Kristen Taekman is proud of her relationship with her husband Josh Taekman.
The couple got married in October 2004 and later welcomed two children: son Cassius in 2008 and daughter Kingsley in 2012. Fans briefly got a front-row seat to their relationship when Kristen starred on The Real Housewives of New York City from 2014 to 2015.
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Josh Taekman and Kristen Taekman attend the 2018 National Retail Federation Gala on January 14, 2018 in New York City.
PHOTO: DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY
At the time, she and Josh appeared to be at a rocky place in their marriage, but Kristen said she gave viewers an honest depiction of a young family trying to juggle romance, parenthood and reality TV.
“I don’t think we were fighting, really. I think when you have very small babies and you’re trying to film a TV show, that’s kind of what came out in that,” she explained to PEOPLE in 2023.
However, the ultimate test of their relationship came in 2015 when Josh was involved in a data breach linked to the infidelity website Ashley Madison. The entrepreneur confessed to having an account but wrote in a statement that he never cheated, and Kristen said the scandal only brought them closer together.
"I have to say, I’m very proud of our relationship and I think we’ve come a long way," Kristen said in 2023. “We are stronger than ever. Maybe I’m back to prove everybody wrong and break all those silly myths about Housewives marriages, because despite what everyone probably thought, we're still happily married."
So who is Kristen Taekman’s husband? Here’s everything to know about Josh Taekman and his relationship with the reality star.
He is an entrepreneur
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Kristen Taekman and Josh Taekman.
PHOTO: KRISTEN TAEKMAN INSTAGRAM
Josh co-founded Bad Boy Entertainment with Sean Combs, also known as Diddy. According to his Playing for Change bio, he served as vice president of marketing for the company and orchestrated a number of the artist’s non-music ventures, including the Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell.
From there, Josh founded Buzztone Agency before becoming CEO of the wellness company EBOOST in 2007. As stated in his bio, Josh considers himself “an early innovator in the natural supplement and wellness space.”
The entrepreneur is also on the board of the Playing for Change Foundation, which creates free music programs around the world.
His favorite self-care activity is working out
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PHOTO: ROMMEL DEMANO/GETTY
In an interview with WellandGoodNYC.com, Josh said he turns to the gym and his favorite workout routines whenever he needs some stress relief.
"Fitness has always been the one thing that is my escape from day-to-day life, the one time I don't bring my cell phone. It's my time alone when I'm just doing cardio and reading the paper,” he told the outlet, per The Daily Dish. “It's stress relief and an endorphin rush.”
But when it comes to sweet treats, Josh joked that his self-restraint goes out the window. "There's no balance. I'll eat so cautiously when it comes to some things, and then I'll totally knock out a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's,” he said.
He married Kristen in 2004
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PHOTO: MIREYA ACIERTO/GETTY
Josh and Kristen tied the knot on Oct. 23, 2004. On the cusp of their 20th wedding anniversary, Kristen shared with PEOPLE what makes her and her husband a great team.
“Josh and I have a really great relationship. We come from two really great, strong family foundations. We both have the same interests, meaning we support each other and love each other and will do anything for our children. We're a great team,” she explained.
On their 19th anniversary in October 2023, Josh shared a heartfelt post about his relationship with Kristen.
"Here's to nearly two decades of love, laughter, and incredible memories," he wrote on Instagram. "I look forward to many more years of adventure, experiences, and being your ride or die support. Cheers to our beautiful journey together!"
He shares two children with Kristen
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Kristen Taekman and Josh Taekman with their kids Kingsley and Cassius.
PHOTO: KRISTEN TAEKMAN INSTAGRAM
Kristen and Josh welcomed their first child together, Cassius, on June 18, 2008. Four years later, the couple had their daughter Kingsley on Jan. 24, 2012.
The Taekmans are a family of world travelers. While Cassius and Kingsley live relatively private lives, their parents love sharing snaps from their trips to Italy, London, Paris and more.
Their marriage has withstood controversy
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Kristen Taekman and Josh Taekman.
PHOTO: KRISTEN TAEKMAN INSTAGRAM
In 2015, Josh was among the high-profile people whose usernames, email addresses and payment details were leaked in an Ashley Madison data breach. The cheating website is marketed towards married people looking to have affairs.
“I signed up for the site foolishly and ignorantly with a group of friends and I deeply apologize for any embarrassment or pain I have brought to my wife and family,” Josh said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time. “We both look forward to moving past this and getting on with our lives.”
Speaking to PEOPLE in 2023, Kristen stood by her husband, noting, “he never cheated on me.” The reality TV star added that the scandal “was never a problem in our marriage.”
They live in Los Angeles
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Josh Taekman and Kristen Taekman attend the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet on March 20, 2019 in New York City.
PHOTO: CRAIG BARRITT/GETTY
Following Kristen’s exit from RHONY, the family relocated to the West Coast. They settled down in Josh’s home state of California.
“We moved out of Manhattan to a suburb, but the suburb’s Los Angeles,” Kristen told Bravo producers in 2023, per The Daily Dish. “It was either that or the Upper West Side, and I was like, ‘Ugh, no. We’ll move to L.A.’ ”
He celebrates Kristen on social media
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Kristen Taekman and Josh Taekman.
PHOTO: KRISTEN TAEKMAN INSTAGRAM
Josh often posts about his pride and love for Kristen on Instagram. In honor of her birthday in April 2024, he shared a video of his wife blowing out candles on a slice of cake.
"Happy Birthday to the most incredible wife, @kristentaekman! You're a timeless beauty, both inside and out," he wrote on Instagram. "I can't wait to create more unforgettable experiences and share countless laughs with you."
