Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard's Marriage Isn't Easy, But Here's Why They Say It's Worth It

Everyone knows Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are the definition of #CoupleGoals. They've been together for 12 years, which is huge —especially for celeb couples. They're as funny and successful as they are beautiful together, and they're constantly doting on each other and letting us in on their hilarious antics — from stories about their daughters to what goes on behind the scenes of their seemingly picturesque marriage. They are one of my very favorite celebrity couples, and if they're not one of yours, then Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard's quotes about marriage in PEOPLE might convince you otherwise.

In their recent cover interview for PEOPLE, Bell and Shepard opened up about the ups and downs they've faced in their relationship, proving that they go through the same issues that normal, non-famous couples do, too. "We definitely had to work really hard at being a couple because we’re both incredibly, painfully stubborn, and we’re pretty much opposites," Shepard said. A prime example? When Bell wanted to get married, but Shepard thought there was no point.

"He has a great argument that the state having a piece of paper doesn’t mean he’s going to be nice to me and by my side for the rest of my life," Bell told PEOPLE. "[Rather], that is going to be evidenced by how we treat each other and the commitment that we make. I had surrendered, like, 'OK, well, I’m never going to get any sort of traditional marriage out of this, and that’s OK because I trust him.' I really, really trusted him and believed that we were going to go the long haul."

But even though Shepard wasn't totally onboard with marriage, he proposed to Bell in 2009 because he knew it was important to her, he explained. "Ultimately, I was like, 'Well, I’m doing it because my partner wants that.' Forget the tradition or history of marriage as a concept, you knowing I was doing something that I didn’t want to do because I loved you was a big sign for you," he said in regards to his wife of five-and-a-half years.

Bell explained that while she and Shepard do a lot of things differently from the "norm," getting married was one of the more "normal" things she wanted to do. "There’s a couple things where I’m just like, 'God, can we not just fall inside the lines once in a while? I want to wear a pretty piece of jewelry. It’s fun!' It felt nice afterwards," she said.

Bell stressed in the interview that finding the person you want to be with and making it work isn't as simple as it is in the movies, which is mildly ironic considering she and her hubby are both actors. "All these movies from the ’80s taught us that it’s love at first sight, and it is supposed to be easy and [that] all you have to do is find that person," she said. "It took me a while to realize, 'Oh, that was such a lie,' because things that you work really, really, really hard for always yield the best results."

If this interview tells us anything, it's that Bell and Shepard don't have some sort of magical love potion. The reason why they seem so blissfully in love is because they work freaking hard at it. But whatever it is they're doing (seriously guys, tell me your secrets!) seems to be working, and ugh, I'm so beyond glad that it is. More Dax and Kristen 4-Ever please!