Bravolebrities ARE celebrities in our book. If you don’t know, The Real Housewives is a Bravo show about…well… real housewives in different areas of the United States. From Atlanta to Salt Lake City, there’s a show for everyone. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill housewives, either. They’re typically very well-off. So, you’d think that they all have prenups, right? Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Many of these Bravolebrities actually don’t have prenups. In fact, Andy Cohen did a deep dive into this (you can watch the clip here), and most of the housewives he interviewed did not have a prenup! However, we did some grueling research (so you didn’t have to) to list out which of the famous Housewives have (or had) a prenup in place. Keep reading to find out who!
Lisa and Lenny Hochstein
Lisa Hochstein, a member of the Real Housewives of Miami, and Lenny Hochstein, lovingly referred to as the “Boob God,” thanks to his plastic surgery dynasty, concluded their 12-year marriage in early 2023. Page Six revealed details from their prenup agreement, featuring provisions such as Lisa vacating the marital home within 30 days, Lenny paying $1.5 million if the marriage lasts ten years or more, an additional $200,000 for each year married after ten years, and monthly spousal support of $10,000 for Lisa, but only if she refrains from challenging the divorce petition.
Furthermore, Lenny is obligated to contribute a minimum of $2,000 per month to Lisa’s retirement fund, plus a weekly allowance of $1,000 for spending, both applicable only during their marriage. All gifts, including jewelry, presented by Lenny to Lisa are to remain under her ownership. Page Six reported in June of 2023 that Lisa is actively disputing the validity of this agreement.
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker
Kandi (the Real Housewives of Atlanta) and Todd Tucker had an infamous argument on Kandi’s spin-off docuseries, “Kandi’s Wedding” (Season 1, Episode 4), where she insisted on a prenup. Todd pushed back, saying certain terms weren’t fair and the prenup was making the relationship “all about money.” The term they were specifically arguing about was one that required Todd to vacate the marital home within 30 days of the divorce. Todd claimed this would be difficult to find a new place to live within just 30 days.
In a sit-down interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, Kandi explained her side of things. She said she owned this house, and Todd just paid the bills. Plus, Todd didn’t even want ownership of the house. The 30-day clause was simply about making sure there were no awkward living situations should a divorce ever arise.
Ashley and Michael Darby
Ashley Darby and her husband Michael Darby, announced their divorce in 2022. Michael is a prosperous businessman, and Ashley gained fame on the Real Housewives of Potomac franchise in 2016 after marrying him in 2014. During Part 1 of the Season 7 Reunion of the Real Housewives of Potomac (Season 7, Episode 18), Ashley revealed that despite having an “ironclad prenup,” it didn’t favor her in the end. She explained that the agreement’s terms prevented her from seeking alimony from her wealthy ex-husband. When questioned by her castmate Wendy Osefo about why she signed such an agreement, Ashley admitted to signing it willingly. Despite the challenges posed by the prenup, Ashley shared that she was still leaving the divorce with something–child support, a house, and a “financial safety net” to address potential future financial concerns.
Nene and Gregg Leakes
Nene and Gregg Leakes (from the Real Housewives of Atlanta) were married for a significant amount of time before going through a divorce, and astonishingly, they eventually tied the knot again! However, before jumping into their second marriage, Nene took steps to establish an ironclad prenup. HelloPrenup actually spoke with the Prenup Attorney who worked on her agreement, Randall Kessler, who was not able to cite any specific information about Nene, of course, but did give us some insightful information on celebrity prenups, which you can read about here.
Nevertheless, information about the prenup leaked through the airing of the show, which depicted significant resistance from her husband, Gregg, to get a prenup. Despite the initial pushback, Nene eventually successfully secured her prenup and celebrated a million-dollar wedding. What’s noteworthy is Nene’s positive stance on prenuptial agreements. She even asserted, “Everyone should get a prenup!” during an appearance on Bethenny Frankel’s talk show nearly ten years ago.
Although the specific terms of the prenup remain undisclosed, given Nene’s success on the Housewives show, it’s reasonable to assume that she took measures to safeguard her considerable assets, current and future income, any ongoing brand deals, and, naturally, her privacy!
Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy
According to People Magazine, Bethenny and Jason did have a prenuptial agreement, but the Real Housewives of New Jersey star actually was advised against signing it by her attorney. Bethenny further admitted to assuming nothing could ever happen to her, and she’d be fine, so she signed it.
What exactly was included in the agreement is unclear, but it’s safe to assume it wasn’t all in Bethenny’s best interests. However, one clause, reported by People Magazine, was a waiver of spousal support. This means that Jason waived his right to receive financial support from Bethenny in the event of a divorce.
The irony of it all is that Bethenny originally was not a fan of prenups (hence her attitude towards signing something against her attorney’s advice), but after her nine-year-long (yes, nine) divorce, she became the biggest prenup advocate. She even tweeted, “I may jump through my phone if @Teresa_Giudice doesn’t sign a prenup @Andy.”
Meredith and Seth Marks
While not quite a prenup, Meredith Marks, the posh queen of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, did open up about her postnuptial agreement with her husband, Seth, after some relationship turmoil. A postnuptial agreement is similar to a prenuptial agreement in that it aims to sort out matters in a marriage and in a divorce in an agreement between the couple. One of the major differences between the two is that a postnup is signed after the wedding, whereas a prenup is signed before the wedding. Postnups also tend to be less enforceable, as they are relatively new legal concepts.
According to Meredith herself, the couple signed a postnup 15 years into their marriage after their relationship was “disconnected.” She states this is because they were moving to a new city (Chicago → Park City), and she was worried he would leave her, potentially trying to take her children away from her along the way. She alleges that there was nothing financial in the agreement, and it was solely about the children.
The Real Housewives of Dallas: Kary Brittingham, D’Andra Simmons, Kameron Westcott
In a lovely Mexico getaway where the Real Housewives of Dallas sat down for a nice meal, the gals chatted about who has a prenup and who doesn’t. Of the group, Kary Brittingham, D’Andra Simmons, and Kameron Westcott all chimed in on the importance of their prenups. Kary started off the conversation by explaining how important it was for her to have “her own thing” (a.k.a., her jewelry line) and explained that as one of the reasons she got a prenup. Kameron supported this notion by also exclaiming that she had a prenup. She backed it up by stating, “In Dallas, a prenup is expected.” D’Andra also commented that she and her husband have a prenup. She noted that her husband “didn’t even read it,” and he said, “I’ll sign it because I want to marry you.” Insinuating he wasn’t in it for the money, but for love!
One of the most shocking and memorable lines from this episode was from Kameron, who claims she knows people with prenups that include “weigh-in” clauses. These so-called “weigh-in clauses” allegedly require a monthly weigh-in, wherein the wife gets more allowance for the less she weighs. She followed it up by stating, “I’ll eat a big cupcake right in front of ‘em.” We like you, Kameron! (By the way: weight gain clauses are very unlikely to be enforceable, but nice try!)
Bonus Round: Scheana Shay and Brock Davies
While Scheana isn’t a housewife (yet), we know she wants to be one! So, we’ll include her on this list of the Real Housewives with prenups (manifesting this for you, Scheana). The Vanderpump Rules star, Scheana, learned her lesson from her first marriage, prompting her to get a prenup with her new beau, Brock. According to People Magazine, Scheana was so prenup-happy that she got their agreement signed before there was even a wedding date set! Her attorneys even mentioned how rare this was. Needless to say, Scheana made sure that all of her assets were kept separate in the event of a divorce. It’s no wonder she wanted a prenup, thanks to her success on Vanderpump Rules, sponsorships, and even her singing career (kidding). She’s “good as gold” with her ironclad prenup!
Final Thoughts
It’s true–the Real Housewives franchise is filled to the brim with wealthy couples, and the show ultimately creates a source of income for the housewives, as well. However, it seems that only a handful of these reality TV celebs have gotten prenups, or at least that have made it publicly known. For those housewives who skipped out on the prenup–it’s likely that they learned the hard way on that lesson–take Bethenny, for example, nine long years of court battles and millions of dollars later… Nevertheless, getting a prenup is a great consideration for any couple; whether you’re bankrolling off that Bravo check or a middle-class housewife, there’s something in a prenup for everyone.
Nicole Sheehey is the Head of Legal Content at HelloPrenup, and an Illinois licensed attorney. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to prenuptial agreements. Nicole has Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School. She has a deep understanding of the legal and financial implications of prenuptial agreements, and enjoys writing and collaborating with other attorneys on the nuances of the law. Nicole is passionate about helping couples locate the information they need when it comes to prenuptial agreements. You can reach Nicole here: [email protected]
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