10 Celebrity Couples Shared Their Secrets for a Happy Marriage, and We All Can Take Notes

Whether you’re living in the spotlight or not, you know that being in a long-lasting committed relationship can be challenging at times. And no one knows this better than celebrity couples who are often chased by paparazzi and followed by millions of fans. Yet many of them prove that the true love we see on screen is possible in real life, and they are ready to share their secrets with us.

We at Bright Side collected relationship advice from famous couples who know how to keep the spark alive.

1. Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

The How I Met Your Mother star and his husband, actor David Burtka, believe dialogue is the secret to a lasting marriage. “In our relationship, communication is super important. Good friends of ours said, ’You need to talk it out,’ and if that means raising your voice, you need to raise your voice. Know where you’re standing as opposed to letting stuff build up, I guess,” he said.

2. Beyoncé and Jay-Z

The “Irreplaceable” singer is convinced that putting yourself first is crucial when it comes to relationships. “I was independent before I met my husband, and we have such a natural chemistry and a genuine relationship, and it’s based on the things that relationships are supposed to be based on,” she said. “I’ve seen, growing up, when a woman or a man in a relationship — it doesn’t matter which one — doesn’t feel confident, they feel a bit trapped. Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are,” she added.

3. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

Timberlake and Biel are one of the most loved celebrity couples in Hollywood, and the secret to their long-lasting relationship is simple: never stop dating. “That’s always my rule, even when you get married you have to keep dating... It’s just the difference comes when you have kids you have to actually schedule the date. So when you say you’re going out at 6:30 p.m., you need to go out at 6:30 p.m.,” Timberlake said.

4. Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard

The award-winning actress admitted being in a relationship with her husband hasn’t always been easy for her. “We’d get in a fight — because we would fight, a lot — and I’d, like, yell something then slam the bedroom door, then I’d slam the front door, then I’d get in my car and then I’d skid out the driveway, and then I would sit around the corner in my car. And it felt so good, and I realized how incredibly toxic it was only after he pointed it out,” she revealed. Bell said it took her quite some time to realize she had to work on herself: “Know that everyone is doing the best they can with what they’ve got. So get a bigger emotional toolbox to fix your problems.”

5. Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz

The Grammy Award winner believes one of the most important things in a marriage is keeping the spark alive. “[Swizz and I] like surprising each other and going on secret weekend dates. One of us plans it and the other has no idea where we are going. We’ve found some undiscovered gems and moments to take hikes or walks or just discover new things about life and each other. Those are my favorite times,” she shared.

6. Jessie James and Eric Decker

The “I’ll Chase The Sky” singer says she’s “madly in love” with her husband, and admits flirting with each other keeps their romance afloat. “I think women sometimes stop flirting with their husbands and you can’t. Men want to feel good — they want to feel like their women love them. When they come home from work, don’t start nagging them with questions. Go up to them and give them a big kiss and ask them how their day was,” she said.

7. Chip and Joanna Gaines

The Fixer Upper stars have been married for 18 years, and they swear by their nights out and having their morning coffee together. “Marriage requires effort and time and talking and connecting. You have to maintain it,” Joanna shared.

8. Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian

The Breaking Bad star and his wife, actress Lauren Parsekian, believe most fights can be prevented if you talk openly with your partner. “People get in fights because they don’t communicate, because you don’t want to hurt the other person. My wife and I do not argue. We communicate. We talk. But we’ve never fought in our entire relationship,” he said.

9. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky

The Thor actor and a father-of-3 always carves out time to have dates with his wife. “Once you have children, every instinct and every moment of your time is consumed by that. You’ve got nothing for each other. So make sure you have a date night, even if it’s once in a blue moon because most of the time you’re just too tired and you’d actually prefer to sleep,” he shared.

10. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds reveal that one of the secrets to their strong relationship is mastering time management. “My husband and I don’t work at the same time, so we all go together as a family. If we’re away as a family, it’s never more than for a day. We stay together,” Lively revealed. Reynolds, who never misses an opportunity to make a joke about their family life, believes trolling each other and laughing together is “is a sign of a healthy relationship.”

Whose advice did you find the most helpful? Do you have any tips on how to keep your relationship strong?