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The star of Fixer Upper and her husband of 19 years, Chip Gaines, got married in Waco, Texas, in 2003.
Joanna Gaines has many wonderful memories of the day she married Chip, but the one she will always hold closest to her heart is one that happened near the end of the night. “My favorite part was when everyone left, we got in the limo, and we ate so much food!” Joanna tells people
The designer and author got married to Chip, 47, at the Earle Harrison House in Waco, Texas, in 2003. Her first memoir, The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters, comes out on Nov. 8.
I just remember that when we got there, I saw how good the food looked and asked my mom, “No matter what, will you just put some food in a container and put it in the car?” Joanna recalls.
So we did our thing, we danced, and we did all the things you’re supposed to do at a wedding. And all I could say was, “I can’t wait to be in that car with Chip, driving to our honeymoon.” As soon as that door closed, I thought, “Thank God, this is why I’m here.” I just want to hang out with you and eat.’
Even though it’s been almost 20 years since the Fixer Upper stars got married, Joanna, 44, says she remembers it like it was yesterday.
She says, “Weddings are kind of planned, and you have to do a lot.” It’s easy to forget why you’re there. I was there because I really wanted to be with Chip. When that limo door shut and we just ate with our hands like kids, it will always be my favorite memory. “Beef Wellington, mashed potatoes, and two kinds of cake were on the menu.
The couple just celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary. They have four children: sons Crew, 4, Duke, 14, and Drake, 18, and daughters Emmie Kay, 12, and Ella, 15. “19 years,” Joanna wrote as the Instagram photo’s caption. She also added a hashtag that said “I like you a lot.”
Joanna wrote a personal essay for the fall issue of Magnolia Journal about the problems she and Chip have had to deal with. (The company that owns PEOPLE, Dotdash Meredith, also publishes Magnolia Journal.)
“In the 20 years Chip and I have been married, we have been through a little bit of everything,” Joanna writes. “The death of a loved one changes friends. We couldn’t pay our bills. There were times when our hearts broke. There were times when it felt like there was no hope and we couldn’t change what was happening. When I couldn’t think of anything else to do but give up and lie face down on the floor. “
She also says that sending their 18-year-old son Drake to college is one of the “heartbreaking” things they are getting ready to do.
“In the big picture of things that break your heart, this one brings a lot of joy and thanks. But still, my first child is moving away. This will change how our family works, which can feel like a loss in and of itself. I get a glimpse of what that life will be like, and I wonder if or how many times it will make me cry.
In the summer issue of The Magnolia Journal from last year, which came out in May 2021, Chip talked about how he stays committed to being a good husband and loving father.
As Chip wrote at the time, “When I look at my little corner of the world as a whole, there are many places where I fall short.” For one thing, I’m known for being easily distracted. I and time have a tendency to lose track of each other. And sometimes I don’t follow through on some of the promises I’ve made. “
But there are other promises, the big ones, that I will keep no matter what. Honoring Jo, being a good dad, my faith, trying to do what’s right even when it’s hard, and building something that helps other people. Those are promises I’ve made to myself that I won’t break.
“My must-haves,” the HGTV star went on. “Watch: I’ll get those right, no matter how much my life changes or what storms come my way.”
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