Entertainment TV Holly Robinson Peete 'Shocked' Husband Rodney with Entire USC Marching Band at Their Wedding "It was an impossible feat to pull off, because there are so many of them," Peete exclusively tells PEOPLE By Emily Strohm Emily Strohm Emily Strohm is a Senior Editor at PEOPLE. She has been at PEOPLE for 11 years and has written nearly 40 cover stories for the magazine. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 10, 2023 01:03PM EST Photo: Courtesy Holly Robinson Peete Holly Robinson Peete knows how to pull off a surprise of epic proportions. When the actress was planning her 1995 nuptials to her NFL quarterback husband Rodney Peete, she knew she wanted to go big. "In 1994 Rodney shocked and surprised me with what I think is arguably the best proposal ever on the set of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," Peete, 58, exclusively tells PEOPLE. "I was determined to get him back! Well, I did on our wedding day." "I got his entire beloved USC marching band to show up for us. It was an impossible feat to pull off, because there are so many of them. (Peete, 56, is a former University of Southern California quarterback.) Courtesy Holly Robinson Peete "They waited down the hill way up the street from the venue in a bus for about an hour before they had to come up. He was shocked. I got my Trojan QB back good!" she recalls. "They played the USC fight song up and down the aisle, and I think Rodney and his Trojan groomsmen all got teary-eyed! I will never stop being grateful to Mr. Art Bartner, USC and this band for that moment! 'Fight On!'" Holly Robinson Peete to Star in Hallmark's First Holiday Movie to Feature Character with Autism The pair, who are parents to 25-year-old twins Ryan Elizabeth Peete and Rodney Peete, Jr., and sons Robinson, 20, and Roman, 17, exchanged vows June 10, 1995, in Brentwood, California. Courtesy Holly Robinson Peete In September 2022, Rodney wished his wife of 27 years a happy birthday on Instagram. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my AMAZING wife @hollyrpeete! 🎂❤️🎉" he posted last year. "Thank You for Always showing up for me and our family. I've loved you for more than half of my time on earth and I will continue loving you and honoring you forever and ever! You make me better, baby!!" Holly Robinson Peete on How Her Son Has Progressed Since His Autism Diagnosis: 'I'm So Blessed' In 2021, Holly revealed the couple keeps their marriage strong with a simple ritual — the 20-second hug. "The rule is you have to give each other a hug for 20 full seconds when one or the other asks for it no matter what you're feeling in that moment," she told First for Women. "There's something about the first 15 seconds [that] are just being held, but after that, the pheromones take over and it really works for us."