Kristen Bell Celebrates Anniversary with Dax Shepard's Shocking Marriage Vow
Kristen Bell is marking her 12th year of marriage by revealing a rather unique pledge from her husband, Dax Shepard.
“To the man who once told me: ‘I would never kill you. Many husbands have murdered their wives eventually. Despite strong incentives, I would never do it.’ Happy 12th wedding anniversary!” Bell, 45, shared on Instagram Friday, October 17, accompanied by an image of the couple hugging on a bed frame.
The duo, whose romance began in 2007 when they met at a dinner hosted by Shauna Robertson, producer of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, announced their engagement in 2010. They confirmed Bell’s pregnancy with their first daughter, Lincoln, in November 2012, and she was born the following March.
Bell and Shepard, having pledged to postpone their vows until marriage was universally legal in California, exchanged them in a discreet ceremony at the Beverly Hills courthouse on October 17, 2013. Their second daughter, Delta, arrived on December 19, 2014. (Marriage equality became law across the U.S. in 2015.)
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The couple, renowned for their open social media updates on their partnership, psychological well-being, struggles with addiction, and other topics, have previously opened up about certain misgivings concerning their love story.
“Kristen harbors some regret. She was quite active,” Shepard shared during his “Armchair Expert” podcast on September 29. “She had a very active sex life, and she wishes it had been even more so.”
“I simply wish I had been a bit more exploratory,” Bell chimed in then.
During a separate September 2025 discussion with Alicia Silverstone, Shepard mused on their marriage, stating he would always view his bond with Bell favorably — even if they chose to separate down the line.
“I constantly emphasize that even if Kristen and I were to ever part ways, I would still characterize this as an incredibly successful relationship,” Shepard conveyed to Silverstone, 49, and cohost Monica Padman. “We adored each other immensely. We raised two wonderful daughters. We shared an incredible journey.”
The couple has also openly discussed the difficulties they’ve encountered throughout their years together. In a 2019 conversation with People, Shepard remarked that his marriage has required “effort.”
“We absolutely had to dedicate significant effort to our relationship because we are both remarkably, stubbornly opinionated, and largely dissimilar,” Shepard conveyed to the publication then. “I thought, ‘That’s the most captivating personality I’ve ever encountered in a woman. I must be near it. I desire to be near it even at 80, but how can that be?’”
Bell expressed comparable sentiments during an interview with E! in 2024.
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“My spouse is my complete antithesis,” the Veronica Mars star clarified. “We are entirely contrary. We dispute nearly every topic, yet a fundamental bedrock of trust we’ve cultivated binds us, often invigorated by our differing viewpoints.”
She further stated that “partnering with an individual unlike yourself, or with whom you share few commonalities, compels personal development.”
