Who Is Lana Del Rey's Alligator Tour Guide Husband, Jeremy Dufrene?

On September 23, 2024, pop sensation Lana Del Rey obtainined a marriage license in the state of Louisiana. Four days later, jaws dropped everywhere when the news and photos of Del Rey's secret wedding to an alligator boat tour guide, Jeremy Dufrene, appeared in the Daily Mail. Snapshots of the event showed that the couple said their vows in a simple yet tasteful white tent, which had been pitched on the waterfront of Dufrene's home town, Des Allemandes. The groom appeared happy and looked to have earned the approval of the bride's family. After all, Del Rey's father, Robert Grant, was there to walk her down the aisle, while her sisters were also in attendance.

Of course, there was a great deal of pushback among some of Del Rey's fans — many of whom fretted over Dufrene's intentions. One avid Del Rey listener even took to Reddit to comment on the vast financial gap between the pop singer and her new beau: "I hope she has a prenup." Another added, "I'm no expert but I'm guessing her net worth is much more than swamp daddy gator man's." Although it's certainly true that Del Rey — who is estimated to be worth $30 million — is much wealthier than her new groom, there is more to the story than just that. Dufrene had a fascinating life before meeting his new bride, and the people who know him say that he's actually quite the catch.

More recently, Jeremy Dufrene is known for his job as an alligator tour captain; however, he didn't always work on a boat. According to his profile on Arthur's Airboat Tours, he began his career at a chemical plant, where he often toiled away on weekends. Even on the rare occasion when Dufrene took off a day or two for vacation, he still found himself running after cash. Oftentimes, he would spend his free time shrimping on the local bayous.

Obviously, this lifestyle was very challenging for Dufrene, who didn't always feel that he could keep up the intense pace. His family eventually stepped in and urged him to switch careers. They even pointed him towards ship captaining as a more comfortable job. After much thought and a whole lot of familial support, Dufrene decided to take the leap. He earned his captain's license and joined the team at Arthur's Airboat Tours. In this capacity, he began to show tourists around the local bayou waterways, pointing out alligators and other interesting fauna along the way. Dufrene took to his new job instantly and felt much happier in this more natural, outdoor work environment.

Jeremy Dufrene may have needed a little push to get involved in the world of airboat tours, but once he started his new job at Arthur's, he realized that there was no going back. As a sociable individual with a knack for interacting with all kinds of people, Dufrene found that he was good at giving tours. Before long, he found that people were willing to travel far and wide to join him on an airboat ride — and, yes, this includes celebrities.

Before Dufrene ever crossed paths with Lana Del Rey, he gave an unforgettable tour to actor Glen Powell. The Hollywood star enjoyed boating with Dufrene so much that he shared a photo of himself and the gator guide on his Instagram feed. "J-Bone and G-Trash. We're both single and ready to mingle. Find us on the swamp or at the Daiquiris To-Go place next door or on Craigslist Personals. Sorry for partying. (Not sorry)," Powell wrote.

From there, Dufrene's career took off, with Tinsel Town's latest and greatest signing up for his tours. Powell's "Scream Queens" co-star Emma Roberts reportedly took a bayou tour, as did rom-com queen Kate Hudson.

Although Jeremy Dufrene is now best known for being Lana Del Rey's husband, he had a family before meeting the pop singer. As reported by The Sun, Dufrene was previously married to a woman named Gina. Together, the former couple raised three children — two daughters and a son — before splitting in 2013.

Naturally, Dufrene's role as a father has sparked quite a bit of stir online. According to some reports, at least one social media user pretended to be Dufrene's daughter on X, formerly known as Twitter. The user in question even went so far as to post, "[This] is how I'm [finding] out my dad his dating Lana Del Rey? He just texted our family group chat and asked how I found out. He doesn't understand social media" (via The Sun). Luckily, Del Rey was quick to shut down this rumor. Responding to the allegations in the comments section of her Instagram, the singer wrote, "That's not his daughter on Twitter" (via Billboard).

All drama on X aside, Dufrene is said to have a good relationship with his children. As one anonymous insider told the Telegraph, "He is a good father and no one who knows him has anything bad to say about him."

When Lana Del Rey first crossed paths with Jeremy Dufrene in 2019, she was looking for nothing more than a simple airboat tour. She certainly wasn't on the hunt for her future husband. As a source told the Daily Mail, "She wanted to go on a boat tour because it's a big thing in Louisiana, but she never expected to fall for a gator boat captain." At the time, both Del Rey and Dufrene were reportedly seeing other people, and neither was hoping to connect romantically. Despite these intentions, the pair must've hit it off.

Interestingly, Dufrene reportedly did not originally know that Del Rey was a famous singer. When she first stepped aboard his airboat, he reportedly treated her the same as any other client. The same insider told the Daily Mail, "He had no idea who she was at the time which was refreshing to her and she didn't explain immediately." The source went on to say that even when Del Rey did eventually reveal her identity, Dufrene kept things low-key. Apparently, the boat captain is known for being "very, very low maintenance."

Although Lana Del Rey and Jeremy Dufrene seemed to hit it off from the get-go, they didn't become a couple right away. In the years following her first encounter with her future boo, Del Rey was linked to a number of other men. She was thought to be engaged to Evan Winiker but the two broke up in 2023. Previously, she was engaged to Clayton Johnson, whom she met on a dating app. In 2021, less than a year after becoming engaged, the pair went their separate ways.

Del Rey also dated news presenter Sean Larkin, only to undergo a painful breakup in 2020. The following year, the pop star spilled her heart out in an Instagram live in which she mournfully declared, "Relationships completely break people, they really do. Even if you go on to the next one, it's not like it gets better." 

As much as Del Rey struggled in past relationships, things appeared to have improved for her in 2024. In May, the pop star reportedly returned to the Les Allemandes area to perform at Hangout Fest. She met up with Dufrene again; this time, she saw him with new eyes. "They were both single and they reconnected," an insider dished to the Daily Mail. "He saw his golden opportunity and asked her out and they have been together since." As for Del Rey, she seemed equally interested in her new man. "He is a good guy and she is wildly attracted to him," the same source added.

There is no denying that Lana Del Rey and Jeremy Dufrene come from two different worlds. She is a famous singer with deep pockets and a big name (which Del Rey famously changed for career reasons). He is a low-key gator tour guide whose last house was valued at $340,000, according to The Sun — a far cry from his new wife's tens of millions. The financial gap between the two lovebirds has led some fans to question the integrity of their relationship. Insiders, however, say that Dufrene is not particularly interested in Del Rey's money.

One anonymous source told the Daily Mail that the couple's relationship raised a couple of eyebrows in the beginning. Apparently, Del Rey's closest friends began to suspect that the airboat captain was dating her for reasons other than her personality. After a bit of detective work, however, Dufrene was given their stamp of approval. "Her friends and team did some digging on him over fears he could be using her, but his business is lucrative and he doesn't need or want Lana's money," the same indiviual added.

Blending families can be a challenging task, but for Jeremy Dufrene and Lana Del Rey, things seem to be going swimmingly. It helps that Dufrene is said to remain in the good graces of his ex-wife, Gina. And, it doesn't hurt that Gina appears to be pretty supportive of her ex's new relationship.

In May 2024, after Dufrene attended Hangout Fest with his kids, Gina shared the photos to her Facebook account, The Sun reported. In the caption of one shot, which reportedly showed Dufrene and his brood posing with Lana Del Rey and Jelly Roll, Gina wrote, "Kids are having a great time with their Dad at Hangout Fest." When her Facebook friends flooded her post with comments, Gina revealed, "[Del Rey] was down the bayou the other day."

As of this writing, Gina has yet to make any public statements concerning Dufrene and Del Rey's wedding, although her social media commentary has been positive. This sense of maturity and grace can only make the family's expansion easier for all parties involved. 

Gina is not the only woman in Jeremy Dufrene's life who seems to stan his marriage with Lana Del Rey. His ex-fiancée of 12 years, Kelli Welsh, has actually gone on the record saying that the newlyweds were meant to be. "I will say that he really does look happy with her. And she does with him which is a good thing to see. It's not a fake happy. He truly is in love with her," Welsh told the Daily Mail.

These positive words came even as Welsh balked at how quickly Dufrene fell in love with someone else. "I am in shock because we were engaged for 12 years, and he got married after one month," she admitted. However, any sort of personal injury aside, Welsh seemed happy to know that Dufrene was moving on. "He is deserving of this blessing," she added.

As far as blessings go, Jeremy Dufrene's relationship with Lana Del Rey seems to be a big one. Since they started dating, the pair has embarked on a glamorous whirlwind romance, which has naturally involved some exciting trips. Among these was an appearance at the Reading & Leeds Festival in England, where Del Rey performed in August 2024. Video footage of the event shows that Dufrene joined Del Rey on this unique adventure. One clip, which was later shared to TikTok, featured the couple holding hands and whispering to each other as they walked through a maze of tents.

The festival was not the only place that the dynamic duo went across the pond. Photographs showed the couple looking cozy at a local pub, and reports indicate that they might have also made a pit stop at the quintessential department store, Harrods. It's no doubt that this represents a major change in lifestyle for Dufrene. As his ex-fiancée, Kelli Welsh, told the Daily Mail, "He needed to get out of his comfort zone. He was used to bayou life and being out on the swamp."

If celebrities are already viewed as larger than life, then celebrity weddings are something else entirely. With uniquely expensive wedding gowns, pricey décor, and famous guests, these massive events are unlike anything that most normal people ever experience. Lana Del Rey's now-husband likely discovered this firsthand when he accompanied his new boo to a big bash in September 2024.

Indeed, the gator boat captain joined Del Rey for the wedding of Electric Lady Studios owner, Lee Foster, to singer-songwriter Karen Elson. Dressed in a blue suit and brown loafers, Jeremy Dufrene looked dapper for the occasion. Photos of the evening show the pair happily holding each other's hands. However, whereas Del Rey looked relaxed surrounded by the adoring crowds, Dufrene looked a little uneasy as crowds snapped pictures of him.

Of course, we can't fault Dufrene for appearing a little nervous in this intense environment. Some of the other guests in attendance that day were Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — a couple whose romance always seems to be in the news. That being said, we can be glad to see him standing by his lady's side, even when he is feeling less than comfortable.

When Lana Del Rey and Jeremy Dufrene tied the knot, many of the pop star's fans were baffled. After all, she had not made a wedding announcement in the weeks leading up to her big day. She had not even hinted at the seriousness of her relationship with Dufrene. 

Fascinatingly, though, a source close to Del Rey told People that the singer wanted to keep her wedding on the down-low. "It was a beautiful, relaxed and family focused wedding. The focus was just on their love story," the person said. Had Del Rey told her fans that she was planning to walk down the aisle, the actual day of her wedding would have likely been much more stressful.

Since they managed to stay tight-lipped about the whole affair, the couple was able to say their vows surrounded by their friends and family rather than the paparazzi. Del Rey's best buds are said to have been particularly pleased with the match. As the same insider told People, "It's been kind of a whirlwind romance, but Lana's close friends hoped she would get married. Jeremy is different from the men that Lana meets in the entertainment world. He's a great guy."

These days, it's hard to find a fan base that's totally loyal to a particular celeb. Former Hollywood golden children Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have recently fallen out of fan favor, while Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been on the out for a while. Lana Del Rey, on the contrary, boasts an incredibly loyal fan base that appears willing to support her no matter what. And, although her sudden wedding to Jeremy Dufrene came as a shock to many, plenty of her fans seem open to this match.

Writing on the Lana Del Rey subreddit, one of her avid listeners wrote, "Happy for her and I really hope this is what she's always been talking and dreaming about." Another added, "Life's so short, everyone should know love and happiness in their lifetime. She definitely makes a beautiful bride! I hope he does right by her, she obviously thinks he will, and that makes me so happy for her." A third chimed in, "I'm so happy for her. Also, the groom is so on-brand lol."

That is not to say that Del Rey and Dufrene haven't gotten plenty of pushback and judgment for their decision to wed. Some social media and Internet users have questioned their compatibility, especially in terms of finances. That being said, it seems that Del Rey's biggest fans are on board with her exciting new marriage.