Denver (CNN) -- To the political world, October 3 is a high-stakes night in the presidential election. But for first lady Michelle Obama, it's the date night that wasn't. 

"I told Barack, 'This, you know, attending a presidential debate on my 20th anniversary is probably the worst way for me to spend (it).' ... I get so nervous at these debates," she said in a recent interview alongside her brother, Craig Robinson. 

10 debate moments that mattered 

Twenty years ago, Michelle Robinson wed Barack Obama in a Chicago ceremony. She never would have predicted spending her 20th wedding anniversary on a double date with the Romneys. 

"I would not have chosen this, but I'm excited about it," she said. 

Although the first lady will be in the audience in Denver to watch President Obama debate Wednesday night, she did not offer a critique of her husband, even when pressed. 

"I really would probably be the worst person to assess his style or his techniques," she said. 

In fact, she suggested that she worries about her own performance, with all eyes judging her every reaction. 

5 things to watch in tonight's debate 

"There are the rules, and you don't want to clap. ... So I'm just trying to make sure I'm following the rules," Obama said. 

She may have jitters on debate day, but she was not nervous when she wed young Barack Obama in 1992. Instead, she was focused on the next step: their honeymoon. 

"It was just sort of, 'OK, now we're going to do this, and we'll get it done, and then we'll go on our honeymoon,' " she remembered. "So I was really excited about the honeymoon, actually." 
What will he be doing on that night?
watch President Obama debate 