Marriage is a sacred institution that takes work and dedication.
So, it’s nice to see couples in the media that are still putting the work in after more than a decade of marriage.
While Chip and Joanna Gaines often help us realize our housing and remodeling goals, they’ve also become a model of relationship goals as they celebrate 17 years of marriage.
Chip Gaines made a celebratory post on Instagram honoring his wife of 17 years that was liked more than half a million times.
“Juuuust married! Everything about you has made everything about me better,” Chip Gaines wrote.
View this post on Instagram@joannagaines said she wanted something romantic.. how’d I do? #ValentinesDay #NBL
“And 17 years later I’m still learning from and loving on the most incredible woman in the world. After all these years Joanna Lea Stevens, you really are the girl of my dreams.. Happy 17th sweet girl. I love you.”
You probably know the Gaines’ from HGTV’s former show “Fixer Upper” where they would transform beat-up properties into gorgeous living spaces.
They also own a lifestyle brand called Magnolia Market and are launching their own TV network with Discovery.
Magnolia Market, a retail marketplace that includes a bakery, food trucks, and more, is said to have helped revitalize the town of Waco, Texas where the couple met and currently live in a historic home called Cottonland Castle.
Yup, they live in a castle. The Gaines’ met in 2001 while Joanna was working at her father’s auto shop.
“Match made in heaven is not the term you would use to describe us. But when we mixed our personalities together, it created a spark,” Joanna told PEOPLE in 2016.
Being shy, Joanna Gaines said she was attracted to her future husband’s big personality.
That and his kindness.
“At first, I couldn’t believe how kind Chip was — he had kind eyes, and made me laugh a lot … I knew he was the one because I knew I could trust him,” she told PopSugar.
They were married two years later at the historic Earle-Harrison House and honeymooned in New York
Their first child was named Drake after the hotel they stayed at during their honeymoon.
The couple has five children: Drake 15, Ella 13, Emmie 10, Duke, 11 and Crew, who will be 2 in July.
Joanna Gaines said that the kids even helped out with the Magnolia Table, Volume 2 cookbook.
She said they were a big help in finalizing the recipes.
“We have always raised the kids to be thankful for what’s served. It can be a struggle, but when I cook something, I tend to just cook it, and hopefully, they will eat it. They give me feedback,” she said.
And after all of their professional and family accomplishments, they’re still in love and work to keep that love alive.
“Chip and I have a standing date night once a week,” Joanna told Magnolia Journal magazine in 2018. “We usually choose to stay close to home and rotate through our favorite dinner spots [in Clifton, Texas].”
Their new television network was expected to premiere in October but is delayed because of the coronavirus.
“Right now, it’s important that we all continue to look out for one another by upholding the guidelines set forth by the experts, leaders and front-line heroes working tirelessly to get us all through this difficult time,” said Chip and Joannna Gaines in a statement.
“With this as our top priority, we’ve decided to delay Magnolia Network’s launch until we can safely resume production. We have an incredible team behind us and we look forward to the days ahead when we can get back to work, telling good stories that encourage, motivate and inspire hope.”
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