback photo of him and Amber from their early Survivor days, captioning it, “So crazy… 2 kids that met on an Island!. Happy Anniversary!” The couple didn’t post a big anniversary reveal or party pics, just a simple, nostalgic nod to where it all began with a framed photo. In the wooden, palm-tree engraved frame, Rob carries Amber in his arms on the beach, with her arms embraced around him.
The photo immediately sent fans into nostalgia overload, with commenters flooding in to celebrate the couple’s lasting love. Survivor’s official Instagram account chimed in with a touching tribute of their own: “The most beautiful love story to grace our TVs.” One fan added, “two of my all-time favorite players,” while another summed it up best: “I rewatch season 8 often just for y’all’s love story.”
How Boston Rob and Amber met on ‘Survivor: All-Stars’
Rob and Amber’s romance began on Survivor: All-Stars, which was filmed in 2003 and aired in early 2004. Both were returning players: Amber from The Australian Outback (s2) and Rob from Marquesas (s4). What started as a strategic alliance quickly blossomed into something more.
Amber later admitted that flirting with Rob was originally all strategy. “Flirting with Rob was a complete strategy move,” she confessed during a confessional. “You’re not ever supposed to feel secure in this game, but with Rob and I, I feel 99.9 percent secure.”
Rob wasn’t shy about how he felt either. “Amber and I have an alliance for obvious reasons,” he said with a grin. “She’s beautiful, obviously.” At times, both of them admitted to having doubts about whether they were being played. However, it became clear that their connection was real.
The pair made it to the Final Two together, with Amber ultimately winning the $1 million prize. But Rob walked away with something just as valuable: a fiancée. During the live reunion, he dropped to one knee and proposed. “I’ve seen you at your highest high and your lowest low and between it all we work together as a team to accomplish so much,” he told her. “In the end, I ended up falling in love with you.”
A reality TV romance that lasted
After getting engaged, Rob and Amber took their love from the island to The Amazing Race. They competed in Season 7 and finished in second place. In 2005, they tied the knot in the Bahamas in a televised special titled Rob and Amber Get Married.
But the newlyweds didn’t stop there. In 2007, they starred in a short-lived series, Rob and Amber: Against the Odds. The show documented Rob’s journey to become a professional poker player in Las Vegas. Despite bouncing around genres and networks, the couple remained solid and even returned to their Survivor roots over the years.
Rob has competed on Survivor six times (finally winning on Redemption Island in 2011), while Amber returned with him for Winners at War in 2020. Though they were placed on separate tribes and eliminated early, they shared a touching moment on the Edge of Extinction and received an emotional visit from their daughters during the show’s Family Visit episode.
Where are Boston Rob and Amber now?
Since tying the knot, Rob and Amber have settled into family life in Florida. They have four daughters: Lucia, Carina, Isabetta and Adelina. The family has occasionally shared glimpses of their life on social media, including a recent photo of all six Marianos that fans couldn’t get enough of. Rob occasionally posts about the show and even hosted segments during Survivor 43. He also returned to reality TV in 2024, joining the cast of The Traitors Season 2, where he quickly became a fan favorite for his signature strategic gameplay. As for Amber, she’s enjoying life outside of the spotlight. But if the fans have any say, a future return to the island would be very welcome.
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