Couples Who Survived the Reality TV Curse (So Far) 

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Couples Who Survived the Reality TV Curse (So Far) 

Who says true love doesn’t exist on reality TV? While it seems to be a trend that many marriages on reality TV end in divorce, there are still some reality TV couples out there beating the odds! Sometimes, it's all about meeting the right person at the right time. That seemed to be the case for Big Brother's Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo. The reality stars met while filming season 18 of Big Brother in 2016. The timing wasn't right — she had a showmance with Corey Brooks, but they split shortly after the season came to an end. She later met Arroyo at an event and they started dating in June 2017. When they both were brought back to the Big Brother house in 2018, he proposed. In 2021, she revealed they are expecting their first child. The Big Brother house also served for the place of meeting for season 12 couple, Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas, who went on to get married and now have two children. Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson met on season 19 of the CBS show and now are married and have two children as well. Big Brother alum Paulie Calafiore also found love in reality TV — years after the show ended. He met Cara Maria Sorbello in 2018 on season 32 of The Challenge. While the pair had a bumpy relationship in the beginning, they ultimately stayed together and are now living in Montana. [jwplayer z1eNdMD5] "Boston Rob" Mariano met Amber Brkich in 2003 on Survivor: All-Stars. The duo immediately began dating and married in 2005. They've not only competed on multiple other reality shows together but are also the proud parents of four children. Other couples head into reality TV as a pair — and somehow still make it out that way. Javen Butler and Shari Ligons joined season 1 of Temptation Island to move their relationship along and it worked perfectly, ending in an engagement. They also went on to launch a podcast together. Scroll through to see which pairs have survived the reality TV curse (so far):

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Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson

The Big Brother couple started as a showmance in season 29 and continued to date after the show. The pair returned to reality TV to compete on season 30 of The Amazing Race and ended up winning. Graf and Nickson tied the knot in 2018. They share three daughters: Maverick, Carter and Atlas.

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Sierra Dawn Thomas and Joe Anglim

The Survivor players met during season 30 of the reality show and fell in love. The couple got engaged in April 2019 and married one year later. They welcomed their daughter, Della, in 2021 and son Vander Joseph in 2022.

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Chris ‘Swaggy C’ Williams and Bayleigh Dayton

Dalton and Williams fell head over heels in love while competing on Big Brother in 2018. The day trader proposed to Dalton at the reality show’s season 20 finale after knowing each other for less than a month. The former Miss Missouri USA later confirmed that she got pregnant while filming the CBS competition series but suffered a miscarriage while in the jury house. The couple secretly tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their rainbow baby in 2022.

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Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon

The Bachelor in Paradise couple went through many phases before settling down down. The pair started off as friends and had a slow build toward romance. The reality stars returned to the beaches of Paradise in 2018, where  Haibon proposed. They then said, “I do,” in 2019 and welcomed their son, Dawson, in 2022.

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Javen Butler and Shari Ligons

The pair were high school sweethearts who entered season 1 of Temptation Island after nine years together. At the end of the show, they got engaged.

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Cara Maria Sorbello and Paulie Calafiore

After meeting on The Challenge: Final Reckoning, the MTV star and the Big Brother alum began dating. While they had many bumps along the way — including a run-in with his ex, Danielle Maltby, the pair remained strong and now live together in Montana.

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Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo

After falling in love outside the Big Brother house, the former roommates began dating and got engaged in 2018. The pair announced they're expecting their first child in 2021.

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Jessie James Decker and Eric Decker

Fans followed Eric and Jessie’s journey to the altar on E!’s Eric & Jessie: Game On in 2013. The series returned for a second season the following year, but the couple took a break from filming after their daughter Vivianne was born during the season 2 finale. The country singer and the NFL star welcomed son Eric Jr. in 2015, and returned to the small screen for season 3 in 2017. While their future on reality TV is up in the air, their relationship remains solid and Jessie welcomed baby No. 3, Forrest, in March 2018.

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Boston Rob and Amber Mariano

Amber Mariano (neé Brkich) met "Boston Rob" Mariano during Survivor: All-Stars in 2003. The following year, the pair got engaged. In 2005, they tied the knot and CBS aired a wedding special. Together, they competed on two seasons of The Amazing Race and will compete together in 2020's season 40 of Survivor: Winners at War.

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Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

Montag and Pratt started dating during the second season of MTV’s The Hills in 2007, much to Montag’s then-BFF Lauren Conrad’s dismay. The pair, dubbed as “Speidi,” tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed son Gunner in October 2017. 

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Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd

Vanderpump and Todd have featured their relationship on Bravo since the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiered in 2010. The pair renewed their vows — something that typically ends in disaster for Bravolebrities — during season 3 and celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in 2017. Fans also get a glimpse of their marriage and life with daughter Pandora, 31, and Max, 27, on RHOBH spinoff Vanderpump Rules.

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Melissa and Joe Gorga

Melissa joined Joe’s sister Teresa Giudice on the Real Housewives of New Jersey during season 3. The pair wed in August 2004 and have three children: Antonia, 12, Gino, 10, and Joey, 7. Despite family feuds (Teresa vs. Melissa) and Melissa’s ever-changing career choices, their marriage has remained intact.

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Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra

Lowell and Baliterra made their TV debut in 2009 on an episode of MTV’s docuseries 16 and Pregnant. The duo, who placed their first child Carly up for adoption, have continued to document their relationship on Teen Mom, which was later renamed Teen Mom OG after a brief hiatus, for seven seasons and counting. Lowell and Baliterra welcomed daughter Novalee in 2015 and wed later that year. They are the only couple from the Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom 2 to stay together after 16 and Pregnant.

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Catherine Giudici and Sean Lowe

There’s a reason the Bachelor franchise always invites Lowe and Giudici back to give contestants advice! After meeting on season 17 of The Bachelor, the couple’s wedding aired live on ABC in January 2014. They have since made appearances on multiple TV shows, including Marriage Boot Camp and Billon Dollar Buyer, and welcomed their son Samuel in July 2016. Giudici is currently pregnant with their third child together.

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Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jionni LaValle 

It turns out you can find love at the Jersey Shore! Polizzi met LaValle during season 3 of Jersey Shore at a club, and the rest is history. They welcomed son Lorenzo in August 2012 and daughter Giovanna in September 2014. They wed in November 2014. The twosome welcomed Angelo in May 2019.

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Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas

After meeting on season 12 of Big Brother in 2010, Reilly and Villegas were smitten with each other. They returned to the CBS season for season 13, and Reilly went on to win the show. The pair, known as “Brenchel,” tied the knot in September 2012 and welcomed daughter Adora in April 2016. They also competed on two seasons of The Amazing Race.

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Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky

Richards and Umansky have been a part of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills since season 1 in 2010. The couple, who wed in 1996, have three daughters: Alexia, Sophia and Portia. Umansky is also an active stepdad to Richards’ daughter from her first marriage, Farrah.

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Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin

If you need more proof that love exists in Beverly Hills, look no further than Rinna and Hamlin. The soap opera alum joined the cast of RHOBH in 2014, and her actor-husband makes multiple guest appearances each season. The pair, who are parents to models 19-year-old Delilah and 16-year-old Amelia, also had a reality show on TV Land titled Harry Loves Lisa.

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Trista and Ryan Sutter

Trista and Ryan made history as the first couple to meet on the Bachelor franchise and make it down the aisle! Fourteen years of marriage and two children later, the Bachelorette’s OG couple continue to inspire new contestants on their journey to find love on the ABC hit.

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Heather and Terry Dubrow

Four seasons on the Real Housewives of Orange County — plus four seasons and counting of Terry’s hit Botched — was not enough to shake Heather and Terry Dubrow’s two decades as a couple. While the duo were not afraid to fight on camera, they remain dedicated to each other and their four kids: 14-year-old twins Nicholas and Maximillia, 11-year-old Katarina and 7-year-old Collette.

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Chip and Joanna Gaines

The couple, who tied the knot in 2003, launched their show Fixer Upper in 2013. Chip and Joanna have four kids — Drake, 12, Ella, 11, Duke, 9, and Emmie Kay, 7 — and a fifth on the way. The HGTV couple may have decided to end their home improvement hit after five seasons to focus on their growing family, but their relationship appears remain solid.