4
Although Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley got engaged in 2013 during The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 8, the couple has yet to walk down the aisle. Now, Gretchen is opening up about the reasons behind the delay.
In a recent appearance on Scheana Shay’s podcast Scheananigans with Scheana Shay, Gretchen explained that timing has been a significant factor in their wedding plans. “Honestly, it’s really just been the timing of everything,” she shared on February 14. “Slade had a work opportunity that he had to take around the time we originally wanted to get married. Then life just got really busy.”
The RHOC Season 19 friend also revealed that their daughter, Skylar Gray Smiley, born in 2019, added another layer of complexity. “Then I started trying to have a baby, and that was so much money just doing the whole IVF thing and all that for four and a half years,” she confessed. “And after we had our baby, we were just busy being parents.”
Gretchen Rossi went on to explain that while she does want to marry Slade, she’s not in a rush. She dreams of a wedding where their daughter is present. “I’m not the type of person who’d say, ‘Let’s just go to the courthouse and get married,’” Gretchen admitted. “I want the wedding… the big celebration.”
Despite having been married before, Gretchen emphasized that this time around, it’s about getting it right. “I had the big wedding, but it wasn’t with the right guy,” she reflected. “This time, I want to have it with the right person.”
Though they haven’t yet had their wedding, Gretchen and Slade continue to cherish each other. On February 9, Gretchen celebrated their 16th anniversary on Instagram, sharing a heartfelt post about Slade’s thoughtful gesture, which included a stunning red floral arrangement and cake.
“Slade & I are celebrating 16 years together today! So grateful every day to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such an incredible partner & for our beautiful love story,” she wrote.
Additionally, Gretchen Rossi is returning to RHOC as a friend for Season 19. The news was confirmed when the full cast for the new season was revealed on January 29. Alongside her, familiar faces like Tamra Judge, Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti, and Katie Ginella will also be returning.
