Justin Guarini's Wife: Reina Capodici Has Been with the 'American Idol' Star through His Best and Worst Times

Justin Guarini, the famous runner-up in the first-ever "American Idol" season, has experienced drastically different ends of fame — from the bliss of superstardom in the world's leading entertainment industry to stumbling into harsh rejection in the very same space.

Justin Guarini was outstanding on "American Idol," earning a second spot behind the "Since You Been Gone" singer Kelly Clarkson in 2002. They went on to star in a musical comedy based on them in 2003. However, a lot has changed since then, more so for the runner-up.

He married a girl from his high school a few years later and embarked on a new journey as a father. Rumors flared about the nature of his relationship with Kelly, inspiring mixed verdicts from Justin. Currently, he is not in the industry's mainstream and lives as a parent of three with his wife, Reina Capodici.

Justin Guarini Knew His Future Wife Reina Capodici since High School

The "American Idol" runner-up crossed paths with the love of his life years before auditioning and excelling in the competition. He first met his wife, Reina, in his teenage years when they both attended Central Bucks East High School. Considering their three-year age gap, they were most likely in different grades at the time.

They were not romantically involved in their school days; however, they reunited in their twenties, grew a spontaneous romantic interest, and began dating. The couple dated for a year and became affianced in December 2008, while Justin worked on "The American Idol Experience" ride at EPCOT Theme Park.

However, this was not his wife's first encounter with creating a family of her own. When they married, Justin became a stepfather to his wife's then-four-year-old daughter, Lola, who also gave a speech during their intimate wedding hosted on September 26, 2009.

Their marriage officiant was a female minister from the Universal Life Church—the organization that ordained Wendy Williams—and included entertainment by the Vitamin String Quartet, who played music by Paramore, Peter Gabriel, and Radiohead. Justin divulged the reason for his eagerness to be married:

"I thought to myself, 'It's time.' Seeing how much we both had grown, how well we operated together, and how in love we are, it just made absolute sense."

Their 25-minute wedding, hosted at a private estate in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was organized rather quickly but turned out to be "perfect," according to Justin. The Inaugural "American Idol" runner-up also prepared vows for his stepdaughter and handed her a necklace with her mother's engagement ring attached.

Justin and Reina Raise Three Adorable Children Together

At 6:26 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, Justin and Reina welcomed their first child, William Neko Bell Guarini. William weighed 7 lbs. and 2 oz. at birth, making Lola a big stepsister for the first time. The elated first-time father marveled at the birth of his son, saying, per CBS News:

"Quite a polite fellow for waiting until late Monday, early Tuesday to make his entrance. With a full head of curly brown hair, wide open and alert eyes, he came charging into the world."

Two years later, on February 25, 2013, the couple welcomed their second son into the world. They named him Asher—a name that incited a lot of excitement in the comment section of the tweet Justin sent out announcing his newborn.

The tweet was an embedded Vine video of their excited daughter pressing a green button in the hospital hall, setting off a playful tune in the "whole hospital"—presumably, a button to announce a child's birth.

Justin, 44, and his wife, Reina, 31, are now parents to three children. Lola, who is Reina's child from a previous relationship, seems to get along just fine with her younger half-brothers. Her mother shared a post on Instagram about how Lola owned her sons before she did, a fair display of her love for them.

The caption reads, "Before they even belonged to me, they belonged to her—the fierce and quiet lioness behind their every step. Lola's devotion to her pack is all here, all in that precious face, all in this picture. Lucky us."

Justin Guarini and His Family Went through Some Serious Hardships

In 2002, Justin finished in second place behind Kelly in the first season of "American Idol," an outcome that would seem highly fruitful to any contestant going into their audition. Justin's vocal abilities were outstanding, scoring him a record deal with RCA Records, despite the result of the show.

After signing onto the label's roster that now supports artists like Doja Cat, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Kane Brown, and many more chart-toppers, Justin released his eponymous debut album "Justin Guarini." The life that followed was that of a superstar, giving Justin access to anything he desired.

He explained that he went from having the liberty to throw down cash for a house, invite any amount of women to his home, a flashy car, clothing to match, and an ego to top it all to a rented apartment with his loving wife and children who he a skips meals to provide for.

RCA dropped Justin after six months on the label, and he soon reinvented himself as a Broadway musician. Over time, his money began to dry up, and the sometimes-short lifespan of fame became apparent to the singer. Wedding Reina and starting a family with her cultivated the figurative wealth he is most proud of today.

Justin explained that Reina has also had trials and tribulations, suggesting that she has not had the easiest journey with her health in their 14-year marriage. Their strong bond and constant support for each other created an environment of mutual admiration.

Justin Guarini Dated Kelly Clarkson for a Short Time after 'American Idol'

Justin was rumored to have been in a relationship with his competitor, Kelly Clarkson, but denied those rumors in 2012, saying their relationship was sibling-like. However, while performing in 2014 at Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania, he admitted having romantic ties with Kelly and another runner-up, Tamara Gray.

His relationship with Kelly Clarkson began on the set of "From Justin to Kelly," the 2003 film they co-starred in. Justin's career began to plummet while Kelly's was on the rise as the first "American Idol" winner, and their romantic ties slowly faded away. Kelly did admit to their relationship on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2015, saying that they were indeed "dating."