At a Glance
- Courtney Stodden nearly fled her own wedding after a fight with Jared Safier
- The couple spent their honeymoon night apart, triggering memories of her teenage marriage
- Stodden credits choosing to stay with saving their year-old union
- Why it matters: The raw confession shows how early conflict can either fracture or fortify a marriage
Courtney Stodden’s first hours as a newlywed almost became her last. In a candid Instagram post marking the couple’s December 2024 anniversary, the 31-year-old reality star admitted she “almost ran away” after a blow-up with Safier, 43, left her alone in the bridal suite.
The Fight That Nearly Ended Everything
The trouble began with what Stodden calls a simple “misunderstanding.” Both were “emotional, overwhelmed, and far too drunk,” she wrote, and outside voices “added fuel” until the spat snowballed. Safier left, believing space was the answer. Stodden stayed behind, wrapped in silence that resurrected old wounds from her 2011 marriage at 16 to Doug Hutchison.
| Moment | What Happened |
|---|---|
| Late reception | Misunderstanding escalates |
| Post-midnight | Safier exits the suite |
| Honeymoon night | Stodden alone, panic sets in |
“The fear. The abandonment. The panic that history was repeating itself,” she recalled. Feeling “like dying,” she weighed an annulment but decided to wait instead.
Rebuilding From the Bottom
The choice to stay launched a year of deliberate repair. “We walked into marriage carrying childhood scars, complicated family dynamics, and expectations neither of us knew how to hold,” Stodden wrote. Tasks became basic: re-establish safety, re-learn communication, choose each other “even when it hurts.”
Progress has been incremental:
- Weekly honesty check-ins
- Therapy-individual and joint
- Clearer boundaries with outside voices
- Rituals of daily affection
Stodden says the effort is mutual. “We are learning to love better… A LOT!” she emphasized, signing off with hope for “more softness, more grace” in year two.
Previous Darkness and a Lifeline
In an October 2025 interview with News Of Losangeles, Stodden revealed darker stakes. While dating Safier, she had contemplated suicide. “He did save me from trying to un-alive myself,” she said, explaining that his steady presence reversed her plan. “I felt safe with him… I’m used to gaslighting.”
The admission frames the wedding-night rift as a test of that newfound safety. Choosing to stay, she now believes, proved the relationship’s durability beyond the rescue stage.
One Year Down, Forever to Go
The couple celebrated their anniversary quietly, reflecting more than partying. Stodden’s post closed with a toast: “Here’s to surviving year one. Here’s to staying when it would’ve been easier to run.”
Safier has not released a separate statement, but Stodden’s updates tag him in every photo, suggesting shared optimism. Friends tell News Of Losangeles the pair continue nightly “gratitude lists” and monthly goal-setting walks, practices they started after the honeymoon fallout.
Key Takeaways
- Early conflict does not doom a marriage; deliberate repair can strengthen it
- Trauma from past relationships can resurface without warning, requiring patience
- Choosing to stay-even when running seems easier-can mark the real beginning of partnership
