Marriage can be a beautiful journey filled with love, companionship, and growth. It’s a union that requires effort and commitment from both partners. But what happens when someone who’s never really been interested in marriage finds themselves walking down the aisle?

Meet Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, a long-married couple who have defied the odds and shared their secrets in their book, “What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets.” In this captivating read, Marlo opens up about her initial skepticism towards marriage and how her perspective completely changed when she met Phil.

In her own humorous way, Marlo used to compare marriage to a vacuum cleaner, believing it would suck out all her energy and ambition. She saw it as a prison, a shackle that would hold her back. But all that changed when she met the charming Phil Donahue.

Phil, already a famous television personality with his show “Donahue,” was completely transformed when Marlo appeared as a guest on his show. Their connection was undeniable, and their friendship soon blossomed into something more. Little did they know that they were embarking on a lifelong journey together.

Their love story began in Chicago in 1977, where Phil introduced Marlo to his four children from a previous marriage. Instantly, Marlo became a part of their lives, forming a bond that would last a lifetime. After three years of dating, they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony with 35 guests.