The protagonist of one of Begbeder’s novels was convinced that love lives for three years. Fortunately, many couples disprove controversial literary claims through personal experience. Moreover, over the years of their life together, they found the secret of a strong marriage. A touching love story, vows of love and fidelity, a magnificent wedding and honeymoon – everyone wants family happiness not only to be captured in photographs, but also to stay with us for life. So that no domestic troubles, financial difficulties and emerging disagreements violate this harmony. Is it possible? Wedding is sure – yes!

The Secret to Happiness: Family Balance and Self-Realization

Spouses: Anastasia Shubskaya and Alexander Ovechkin

Married: 3 years, 1 child, expecting a second

The renowned hockey player Alexander Ovechkin first saw his future wife at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. At that time, 14-year-old Nastya did not attach much importance to the meeting, and who knows how everything could have turned out if it were not for the determination of the Russian athlete – not only on the ice, but also in his personal life. In 2015, Ovechkin found a girl on social networks, and two years later, on the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, the couple played a wedding. The high-profile novels of the athlete are in the past, now Alexander is a caring family man who does not get tired of confessing his love to his wife and calls her nothing more than “my life”. Nastya is no less anxious and affectionate about her husband: “I thank you for every second of our life together. You are my protection, support and support! And in sorrow and in joy”. The star couple are raising their son Seryozha and preparing for the birth of their second child, but Nastya does not see herself only as a housewife and is happy to bring her projects to life. This girl was taught by her mother – actress and director Vera Glagoleva, who never stopped working with three children. Agree: in a modern marriage, not only children, common interests, a well-established life are important, but self-realization and personal ambitions. Progressive husbands are usually impressed by this approach.

The secret to happiness: not discussing your personal life with anyone

Spouses: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick

Married: 23 years old, 3 children

Actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have been together for almost 23 years. Their love story did not look like the script of a romantic film: the future star of “Sex and the City” was recovering for a long time after a difficult relationship with Robert Downey Jr. and therefore was reasonably in no hurry to rush into the pool with her head. Matthew also had a difficult experience behind him, so both were careful and did not rush down the aisle at all. And when they did decide, they did not even warn their guests on what exactly the party was being organized! It is curious that a few years ago Sarah presented a collection of wedding dresses, but back in 1997 she decided not to waste time thinking about a festive look and just bought a black outfit, deliberately bypassing all traditions and patterns. Despite the fact that the tabloids have been trying to separate the couple for a long time, they are still together and are raising three children. “I love Matthew. I love that Matthew is the father of my children, and it is because of him that I love the world around me, ”the actress admits touchingly. At the same time, Sarah said more than once that she did not consider her relationship to be exemplary, but she and her husband had a rule – not to wash dirty linen in public and not to discuss their personal life either with journalists or with anyone else. Perhaps this approach makes their union strong, because if you constantly share problems in public, complain to friends and relatives about failures, the relationship is unlikely to become stronger. And how many “bad advice” that can ultimately destroy a marriage, you can avoid!

The Secret to Happiness: Taking Ups and Downs

Spouses: Angelica Varum and Leonid Agutin

Married: 20 years, 1 child

It all started in 1997, with the joint song “Queen”, after the release of which the press immediately married the musical duet. Surprisingly, the “newspaper forecast” became a reality: Angelica and Leonid began an affair not only on stage, but also in life. In 1999, the couple had a daughter, Lisa, and in 2000 they played a wedding in the romantic scenery of Venice, where they gladly returned for the last anniversary of their celebration. And for almost 20 years now, Angelica Varum and Leonid Agutin have been considered one of the strongest couples in domestic show business: they are still together both on stage and in life. Naturally, fans and journalists often ask spouses how they manage to maintain freshness, passion and sincerity in their relationship. But the romantics were disappointed: in one of the interviews, the singer admitted that she considers an ideal marriage … a myth, and in their pair, like in any other, there is not only tenderness, but also quarrels and resentments. “We have known each other for about a quarter of a century. Over the years, there have been many different things in our life. But not for a single moment did I regret how our fate developed, I would not want to erase any of the events of my life together from my memory or replace it with a number of more positive moments. All the charm and brightness of life in this “up & down-e”, – wrote the singer on her Instagram. Maybe it’s true, you shouldn’t chase the cinematic ideal, but simply admit that family life is not only vivid photographs in social networks, but also everyday work, which has its own successes and failures.

The Secret to Happiness: Love, Sex, and Delicious Food

Spouses: Meryl Streep and Don Gummer

Married: 42 years, 4 children

The relationship between the Hollywood actress and Don Gummer began not at all on a happy note. Meryl Streep, after the loss of her lover, was practically left without a roof over her head, and then her brother invited her to live in the apartment of his artist friend. Who knows how this, at first glance, not a romantic story could end, because the artist did not even think about a new romance, but six months later the couple went down the aisle. And now, for 42 years, Meryl and Don have been together, they have four adult children, and in the union there is still a lot of warmth and tenderness towards each other. Love, regular sex and delicious food – these are the “three pillars” on which, according to the actress, their marriage is based. Despite the fact that the couple has very different interests (for example, Meryl, unlike her husband, loves theater, and he is fond of golf, to which she is indifferent), the spouses are happy, giving each other free space. “What is the secret of my long marriage? Goodwill, some flexibility … and the ability to shut up on time sometimes, ”says the actress. A wise and balanced approach.

The Secret to Happiness: The Unity of Opposites

Spouses: Regina Todorenko and Vlad Topalov

Married: 1 year, 1 child

Singer Vlad Topalov and presenter Regina Todorenko will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on July 3, but despite such a short period of married life, they raise their son Michael, actively work, travel and share their thoughts about relationships on social networks. Vlad jokingly calls his wife a “hurricane”. But such a rapid pace of life is typical for a couple from the moment they met. In 2017, they met on the stage (both were involved in the play “Put Your Wife in a Pawnshop”), in 2018 they announced their engagement, and in 2019 they got married in Sorrento. Vlad sincerely admires his wife: “Before my son appeared, I could not even imagine what a titanic work it is to be a mother,” the artist admitted touchingly on Instagram. Regina reciprocates: “… I would like to thank you for being such a whole person. For teaching me not only to listen, but also to hear. For revealing incredible feminine energy in me. ” By the way, Regina has repeatedly stated that chaos is peculiar to her, while Vlad is a supporter of order and is used to calculating everything in advance. Maybe this unity of opposites is the secret of a happy marriage?

Text: Valeria Morina.

Photo: Andrey Nastasenko, Maria Samarova, Legion-Media, Andrey Baida.