Jessica Robertson on her marriage to Jep

Duck Dynasty’s Jessica Robertson revealed she was only 20 years old when she married Jep on October 7, 2001, just four months after they began dating.

Jep and Jessica Robertson have been married now for close to twelve years, and have four beautiful children together: Lily, 10; Merritt, 8; Priscilla, 6; and River, 4.

Jessica Robertson recently opened up about how she first met Jep with A&E.

“Jep and I saw each other for the first time around February 2001 at our mutual hair stylist,” she says. And this was well “before the beard” for Jep Robertson.

Nothing came of their hair stylist encounter, but Jep and Jessica Robertson would bump into each other again at a concert about a week later.

“That was the first time we actually said more than a word to each other,” Jessica Robertson recalls.

“I started hanging out with him and all his friends that March, but we didn’t admit to liking each other until the end of May.”

They began officially dating in June and by October were married.

So what’s Jessica Robertson’s secret to making a marriage last? She offered up her relationship-strengthening tips:

Be loyal to your spouse

“Be committed to each other, even when it seems like the rest of the world views commitment and loyalty as a thing of the past.”

Forgive your spouse

“When I struggle with forgiveness, I think of how God forgave me by not holding the past against me. Then I can’t help but forgive. Never be too stubborn to say <<I’m sorry>>.”

Respect your spouse

“Showing respect can make or break your spouse’s confidence. A look, a smirk, a rude comment, even the tone of your voice can speak volumes. Build up your spouse; don’t bring him or her down.”

Cherish your spouse

“We sometimes forget to nurture the relationships with our spouse the way we do with our children. We get so busy being a mom or dad that we lose sight of this very important need. Go above and beyond to spend as much quality time together as possible. Jep and I try to go on a date a week and it has really helped keep our relationship strong.”