Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld have one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages. They got together almost two decades ago, and even though many assumed that their relationship wouldn’t last because of the controversy that initially surrounded it, these two seem to be as solid as they get. Since they are celebrating their wedding anniversary, here are some things you didn’t know about the power couple:
7. Controversy
She met Jerry at the Reebok Sports Club shortly after she married Eric Nederlander, her boyfriend of five years, back in 1998. At the time, the tabloids claimed she had left her husband for Jerry, which caused quite the scandal, and Nederlander added fuel to the fire by vilifying Jessica to the press: “I was manipulated, misled and completely caught off guard by Jessica’s infidelity. Jerry and Jessica have no respect for decent values. They deserve each other.” Years later, Jessica told a very different story. According to her, her marriage was irreparably broken before she met Jerry and that she and Nederlander were in couples therapy, but she didn’t have the courage to leave him, so she stayed.
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6. Bonding
A couple of days after meeting at the Reebok Sports Club, Jessica attended Jerry’s taping of an HBO special. Soon after, she confided in him that she had just broken up with someone, which is how the two of them bonded. “I told him I didn’t think this was the right time for me to be involved with anybody,” she said. “I told him the story and he looked at me with such compassion and said, ‘Give me a hug.’ And he said, ‘Let me tell you a story about what I did,’ and he had done the exact same thing. Except he cut his engagement off before he got married.”
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5. Engagement
The controversial couple had broken up before they announced that they were engaged in November 1999 and Jessica had reportedly been dating Today producer David Friedman, so news of the impending nuptials came as a bit of a shock. The comedian proposed to her at Balthazar, a trendy restaurant in Manhattan, with a ring from Tiffany’s.
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4. Wedding
They were married on December 25, 1999, in Greenwich Village in New York City in a simple Jewish ceremony. They went to great lengths to keep everything a secret, reportedly telling their 40 guests to wait by their phones to find out the secret location of the wedding. He wore a tux and she wore a spaghetti-strap Tommy Hilfiger dress. Some of the guests who were in attendance were comics Mario Joyner, Larry Miller and George Wallace, who was Jerry’s best man.
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3. Family
Jerry and Jessica have three children together, daughter son Sascha, who was born in 2000, and two sons, Julian, who was born in 2003, and Shepherd, who was born in 2005. Jerry – who was once considered a perennial bachelor – really loves married life. “If I was younger, I’d have six kids by now,” he told Parade magazine. “I love it. I love having a family and kids and all the madness. There is no aspect of it I don’t like. Even when it’s horrible, I love it. I didn’t realize how tired of single life I was and how ready I was for married life.”
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2. The Marriage Ref
One of the couple’s fights inspired the concept for the TV series The Marriage Ref. They were in Central Park with a friend when the married couple got into an argument. Their friend initially wanted to leave, but Jerry insisted that the friend stay and referee the argument. “In five minutes, it was over,” he said. “I said: ‘That’s what you need in marriage. You need a ref.’ … And Jess said, ‘That should be a TV show.’” So, he pitched the idea and it got the green light. Unfortunately, after two seasons, it was cancelled in 2012.
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1. Net Worth
Jerry and Jessica have a reported net worth of $920 million. They own two properties, a mansion in the Hamptons that used to belong to Billy Joel and a penthouse apartment in New York City that overlooks Central Park. Jerry also has an extensive car collection, which reportedly includes 46 Porsches. Even though they are exceedingly wealthy, Jessica still worries about money, but her hubby has to keep reassuring her that there is nothing to worry about!