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Kristen Bell and husband Dax Shepard spark debate at wedding of 'surrogate daughter'

The Good Place actress and the Parenthood star met Hannah when she was 16


Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell attend Moet & Chandon at The 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
On 20 September 2023
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Kristen Bell, 43, and her husband Dax Shepard, 48, have been hitting headlines recently following The Good Place actress' parenting confession and her resurfaced comments about Russell Brand. However, they left the drama behind as they enjoyed a very special wedding celebration with their "surrogate daughter."

Modelling a bright tangerine wedding guest dress with spaghetti straps and a nipped-in waist, Kristen smiled up at her cream suit-clad husband in a loved-up photo. It was part of a carousel of photos and videos she shared on Instagram alongside the message: "Some kids you have by birth. Others you find. You see this little seed and can instantly picture the beautiful garden they will become. I was lucky enough to find Hannah. 

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"She came into our lives at 16, and even then she was an incredibly bright light. She served as a surrogate big sister to our girls, singing them to sleep on her guitar when they were babies.

"Holding space for her in our family has been such a gift to all of us. She is a woman of integrity, compassion, and incredible creativity. We are honored to be your LA parents, @urfavesister, and Congrats on the next chapter of your life beginning. You will always have a seat at our table. Xoxo."

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard on TODAY© Getty
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard paid tribute to their "surrogate daughter" Hannah on her wedding day

Other clips show Kristen helping to ice the rustic wedding cake before friends gathered at the whimsical outdoor reception, complete with wooden arches and fairy lights. 

The bride ditched tradition for a quilted cream wedding dress with a cropped length that showed off her chunky animal print platform heels. While Kristen and Hannah's outfits sparked a flurry of compliments from fans, the comments section also saw a debate about Dax's dance moves.

kristen bell dax shepard relationship timeline love© Getty
The couple are parents to daughters Lincoln and Delta

The Parenthood star was captured giving the bride a lap dance as she sat on a chair giggling in a hilarious clip. "I love this and it looks like an absolute beautiful day, but I’d be kinda weirded out if my 'dad' gave me a lap dance," remarked one, and another similarly added: "Is it weird that @daxshepard is giving your 'daughter' a lap dance?"

Others jumped to Dax's defence, laughing at his light-hearted performance. "Dax giving her a lap dance is giving me life," penned a third, and a fourth wrote: "Some of you guys. The bride posted on her own story how much she loved the dance from Dax."

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"Damn, Dax isn’t kidding when he says he has the moves!!" added a fifth.

Kristen and Dax – who share daughters Lincoln and Delta – got married in 2013 after meeting at a dinner party in 2007. 

The couple waited until same-sex marriage was legalised in California before they exchanged vows at The Beverly Hills courthouse on 17 October 2013, out of respect for their friends. Dax recycled one of his suits and picked out a black jumpsuit from Kristen's closet before heading to the courthouse, and they admitted their low-key celebrations cost a total of $147.

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