Soap Stars Courtney Hope & Chad Duell Wed after 5 Years of Dating Yet Split 2 Months Later

Courtney Hope and Chad Duell's whirlwind romance was every teenage girl's dream. Unfortunately, their marriage failed from the onset, and they separated shortly after walking down the aisle. Here are the reasons for their split.

Soap opera stars Courtney Hope and Chad Duell met during the premiere of a mutual friend, Bryan Craig's new TV show, and while Hope wasn't planning on attending, her mother convinced her to go. She would soon be grateful for caving.

Craig, who played Morgan on "General Hospital," introduced her to Duell, and they began talking. When the rest of the attendees wanted to leave for the club, Duell and Hope, who are not party animals, looked at each other and decided to go only if the other was going.

They ended up at a club but sat at the back talking the whole time. However, they did not get a chance to exchange numbers at the end of the night, so Hope messaged him on Facebook later on.

THEIR ON AND OFF-SCREEN ROMANCE

After Hope landed the role of Duell's love interest on "General Hospital," things began taking on a more profound turn. They both felt they had the potential to take it to another level through their deep and realistic conversations.

Their onscreen romance and their already existing attraction toward each other led to their relationship developing into a romantic one only shortly after meeting.

It is crucial to note that Hope had been focusing on her work and was not looking for love when they met. But her encounter with Duell changed all that.

His ability to make her laugh opened her up to the possibility of something more, and she began seeing it going somewhere. She would say:

"As my mom says, 'It's always when you least expect it.'"

MOVING IN TOGETHER

The "The Young and the Restless" actress and her newfound love were not in a rush to make things official. They would spend their time together going on date nights, walking the dogs, and hiking.

They also enjoyed traveling and game nights and would have people over to play games with and listen to music. Once a week, they would order in or go to the movies.

Their similar tastes in their choice of fun activities kept their romance alive. In addition, they also shared similar morals and values, which Hope would say was a very significant contributor to their connection.

Moving in together was an eye-opening experience, and the actress shared that combining households was not stressful because they each had their space. Duell had an office where he could work on his stuff while she used their guest room as her office to read scripts and meditate.

But besides their similarities, they also enjoyed their individuality. While Duell enjoyed his Zelda sword and collection of figurines, she loved her stuffed animals. Working together also helped cement their relationship because they understood the other's struggles and work engagements. Duell shared:

"We understand what each other is going through; if we have a heavy workload or whatnot, we get it and are able to help each other out and stuff like that. We just get each other well."

"I just feel very thankful that we met each other and feel very lucky that it worked out. I love him with all my heart." Hope declared her love for her costar and boyfriend.

A SURPRISE PROPOSAL

The couple was together for five years before Duell went down on one knee and popped the question. That Valentine's morning in 2021, Duell offered Hope a big teddy bear and a dozen roses, promising to take her out on a picnic later where he would give her her Valentine's day present.

When they got to Malibu, she discovered they would be going to Point Dume, which she loved. They scaled the beach, collected some rocks, and settled down for lunch.

Hope could tell Duell was ready to give her the promised present, so she stopped eating. After Duell read her a beautiful piece of poetry, Hope started choking up. He asked her to turn around and close her eyes. She recalled:

"Then he comically fumbled behind me to distract me from what he was really doing — and when I turned around, he was on his knee!"

Duell would later disclose that while he had a feeling she would say "Yes," he could not help but be nervous, hoping she would like the ring. And while the proposal had been unexpected for the actress, she said it was better than she had ever imagined.

Hope and Duell announced the big news on their Instagram page, accompanied by photos of the duo looking loved up, with Hope sharing that she could not wait to start another chapter of her life with Duell.

On October 17, 2021, the lovebirds exchanged vows in a gorgeous "Till Death"- themed outdoor wedding in Malibu. The bride wore a Victorian wedding gown featuring scarlet lace details and voluminous tulle.

On the other hand, the groom's suit had black embellishments and a rose boutonnière, while the guests complied with the theme by donning all-black gothic attire.

THE SHOCKING SPLIT

In an unexpected twist of fate, only two months after their wedding, the couple seemed to have split up as all their wedding photos got deleted from their accounts.

Family, friends, and fans were equally shocked by the split as the duo had not explained to anyone the breakup so soon after their unique wedding. When Duell finally spoke up, he offered an even more puzzling explanation as to why they split up, saying:

"There wasn't anything terrible that happened or nothing that anybody did to somebody else. We are still on good terms, and she is an amazing person in so many ways. All I have to say is positive things."

Surprisingly, the "Youth Pastor Kevin" actor left his fans and everyone else even more confused when he insinuated that they weren't married, as they did not sign anything: "It was amicable, kind of just that. And that's all I can really say. We always want the best for each other."