Every couple of months, some weekly magazine will start another round of engagement rumors for Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton. They’ve been together for four years already, can you believe that? I’ve always thought it was clear that Gwen wants to marry Blake and he’s the one who is a bit gun-shy about it, but in the past year, another theory has cropped up. The theory is that Gwen doesn’t want to marry Blake until she’s gotten an annulment for her first marriage, to Gavin Rossdale. She wants the Catholic Church to annul a 13-year marriage which produced three children. I’m still not sure I believe that, but I do believe that Gwen’s Catholicism is very important to her (and not to Gavin) and that Blake likes those church pap-strolls for his image too. Anyway, Us Weekly has a boring update: Gwen and Blake are fine, they’re still not engaged, but they’re happy.
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton enjoy living a simple life. For them, that means escaping the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and heading out east to the country singer’s sprawling ranch in his native Oklahoma. When the couple of more than three years are in L.A. with her three sons, Kingston, 13, Zuma, 10, and Apollo, 5 (whom she shares with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale), they prioritize family. The duo “go to church on the weekends or to Orange County to see Gwen’s parents,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
There, the Voice judge, 42, is hands-on with the boys, often picking them up from school and attending their sporting events. He’s also just as involved outside of the city. In Oklahoma, they’re usually outdoors. “Blake loves getting dirty with the boys. They’re always playing basketball or running around,” says the source. “They love it there because it’s just the five of them out on the land, hunting or hiking.”
While the pair seem to have the perfect family dynamic, they’re holding off on future engagement and wedding plans since the former No Doubt front woman, 49, wants her marriage to Rossdale annulled by the Catholic church. “Gwen’s religion has always been extremely important to her,” a source previously told Us. “And Blake is completely supportive of this.”
I believe it? I mean, I know this is a boring story, but it’s still sort of nice. I think after four years together, Blake very much acts as stepdad to the boys and Blake probably loves getting the boys out of LA and doing fun stuff that he did when he was a kid. Blake has apparently redone his Oklahoma property so it’s more of a playground for Gwen’s sons too. As for the church stuff… it is what it is. It’s important to Gwen. Blake seems fine with that.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
What is she wearing on her feet in those photos???
OMG I had to go back and look. Quel horreur !
As soon as I saw them, I involuntarily gasped, “NO!”
I feel like “deconstructed cowboy boots” is one of those things that very few people could pull off, and she kind of is here? I mean, it does go with her outfit and her date. I’d never wear them, but fashion is one of her main things, so meh.
Open.
Toed.
Cowboy Boots.
I can’t … I don’t have words… I … no. Just no.
I sort of feel like she can’t have her cake and eat it too. How can she wait for an annulment for the first 13 year marriage and kids and then live with another man, while not married?
I don’t understand the annulment thing…..is it different than a divorce?
Is this a catholic thing or do all religions do this?
Which is why I don’t believe the annulment story. At all.
It’s a catholic thing. Sort of like a do-over. Pretend the first marriage never existed so that a person can get divorced and marry again and still be accepted into the catholic flock.
It’s a Catholic thing. If you get divorced you are not allowed to receive sacraments, remarry in the church, etc. One of the Kennedy’s tried this awhile back after a 12 year marriage and several kids. The local diocese granted it but the ex-wife appealed to Rome and the annulment was overturned,
I see, thank you!
It’s so sad to see the Gwen stefani that was responsible for Don’t Speak and Just A Girl and so many other amazing songs of my youth is now……whatever is in those pictures.
took the words right out of my mouth
I still dont really believe the whole annulment angle. I think the far more likely issue is that Blake isn’t in any hurry to get remarried. This would be his third marriage and I think he is probably reticent to do it again.
I believe he is reticent about getting remarried but can also believe she wants an annulment so she can receive Communion and other Catholic sacraments that you cannot do if divorced.
I really don’t think the annulment is something she is going to get. I have a glancing familiarity with the process. She would have to claim Gavin tricked her or something into getting married. It’s not going to be easy to get.
are you referring to a legal annulment or a religious one? i think a religious one is easier to get
Kooky couple. They look so ridiculous with each other. And her open toed cowboy boots are ridic too.
They are such an odd couple.
They bug me and these regular US Magazine extravaganzas of “Hey! Over here! Don’t forget about us! We’re still together! Hey, maybe we are trying to have a baby!!!!” are total PR exercises.
After Gwen’s early days and the punk woman I fell in love with it is always a shock to me to hear about how important religion is to her.
She can receive communion and other sacraments now. She can be divorced and do that. It is if she remarries without an annulment that should would not be able to receive the sacraments. Personally I feel she’s splitting hairs: sex outside of the sacrament is the sin, in the eyes of the church. They’re already living together (sin in the eyes of the church) so the annulment can’t mean that much to her.
Pretty much all religious people split hairs in this way. I went to catholic school and a disturbingly high proportion (certainly higher than in my brothers non religious school) of students had babies before they graduated. Almost all of them said that contraception and abortion were unthinkable because they were Catholic – the not having sex before marriage part somehow was less of a problem.
I like them as a couple. They seem really good to each other, especially after the dumpster fires they were married to before.
The marriage thing is their business – I don’t think Blake wants another wedding, and I think Gwen loves being in love, but after her marriage crashed and burned, it would not surpirse me if she wants to keep it simple too.
This is a random thought/observation, but I just…can’t imagine what her hair must feel like to the touch. Yikes. Maybe give it up now, Gwen and try a new color/style.
Blake’s Oklahoma property isn’t the only thing that’s been “re-done”.
As a Texican (Texan and Mexican), I’ve never seen either group with boots/heels (beels, hoots?). Both can be extra af about boots! 😂