Dave And Jenny Marrs: What Only True Fans Know About The Fixer To Fabulous Stars
When it comes to HGTV shows, there are a lot of great options to pick from. Some of the network's most popular shows include "House Hunters," "Fixer Upper," and "Property Brothers," but there are many more in circulation (via USA Today). There is so much home renovation content out there it can sometimes be overwhelming!
One of HGTV's latest hits, "Fixer to Fabulous," has been a popular show since it debuted back in 2019 (via TV Over Mind). The series is hosted by the real-life married couple and home renovation powerhouses, Jenny and Dave Marrs. Based in their home state of Arkansas, the show follows the couple as they work with real-life clients to turn their fixer-upper into their dream homestead.
While fans of the show have enjoyed watching the Marrs couple transform homes into their full potential, they've also fallen in love with the couple themselves. And although the Marrs family welcomes fans into their lives via their HGTV show, many might be unaware of what goes on behind the scenes.
Dave and Jenny Marrs been married for more than 15 years
It's no surprise that the Marrs couple has been able to make business and family life work for them, given their history. According to About You, the couple met at work back in 2002. Fresh out of college, they were both working for the same company, Newell Brands' Rubbermaid, but in different branches. Although Dave's role at the company had him traveling often, that didn't stop the pair from connecting — and the rest is history. The pair tied the knot back in 2005, meaning they've been together for more than 15 years!
After Dave decided to leave the company and pursue construction, Jenny took on the role of "sugar mama" (via House Beautiful). While Dave's new venture was a bit slow to get off the ground, Jenny kept working her sales and marketing job. As a result, she was the breadwinner. "We were broke, and I had a real job. He was just starting, so I was the 'sugar mama,'" Jenny joked to About You.
The Marrs' have their own blueberry farm
These amazing home renovators live in their own remodeled house, which is a farmhouse from 1906 (via House Beautiful). In a post from Jenny's blog, Blessings and Raindrops, she talked about how they became the owners of such a historic house. "This one walkthrough changed the course of our family's life. We would eventually take that old home, pick it up and move it to the outskirts of our little town. We would restore it and build our life inside those four walls," she said. "It would become the place where we would welcome our two daughters miraculously into our family and then the place we would renovate and expand once more after we outgrew the four walls with the arrival of our littlest man."
The couple doesn't just live in their farmhouse, but they've also taken on the roles of farmers! They have their own blueberry farm in Arkansas where the proceeds from blueberry sales go to the HelpOneNow program in Zimbabwe, which provides financial support to orphaned children in Africa (via Only in Ark). With the Marrs family, there's much more than meets the eye.
The couple faced infertility
Dave and Jenny Marrs have always been open about their struggles with infertility. In an interview with Kelly's Korner, Jenny shared, "We struggled for years with infertility. In 2008, we jumped on a roller coaster when we started the process to adopt — doors slammed shut left and right."
However, the couple did not give up. "After another failed match, we decided to make one last-ditch effort with fertility treatments and finally became pregnant with twin boys in the fall of 2009," Jenny continued. "They were born prematurely and spent a month in the NICU but are now perfectly healthy and strong. The first of our four miracles."
The pair's two boys, Nathan and Ben, were not the last additions to their family — next came Charlotte and Luke, both biological, and Sylvie, their adopted daughter (via Closer Weekly). Sadly, Sylvie's adoption was a complicated process that nearly did not come to fruition.
Adopting their daughter Sylvie was complicated
Between having their daughter Charlotte and son Luke, Jenny and Dave Marrs decided to start the adoption process again. After struggling to find a match in the United States, the couple looked to the Democratic Republic of Congo (via People). The second they met Sylvie, they knew she was meant to be part of their family.
"I feel like God put [it] on our hearts that she was ours, and right when you knew, it was just like, 'Yup.' It was a key in a lock," Dave told the outlet. Jenny shared the sentiment, stating the experience of meeting Sylvie for the first time mirrored her experience of having her biological children.
However, the adoption process was complicated, and the family feared Sylvie wouldn't make it home to the United States. While the process initially appeared to be going well, it wasn't long before the Marrs family faced a major roadblock when the Congolese government shut down, and adoption papers could no longer be processed. Without the proper exit paperwork, Sylvie would not be allowed to leave the country.
Jenny detailed the experience on her Instagram, writing, "Hope had nearly been lost. Despair had slowly seeped in. We had no way of knowing if our daughter would ever be back in our arms." She continued, "602 days of waiting, 602 days of praying and pleading and calling Congressmen and Senators and flying over the sea to beg the US Embassy to help. Emails and letters and phone calls with no traction toward getting her home left us depleted."
In the end, Sylvie made it home and completed their family.
The Marrs family always wanted to use their show as a platform for their children
For Dave and Jenny Marrs, their passion is renovating historic homes (via House Beautiful). The couple launched a small business where they took on renovation projects, and while they never aimed to be stars of a home renovation show, HGTV approached them, and the pair took the plunge. It worked out to their advantage, as "Fixer to Fabulous" has seen great success.
When the Marrs family began filming with the network, they made the decision to feature their children on the show. While accepting an award presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), the couple shared that their goal was always to share their children and the beauty of adoption (per KNWA Fox 24).
"The main reason that we said 'yes' to this HGTV journey of ours is for us to have a platform to share about adoption and orphan care, family preservation, the things that we're really passionate about, and so honestly, receiving this award is truly such a huge honor," Jenny shared. This is really amazing because this is our heart and what is really important to us."