Relationships3 min(s) read
Published 09:51 11 May 2026 GMT
A couple with a 34-year age gap has revealed the 'non-negotiable' rules they swear by to make their relationship work.
Gracen, 26, and her husband Kevin Geagan, 60, took to TikTok to reveal their relationship nonnegotiables.
She revealed that they make sure to pray together "every single night", and that they never drink alcohol without one another.
Gracen admitted: "I know there's gonna be comments who find this absurd and crazy, but there's a vulnerability in drinking and being intoxicated, and that's not something I want to be without my partner present."
Kevin added: "And before we get into the comment section of 'oh, he's controlling her,' this was a decision we each made individually. We didn't impose it on one another."
Gracen added that they do not get "FOMO" (fear of missing out) when they are out with friends that are drinking as they are fine with drinking water on those occasions.
Another rule they follow is "serving each other even in disagreements", meaning they "try to maintain [their] standards of behavior towards one another, and kindness and courtesy, even if [they're] having a disagreement".
They added that the don't "keep score" over who did what within the relationship, as they made a commitment to "serve" one another within their vows.
Their video blew up, with many commenters believing the rules of their marriage were "strict", which Gracen says couldn't be further from the truth.
She told People: "Interestingly, we had never heard that perspective until this particular video.
"We've never thought of these as 'rules,' because that can carry a more negative or rigid connotation, and that's not how it feels in our relationship at all.
"To us, they're better described as boundaries — things that help keep us aligned and supportive of what's best for our relationship."
The couple, who have been married since November 2025, added that it's "not about restriction, it's just about not putting ourselves in a place where we're vulnerable without each other."
Gracen believes that their nonnegotiables are not about constraint but about "shaping" their relationship, adding: "Without them, even something beautiful can lose its direction. For us, these choices create a sense of clarity and ease, not limitation."
While there were some people who questioned the way the couple choose to run their relationship, Gracen revealed that others had thanked them for being open about their unconventional romance.
She told the outlet: "We've heard from a surprisingly large number of people who are also in age-gap relationships who have reached out to say they feel more comfortable and confident after seeing our story shared openly.
"We've also received messages from people who are currently struggling in their relationships, saying they plan to incorporate some of these ideas — or wish they had earlier — which has been really impactful to hear."
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