---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What makes a successful marriage? Well…"
description: "\"What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married about forty years now. My wife and I went back to Hawaii in 2001 to renew our vows. It was a ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg"
---

#  What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married…

![“What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married about forty years now. My wife and I went back to Hawaii in 2001 to renew our vows. It was a hippie thing. We found a woman-Reverend Jackie. Picked a spot out by the ocean where a guy was playing guitar. I think he was the best man or…” quote by Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg)

> “What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married about forty years now. My wife and I went back to Hawaii in 2001 to renew our vows. It was a hippie thing. We found a woman-Reverend Jackie. Picked a spot out by the ocean where a guy was playing guitar. I think he was the best man or something.”

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A successful marriage relies on shared experiences, mutual respect, and continual renewal of commitment.

**In simple terms:** Marriage needs respect, shared experiences, and renewal.

Key Takeaway

Invest in shared moments and keep the bond fresh.

Themes

commitment shared experiences renewal

Mood

reflective warm optimistic

Type

advice personal narrative

When to use this quote

- anniversary celebrations
- couples therapy
- travel together
- daily rituals

Key Concepts

relationship dynamics long-term partnership

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you keep your relationship fresh?
- What shared rituals strengthen your bond?

A Different Perspective

Challenges arise when routines become stagnant without intentional effort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-ve-1178842/) [Married Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-years/) [Playing guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-guitar/) [Renew Vows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renew-vows-2518878/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-marriage/) [Ve Married](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-married/)

## Related quotes

> [I like marriage. I've been married three times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-slavkov/i-like-marriage-i-ve-been-married-three-times/)

[Ivan Slavkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-slavkov/)

> [I've been married fifty-five years and I've been home three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/i-ve-been-married-fifty-five-years-and-i-ve-been-home-three-weeks/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [I've been married for four years, and I'm still finding out things about my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-bauer-van-straten/i-ve-been-married-for-four-years-and-i-m-still-finding-out-things/)

[Kristin Bauer van Straten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-bauer-van-straten/)

> [At first, people were like, 'I've discovered something - you guys are married!' I was like, 'Yeah, that's not a secret. We've been married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/at-first-people-were-like-i-ve-discovered-something-you-guys-are/)

[Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/)

> [We’ve been married for more than eight years now and we’re still into it. I think you do fall in and out of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/we-ve-been-married-for-more-than-eight-years-now-and-we-re-still-into/)

[Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/)

> [It is as hard to get a man to stay at home after you've married him as it was to get him to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/it-is-as-hard-to-get-a-man-to-stay-at-home-after-you-ve-married-him/)

[Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/)

> [Turning down the Lakers was tough, but it is always good to renew your vows to the loves of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/turning-down-the-lakers-was-tough-but-it-is-always-good-to-renew-your/)

[Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/)

> [We want to renew our vows with our people. We want to reconnect with our people. We want to get our people excited again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-ramaphosa/we-want-to-renew-our-vows-with-our-people-we-want-to-reconnect-with/)

[Cyril Ramaphosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-ramaphosa/)

> [Truthfully I'm ready to have a girlfriend or wife even if it only lasted four years and we had a baby together. I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-cortez-stanfield/truthfully-i-m-ready-to-have-a-girlfriend-or-wife-even-if-it-only/)

[Marlon Cortez Stanfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-cortez-stanfield/)

> [First thing when you wake up in the morning, before all the busyness of the day comes flying at you, take a moment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/first-thing-when-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-before-all-the-busyness/)

[Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/)

> [Often people renew their vows because theyre on the verge of divorce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davina-mccall/often-people-renew-their-vows-because-theyre-on-the-verge-of-divorce/)

[Davina McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davina-mccall/)

> [I think it's time to have a celebration of life and renew our vows. And this time we're going to write the vows because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rancic/i-think-it-s-time-to-have-a-celebration-of-life-and-renew-our-vows/)

[Bill Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rancic/)

> [The only marriage I've observed for any length of time is my parents - 35 years. I asked my pop, I go, 'Pop, 35…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferrara/the-only-marriage-i-ve-observed-for-any-length-of-time-is-my-parents/)

[Adam Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferrara/)

> [Luck is one of the most important things in the world and really has a role to play in everything, and in marriage, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/luck-is-one-of-the-most-important-things-in-the-world-and-really-has/)

[Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/)

> [Never again! I can see no reason for marriage - ever at all. I've had it. Three times is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/never-again-i-can-see-no-reason-for-marriage-ever-at-all-i-ve-had-it/)

[Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/)

## More by Fred Willard

> [I remember Johnny Carson laughing effusively when I made my 'Tonight' show debut in the early 1970's as part of a sketch comedy group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-remember-johnny-carson-laughing-effusively-when-i-made-my-tonight/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [My daughter thinks I'm a little more on the straight and narrow than I actually am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/my-daughter-thinks-i-m-a-little-more-on-the-straight-and-narrow-than/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I wish sex could last as long as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-wish-sex-could-last-as-long-as-love/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I'll talk your ear off if you recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ll-talk-your-ear-off-if-you-recognize-me/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I once was in a project. They were going to do a remake. Somebody started a rumor I wanted more money. I said, 'This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-once-was-in-a-project-they-were-going-to-do-a-remake-somebody/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I love working with Ty Burrell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-love-working-with-ty-burrell/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [Some of the Christopher Guest movies, when I'm not really like myself, when I have my hair dyed blonde or had a faux-hawk haircut.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/some-of-the-christopher-guest-movies-when-i-m-not-really-like-myself/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [After working with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum, I said, 'I am never going to talk about improv again.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/after-working-with-wayne-brady-colin-mochrie-and-jonathan-mangum-i/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [Someone I've always admired is Catherine O'Hara... I think she's one of the best actresses in the country, not only comedy. I just think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/someone-i-ve-always-admired-is-catherine-o-hara-i-think-she-s-one-of/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I never got any advice in acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-never-got-any-advice-in-acting/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [I've found over the years that for some reason, people either are big fans and have to use me, or they don't quite understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/i-ve-found-over-the-years-that-for-some-reason-people-either-are-big/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [Suddenly you're like a pirate, you're 65 years old and you've got an earring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/suddenly-you-re-like-a-pirate-you-re-65-years-old-and-you-ve-got-an/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [If you're going to take a risk as a comic, make sure it's surrounded by other things that you're certain are funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-as-a-comic-make-sure-it-s-surrounded/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [It's not a bad typecast: the goofy guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/it-s-not-a-bad-typecast-the-goofy-guy/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

> [You think you want to be famous. Then you see twenty or thirty people with cameras running after somebody coming out of a restaurant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/you-think-you-want-to-be-famous-then-you-see-twenty-or-thirty-people/)

[Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

[Explore all 111 Fred Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/)

## More Best man quotes

> [“Instantly, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I didn't know exactly what I was feeling, but my buddy JD - my best man, whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-bishop/instantly-i-was-overwhelmed-with-gratitude-i-didn-t-know-exactly-what/)

[Bryan Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-bishop/)

> [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/)

[Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/)

> ['Tempting the Best Man' centers around Madison Daniels, who's had a major crush on her brother's best friend since she was a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armentrout/tempting-the-best-man-centers-around-madison-daniels-who-s-had-a/)

[Jennifer Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armentrout/)

> [In this coming year, I will seek knowledge from those wiser than me and try to teach those who wish to learn from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-allman/in-this-coming-year-i-will-seek-knowledge-from-those-wiser-than-me/)

[Duane Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-allman/)

> [“The best man. You know? He hands you the ring and has to marry the bride if you ran away and so on. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-best-man-you-know-he-hands-you-the-ring-and-has-to-marry-the/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/)

[Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/)

> [“Thank you. Thank you for raising my best friend. For raising the best man I have ever met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/thank-you-thank-you-for-raising-my-best-friend-for-raising-the-best/)

[Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/)

> [Well, that’s just a little hard, since I can’t even talk her into sparing your life, huh? You haven’t exactly endeared yourself to her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/well-that-s-just-a-little-hard-since-i-can-t-even-talk-her-into/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [My mother is the best not because she cooks great or wash my clothes well… she is the BEST because she gave birth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mharwhyn/my-mother-is-the-best-not-because-she-cooks-great-or-wash-my-clothes/)

[MHARWHYN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mharwhyn/)

> [“But destiny will be accomplished, and the best man will hold his ground while the undeserving one will vanish into his back-alley for ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/but-destiny-will-be-accomplished-and-the-best-man-will-hold-his/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [Joss Whedon is the best man on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/joss-whedon-is-the-best-man-on-the-planet/)

[Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/)

> [“Gillette--The best a man can get." I stared at the screen. What happened to me? I was meant to be one of those guys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/gillette-the-best-a-man-can-get-i-stared-at-the-screen-what-happened/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

> [As a boy I heard this story in church. A man was patching a pitched roof of a tall building when he began sliding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/as-a-boy-i-heard-this-story-in-church-a-man-was-patching-a-pitched/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [It's time for male leaders to not only ask for binders of qualified women, but to re-write the definition of 'qualified.' The best man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/it-s-time-for-male-leaders-to-not-only-ask-for-binders-of-qualified/)

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

> [Sir Alex, one of the best managers of all time. After 26 years of success in the game, we all owe him a tribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/sir-alex-one-of-the-best-managers-of-all-time-after-26-years-of/)

[Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/)

[Browse all 304 Best man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married about forty years now. My wife and I went back to Hawaii in 2001 to renew our vows. It was a hippie thing. We found a woman-Reverend Jackie. Picked a spot out by the ocean where a guy was playing guitar. I think he was the best man or something.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Fred Willard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i-ve-been-married-about-forty/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best man"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i-ve-been-married-about-forty/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08d/fred-willard-4425_best-man_what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i_650344.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What makes a successful marriage? Well, I've been married about forty years now. My wife and I went back to…” — Fred Willard",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Fred Willard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What makes a successful marriage? Well,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i-ve-been-married-about-forty/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/what-makes-a-successful-marriage-well-i-ve-been-married-about-forty/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
