Jon Bon Jovi Shares Key To Long-Lasting Marriage: ‘Never Lying About Having Been A Saint’

Jon Bon Jovi, wife Dorothea
Karwai Tang/WireImage

Jon Bon Jovi’s marriage defies rock star stereotypes. He and his wife Dorothea are about to celebrate their 35th anniversary. However, Jon, 62, admits that it’s not because he has always been the perfect partner. He told the Independent that part of the reason he and his wife have stayed together for so long is due to his wife’s patience and acceptance.

While he did not go into detail about what exactly Dorothea had to tolerate, he shared that when it came to their marriage, honesty was also key.

He told the Independent that from his perspective, the key to a long-lasting marriage (for rock stars, at least) is “never lying about having been a saint.”

He added that although he feels it’s important for him to be honest about his behavior and his mistakes, “not being a fool enough to f— up the home life” is equally important.

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Jon and Dorothea got married at the Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas in 1989. In addition to honesty and acceptance, the couple had a few other things working in their favor.

He told the outlet that he and his wife also benefit from “a mutual admiration society, and being lucky enough to have grown up together.”

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They’re actually high school sweethearts. They met at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey in 1980, and Jon told People that he was “immediately drawn to” Dorothea.

They got married nine years later — though they briefly broke up before they decided to get married. They share four children.

In 2020, when speaking with People, Jon opened up about their relationship, and shared another reason why it has lasted for so long.

It’s actually pretty simple: Jon and his wife “really like each other. We want to hang out,” he told People at the time.

Dorothea also spoke to People in 2016 about how their relationship worked because instead of growing “in opposite directions,” they “grow at the same rate” and “grew equally.”