Hamptons Celebrity Couples Share Successful Relationship Secrets
For whatever reason, it seems celebrity couples have a hard time keeping their marriages and relationships on track—or at least their public breakups make it appear that way—but some of our very own Hamptons duos have mastered the art of staying happy together. We mined for answers in honor of Valentine’s Day and came away with some helpful hints straight from the South Fork’s most successful celebrity marriages.
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East Hampton power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce, married since 2008, haven’t always had an easy ride, but the rapper says it’s important to fight for a relationship and not walk away when things get tough. Speaking to T: The New York Times Style Magazine last year, Jay-Z admitted to cheating on his wife—one of the most famous and desired women in the world—but he said they managed to heal their bond by dealing with the problem head-on. “You know, most people walk away, and like divorce rate is like 50 percent or something ’cause most people can’t see themselves,” he told T Magazine. “The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone’s face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself.” Jay-Z also pointed out that he and Beyonce addressed his infidelity in their music as a kind of therapy. The couple made music together in a joint recording session for their revealing albums Lemonade and 4:44, helping both to process and share feelings through art. In his title track on 4:44, Jay-Z raps, “I apologize, often womanize,” adding, “I don’t deserve you.” Contrition and a willingness to put in the work goes a long way. It also doesn’t hurt to honor your lover in a hit song.
Southampton couple Howard and Beth Stern have by all accounts been happily married for nearly 10 years. As we shared in December, Beth told Closer Weekly that despite their busy lives, she and Howard make sure to spend plenty of time together and enjoy shared interests. Even if he wasn’t a huge cat rescue guy before tying the knot with his beautiful wife, Howard now takes an active role in her passion for fostering their feline friends. “In the mornings, we have our coffee and he gives each cat attention—and to me that is romance, just loving our rescues,” Beth told Closer Weekly. She also told Social Life that they meditate and walk the beach together every morning. Blocking out daily time to be with our mates is key to stoking love’s flame, even a decade into a marriage.
Bridgehampton’s Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have maintained an enduring marriage for over 20 years, and Parker recently told People magazine that accepting change in oneself and one’s partner is a must for lasting love—it also helps if you genuinely like the person you’ve married. “I feel like it changes,” she says in the interview. “Your needs are shifting. You and your partner are going to change. It seems so silly, but I think you’re very lucky if you like the person. I still just really like him. I’m sure I annoy him and he annoys me, but I literally learn about him every day.” Despite opening up to People, Parker also told fellow Hamptonite Jimmy Fallon that famous couples should maintain their privacy, especially when it comes to relationships. The secret to a happy marriage is “Not talking about it” she said on The Tonight Show. Perhaps obvious to some, Parker said husbands and wives must realize “the things that don’t matter, don’t matter.” In other words, don’t get caught up in petty arguments and realize what’s important to your happiness together. Sage advice for sure.
By the look of things, one might think Amagansett couple Alec and Hilaria Baldwin keep their marital bliss by having babies—they’ve had three since their 2012 wedding, with another on the way—but it could be the two simply enjoy the process of making babies. In truth, it’s probably a little of both. Alec and Hilaria have fully embraced the joys of parenting. In July, the busy actor told Dan’s Papers that he now puts family ahead of work, explaining how Hilaria and the kids always come first. “In every way. It overwhelms my career,” he said. This choice demonstrates the value of choosing our loved ones above all else. It’s hard to argue against this recipe for success.
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Married for more than 26 years, East Hampton director Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw seem to be as in love now as they ever were. While the couple hasn’t said much publicly about their marriage, they are often seen together holding hands, kissing and sharing a loving embrace—no matter who’s watching. It may not seem like much to some, but the power of mutual attraction and physical bonds cannot be understated when it comes to couplehood. Don’t take these things for granted and make an effort to show your special lady friend or fella that you still can’t help touching them, and you want everyone around to know he or she is all yours!