Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's Low-Profile Romance, in Their Own Words

The fact that Nicole Richie [1] and Joel Madden [2] like to keep their relationship private is pretty romantic in itself, but ever since these two got together [3] in 2006, we've gotten bits and pieces of how their beautiful romance came to be [4]. While the couple tied the knot in Decemeber 2010 [5] and share two children together, daughter Harlow Winter Kate and son Sparrow James Midnight, Joel admits that asking Nicole to marry him [6] wasn't exactly the easiest task, recalling, "I asked her to marry me 10 times before she actually said yes." Even so, the House of Harlow fashion designer has gone on record [7] saying that the Good Charlotte rocker is "very romantic" and what holds them together is their "appreciation for the same things." Keep reading for a look at the sweetest things Nicole and Joel have said about each other, and then relive their Winter-themed French wedding [8].

Joel on Nicole

On how he met Nicole [9]: "When I first would see her around, we were friends, but I don't think I'm the obvious choice. I'm always like, 'Just give me a shot. Just give me one date.' If I can get my foot in the door..."
On keeping their careers separate [10]: "Things are simplest when we're not involved in each other's work."
On why he doesn't appear on Nicole's VH1 show [11]: "[There] are people who think we want to be in tabloids, like we're asking someone to surprise us with a camera. If I was only interested in people seeing me, I'd be on Nicole's show, and as a family we made a firm decision not to do that. The show is totally Nicole's thing. The family is our thing, and we protect it."
On Nicole's personality [12]: "Nicole is really laid-back. You can tell her anything and she's like, 'Whatever."

On why their relationship works: "We just get each other. We're both laid-back people. It's never been a job to be in this relationship."
On Nicole's past: "She made some mistakes, but look at where we're from: I'm in a rock and roll band. Nicole is who she is."

On how many times he asked Nicole to marry him: "People don't know this, but I asked her to marry me 10 times before she actually said yes. I was asking every other Tuesday."

On how he asked for her hand in marriage: "I hinted around at it and she's not one to beg anyone for anything, so every time I'd kind of hint she was always so nonchalant like she was cool. She doesn't want any handouts, so I was always so confused. I was waiting for her to say, 'When are you going to ask?' and that's not the kind of woman she is. She keeps you on your toes for sure."
On when Joel finally proprosed to Nicole: "It was a Tuesday. I just woke up one morning and said, 'You know, we have two kids already,' and I was just like, 'What am I doing? I'm a fool. Why haven't I asked her to marry me?' and did it that night."

On why their relationship works [13]: "We just get each other. We're both laid-back people. It's never been a job to be in this relationship."
On Nicole's past [14]: "She made some mistakes, but look at where we're from: I'm in a rock and roll band. Nicole is who she is."
On how many times he asked Nicole to marry him [15]: "People don't know this, but I asked her to marry me 10 times before she actually said yes. I was asking every other Tuesday."
On how he asked for her hand in marriage [16]: "I hinted around at it and she's not one to beg anyone for anything, so every time I'd kind of hint she was always so nonchalant like she was cool. She doesn't want any handouts, so I was always so confused. I was waiting for her to say, 'When are you going to ask?' and that's not the kind of woman she is. She keeps you on your toes for sure."
On when Joel finally proprosed to Nicole [17]: "It was a Tuesday. I just woke up one morning and said, 'You know, we have two kids already,' and I was just like, 'What am I doing? I'm a fool. Why haven't I asked her to marry me?' and did it that night."

Nicole on Joel

On whether Joel ever comments on her style [18]: "No! He just noticed I had bangs. He noticed those a year ago and we’ve been together for seven years. I’m still waiting for everything from the neck down. He just noticed my bangs.”
On whether Joel is romantic [19]: "He's very romantic. Yes, he is. He's an old-fashioned type of guy."
On the promise they made before getting married [20]: "We met and we were partners from day one and from the second we found out we were going to be parents together, we looked at each other and we said, 'Okay, both of our parents are divorced. We both have had ups and downs with our parents and we don't really have a strong example of what a healthy family life is, but we're recognizing that now, so let's work at it and let's go through this together as a team.' It's been great."
On how she first told Joel she was pregnant with their first child [21]: "I picked a really bad time! I couldn't hold it in. He was flying from Japan to Europe, so right before he gets on a 16-hour flight I was like, 'I have to tell you something.'"

On the first time she met Joel: "I was at my girlfriend's party and he was there hanging out with my girlfriend's sister and we met very, very briefly. He was very shy, and kept to himself. I couldn't get a read on him for the life of me."
On what Joel is like: "I would say that Joel is a very shy introvert, who loves life, who enjoys life, who loves music, has such a deep passion for music, and anybody who shares that same passion he will go above and beyond for. He is a loyal person, who has the most incredible family values of anybody that I've ever met."
On how he met her dad, Lionel Richie: "Joel comes from a very well-mannered family. One thing I give so much credit to is his mom because she raised four absolutely amazing kids, who are polite and respectful and use their mannners, and let's not forget that Joel is from the South and my family is from the South, so he knew exactly what to say with the 'Yes, Sir" and 'Yes, Madam.' Everything he needed to do, he did."
On what keeps her and Joel together: "I think part of what gravitates Joel and I together is our appreciation for the same things."

On the first time she met Joel [22]: "I was at my girlfriend's party and he was there hanging out with my girlfriend's sister and we met very, very briefly. He was very shy, and kept to himself. I couldn't get a read on him for the life of me."
On what Joel is like [23]: "I would say that Joel is a very shy introvert, who loves life, who enjoys life, who loves music, has such a deep passion for music, and anybody who shares that same passion he will go above and beyond for. He is a loyal person, who has the most incredible family values of anybody that I've ever met."
On how he met her dad, Lionel Richie [24]: "Joel comes from a very well-mannered family. One thing I give so much credit to is his mom because she raised four absolutely amazing kids, who are polite and respectful and use their mannners, and let's not forget that Joel is from the South and my family is from the South, so he knew exactly what to say with the 'Yes, Sir" and 'Yes, Madam.' Everything he needed to do, he did."
On what keeps her and Joel together [25]: "I think part of what gravitates Joel and I together is our appreciation for the same things."

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