While her Ginny & Georgia character’s love life may be a bit messy, Brianne Howey’s real-life romance with husband Matt Ziering is steady as can be.
“It’s never lost on me that he’s able to travel with me, especially now that we do have a daughter, and it means so much,” Howey, 37, shares exclusively in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “I feel like when I am away working, I’m able to rely on our partnership and our teamwork, and I’m able to focus on work because I know he’s there, doing all the things that I’m not able to do in those moments, whether it’s bathtime, bedtime or drop off.”
The couple, who share a 3-year-old daughter and are expecting their second child together, will celebrate five years of marriage on July 24, and Howey told Us their relationship has evolved greatly over time.
“The first five years we were together, we weren’t married, we didn’t have a child, we didn’t have a dog yet,” she told Us while promoting her The Science of WOW campaign with Colgate. “I think it’s a really beautiful thing to continue to grow individually, but also together.”
Moreover, becoming parents only deepened their love and gratitude for one another.
“Watching him step into all of these roles of husband and dad makes you appreciate each other more, because you don’t always know what the future holds,” Howey said. “Getting to watch it unravel in the moment and stay present and grateful for it all has been such a beautiful, reassuring, but also surprising journey to be on. I’m so grateful.”
As they near their marriage milestone, Howey reflected on their secrets to sustaining long-term love. First and foremost? A romantic getaway always helps.
“Finding time for just you and your partner is such a crucial part of relationships, especially once careers are set in place and you have a family,” she told Us, adding that Mexico is one of her and Ziering’s favorite destinations as a couple.
Also crucial for long-term relationships, according to the Ginny & Georgia star: communication, gratitude and managing expectations.
Noting that relationships — and individuals — are always a “work in progress,” Howey told Us that she and her husband prioritize “not taking each other for granted, always communicating, always staying present and grateful” and “probably staying off Instagram, not comparing yourself to anybody or anything.”
Soon after they celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, Howey and Ziering will be gearing up to become a family of four following the actress’ Mother’s Day pregnancy announcement.
“Here we grow again,” she captioned a sweet mirror selfie showing off her baby bump via Instagram on May 10. Howey has not publicly revealed the sex of her second child.
While she clearly already has that pregnancy glow, Howey also opened up to Us about working with Colgate Optic White as part of their The Science of WOW series, and how it has helped boost her confidence.
“I learned so much about the science of it all with the hydrogen peroxide complex,” she told Us. “Most toothpaste targets surface stains, but what Colgate Optic White does is also focuses on deep set stains and the differences between these two things. When you feel confident, you look confident.”
