Country Superstar Brad Paisley Fell Hard for Wife Kimberly While on a Date With Someone Else
Country superstar Brad Paisley was instantly smitten with actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley after seeing her on screen-while he was actually on a date with someone, setting off an unexpected twist to a love story she had no idea she was already part of.
In an interview for Live With Kelly and Mark, Williams-Paisley shared that she and the "Things We Quit" singer had recently celebrated their 23rd anniversary. They wed on March 15, 2003.
However, the actress didn't know that their love story began way before then, when Paisley went to see her 1991 film Father of the Bride with his then-girlfriend. He was smitten with the actress after seeing her portray Annie Banks in the comedy.
Williams-Paisley said, "He went to see the film with his girlfriend. Then, she kind of broke his heart and he wrote all these great songs from his heartbreak."
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"Then one day he thought, 'maybe I should call that girl who was in Father of the Bride because it had been the movie with his girlfriend," the actress continued. "That's also how confident he is. He's watching a movie and he's like, 'not this girl, that girl.'"
Today, their life is far from the Hollywood beginning to their romance. The Paisley's live in Tennessee, where they raise their two children.
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To celebrate their recent anniversary, Williams-Paisley asked her husband to "do something meaningful" and write her a letter. Then, they went to a "dark bar" where they watched the 2026 Academy Awards.
However, that was vastly different from their wedding ceremony, which took place, surprisingly, during their rehearsal dinner. "We had all of our friends show up for the rehearsal, they were so confused," she began.
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"I came down the aisle in a denim coat with my ribbon bouquet from my bridal shower. Then I took off the coat and I had this wedding dress on," Williams-Paisley continued.
To honor their special day, the actress posted a series of photos celebrating her and Paisley's union on Instagram. She wrote a heartfelt message. "23 years today (we think, but math isn't our strong suit). Find yourself someone you can laugh with, do some good with, and hang on tight with. Then repeat. Happy anniversary Brad Paisley for the twenty-somethingth time. I love you."
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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 5:12 AM.