Ron Howard's Daughter Is 'More in Love than Ever' with Husband of 16 Years She Pursued in College & Wed Young

Bryce Dallas Howard, like her parents, has been married to her long-time love, Seth Gabel. Even after more than a decade of marriage, the lovebirds are still madly in love.

Film director Ron Howard and his wife Cheryl Howard have been married for 47 years now after being high school sweethearts. Per People, the couple met when Ron was a junior at John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California.

The actor admitted that they had an instant connection when they crossed paths, and after that, no one else was in the picture except for her.

"I met her, and there was never anybody else," said the Oscar Award-winning director. Ron revealed in an interview with the outlet in June 2019 that the secret to their long marriage is "communication," adding nothing else matters except for that:

"People say, 'How'd you do it?' There's no technique. There's no tactic other than communication is really important. You have to learn to communicate and have difficult conversations in constructive ways."

Ron further explained that over and above, "luck" plays a role because not everyone is destined to spend the rest of their lives together with their significant others, "and I don't think you can force that."

He and Chery welcomed four children within their marriage, daughters Bryce, Jocelyn, Paige, and son Reed. Ron's eldest daughter, Bryce, following in his footsteps in the film industry, is also enjoying her long marriage, seemingly following the same path as her parents' enduring union.

She and her husband, Seth Gabel, celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in June 2022. The actress posted a photo of her and her spouse sitting down with her hand on Gabel's lap while glancing at him. Bryce wrote that even after more than ten years of marriage, she was still head over heels "in love" with him:

"Seth Gabel, we celebrate 16 years of marriage today, and I am more in love with you now than ever. Happy Anniversary."

The pair have been together for 21 years and celebrated their milestone with sweet posts. In February 2022, the duo shared identical images on their social media accounts to mark their two-decade-long relationship, which showed Bryce giving her husband a peck on his cheek. Gabel, an actor, gushed about the milestone with his wife:

"21 years with this gorgeous, hilarious, brilliant woman! @brycehoward."

"A double post to celebrate over two decades of being in love with @sethgabel. Happy 21st Anniversary," Bryce captioned the post alongside a kissing emoji.

The couple's romantic journey started when the "Jurassic World" star relentlessly pursued her future husband.

Bryce Pursued Gabel for Months

In October 2011, during an interview with The Guardian, Bryce revealed how she and Gabel met in college. It was love at first sight for her except for him. She had to pursue him for months until he eventually caved in, and the duo went on a coffee date.

Gabel believed that Bryce was not into him. Little did he know that she actually was and even knew that they would walk down the aisle one day:

"The second I saw him on campus at New York University, I broke into hives. That night I wrote in my journal: 'Today I met the man that I'm going to marry.'"

In February 2021, Bryce revealed on Instagram that she and the "Salem" star went on their first date on February 21, 2001, adding it was a relief that she had the boldness to ask him out "on the first date."

The lovebirds have been inseparable ever since and dated for five years before marrying on June 17, 2006. In November 2019, Bryce posted a photo of her in her wedding gown on social media. The garment featured a strapless design with lace.

Seven days after their nuptials, Bryce discovered she was pregnant with the couple's first child. She took a pregnancy test while on their honeymoon and expressed that she wanted the test to come out positive, adding it would have been disappointing if she found out she was not pregnant.

The California native was 25 years old then, and she and her newly-wedded husband planned on starting a family until they reached their 30s. However, once the test came out positive, Bryce became overwhelmed "with joy."

She and Gabel became first-time parents a year after they tied the knot. Their son Theo arrived in 2007, and they became proud parents of two when they welcomed their daughter, Beatrice, in 2012.

Since exchanging wedding vows, the mother of two only has praises for her husband. In October 2021, Bryce penned a lengthy sweet message on Instagram.

She gushed about his good looks before revealing that he was "juggling" home life, including taking care of the children, "pets, and moving to new schools" while she was filming in the UK.

Gabel & Bryce’s Secret to a Long-Lasting Marriage

Bryce once revealed the best advice she received from her mother, Cheryl. She told her that she should prioritize her marriage above the kids – which to her – sounded absurd at first" but true."

The Hollywood starlet shared that because she is a career woman, her motherly instincts instantly kick in when she has some free time and often chooses to give her son Theo more attention. However, Cheryl told her that there would come a time when she could not do both:

"She said that when you're spending your whole lives together – you must put a lot of work and attention into the marriage. That is what makes my parents healthy, balanced individuals."

When Bryce had her bout with postpartum depression, Gabel had been her support system until she became herself again. She shared her story on Goop.com, saying she developed an erratic behavior that led her to use vulgar language toward her spouse – something he had not been exposed to before.

Knowing that there was nothing he could do to help made her aggressive. Still, Gabel reassured her that everything would be okay and devised a plan. Bryce went to see her midwife and became honest with her, which worked in her favor because the professional "suggested a homeopathic treatment plan."

After that, she went to see a doctor, and he referred her to a therapist – who then diagnosed her with "severe postpartum depression."

Sixteen years into their marriage, Bryce and Gabel still go on dates, and the Florida native calls her the light of his life. And her love for him has only grown over the years. In June 2019, Gabel posted a selfie with Bryce and captioned it: "Date night with my hip chick."

When Bryce celebrated her birthday in March 2022, the father of two paid tribute to her on Instagram. He posted a picture of his wife widely smiling and called her an "angel," adding "mother of my children. Light of my life. Happy birthday baby girl."

In October 2020, Bryce paid homage to her husband on social media alongside a photo of the duo. She described the father of her kids as a "handsome, kind, brilliant, insightful, poetic, and funny" partner.

Bryce added that "wholeheartedly," her love for Gabel "has only grown with every day and every adventure we've journeyed together."