Brad Paisley and Wife Kimberly Look Back on 18 Years of Marriage

The couple that plays together stays together.

Written by Chris Parton
Brad Paisley and Wife Kimberly Look Back on 18 Years of Marriage
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 19: Singer/Songwriter/Comedian Brad Paisley is joined on stage by Actress Kimberly Paisley Williams during the Nashville Comedy Festival presented by Outback Concerts at Zanies Comedy Nightclub on April 19, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Outback Concerts)

Brad Paisley and his movie-star wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, have long been one of country music’s favorite couples. And in a new cover story for People, they open up about why their 18-year marriage always seems so solid. Here’s a hint: A good sense of humor is key.

Speaking with the magazine about charity work and the strength of their relationships, the couple explain that they’ve always enjoyed each other. They first met in 2001 when Paisley asked Kimberly to be in his “I’m Gonna Miss Her” music video. And now after two children, evolving careers and almost two decades together, they are better than ever.

“A lot of married couples would rather do anything but spend the evening together,” Paisley says. “That’s not the case in our house.”

And in 2020, they spent more time together than ever before. Family ping pong games, dodge-ball activities around their Nashville-area farm keep everyone busy (plus Brad and Kimberly’s free grocery store for the needy, The Store). And when it’s time for a pandemic date night, the couple don’t need much — just some good TV and take out.

Both partner loves to laugh, and Brad praises Kimberly’s graceful way of raising a family — along with the fact that she’s always trying to do good. While Kimberly loves something about Brad that his fans can surely relate to: his “gigantic heart.”

But perhaps the biggest piece of proof that they don’t just love each other, but also like each other, comes from an annual anniversary tradition. After each year together, they sit down and write their favorite memories from the last year in a special keepsake book.

“Our greatest hits,” Kimberly says. “We record the meaningful moments, the best laughs. That’s a big part of our relationship — focusing on the laughter and keeping a sense of play.”