Ty Pennington And His Wife Kellee Merrell Have A Significant Age Gap

Ty Pennington has been transforming lives and fixing houses on TV for over two decades. His youthful energy, booming megaphone-aided cheers, and enthusiastic craftsmanship made him a fan favorite, from his time hosting "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to his work on HGTV shows like "Ty Breaker" and "Rock the Block." His spirited personality is likely what made Pennington so attractive to his wife, Kellee Merrell — who is 23 years younger than the handsome handyman.

The happy couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Savannah, Georgia, on November 27, 2021. The pair exchanged their vows in front of a gathering of just eight people, outside a vintage home that Pennington and Merrell were in the process of restoring and rebuilding, according to People. The wedding came just four months after Pennington announced they'd gotten engaged with an Instagram photo showing off Merrell's sparkling ring.

While the picture-perfect wedding was adorable, Pennington was 56 when he said "I do," while Merrell was 33, marking a significant age gap between the TV personality and the social media manager. However, it's clear that Pennington isn't letting any naysayers get in the way of his happiness. The "Trading Spaces" star took to Instagram to commemorate his one-year anniversary with a video of his gorgeous wedding day, and wrote in the caption, "One year ago I made the best (and easiest) decision of my life! 10/10 recommend marrying your best friend."

Long before exchanging vows, Ty Pennington and Kellee Merrell's paths crossed when the celebrity carpenter was shooting a TV show in Toronto, Canada in 2010. Merrell — a social media manager who hails from Vancouver, who would have been around 22 years old at the time — sparked a platonic friendship with Pennington, and they kept in touch sporadically.

"I have admired Kellee from afar for years. She's a beautiful person inside and out," Pennington told People after their engagement in June 2021. "Luckily our paths finally crossed at the right time."

The pair reconnected at the start of 2020. At the time, many believed that Pennington was still romantically involved with his ex-girlfriend Andrea Bock, whom he'd been dating for nearly two decades. However, it appears that Pennington and Bock had already split, as the TV personality decided to stay with Merrell during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The couple quarantined side-by-side, kick-starting their romance and opening the doorway for their future together.