Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi: What Most People Get Wrong

When Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi first started popping up on Instagram back in 2021, the internet mostly just shrugged. It was a "bff" caption. Standard Gen Z smoke and mirrors. But honestly, watching their trajectory from a blurry selfie to a multi-ceremony marriage and now parenthood has been a wild ride that nobody—not even the most dedicated Stranger Things stan—really predicted.

The noise around them has always been loud. People love to talk about how young they are. They love to speculate on whether Millie is rushing through life. But if you actually look at the details of their life together in Georgia, it's way more low-key and intentional than the headlines suggest.

The Wedding Nobody Actually Saw

Everyone talks about the big Italian blowout. You've seen the photos of the lace, the Villa Cetinale in Tuscany, and the massive floral arches. But that wasn't the "real" wedding. Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi actually tied the knot in May 2024. It was a secret, legal ceremony in the U.S. that was so quiet even some of their close friends didn't know the exact date until after the paperwork was filed.

Jon Bon Jovi eventually let the cat out of the bag on a BBC talk show. He called it a "very small family wedding." No massive guest list. No paparazzi drones. Just parents and a couple of vows.

The September 2024 celebration in Italy was the "show," and what a show it was. Matthew Modine, who played "Papa" in Stranger Things, actually officiated. Think about that for a second. The man who spent years playing her terrifying on-screen captor was the one legally joining her to the son of a rock legend. Life is weird.

Millie wore four different dresses over that weekend. Four. The main ceremony gown was a custom Galia Lahav that probably cost more than a mid-sized sedan. She eventually ditched the corset for an Oscar de la Renta and, finally, a satin mini dress paired with Jake’s own bowtie for the afterparty.

Moving to Georgia and the Farm Life

People think they live this high-glamour NYC life. They don't. While they have a presence in the city, their home base is actually in Georgia. It’s where Millie has her farm.

She’s always been obsessed with animals. We’re talking goats, chickens, and a revolving door of foster dogs. Jake seemingly jumped right into the deep end with her. In those early "holding hands" photos from New York, he wasn't carrying a designer bag; he was carrying her poodle, Winnie, in a denim tote. That basically set the tone for their entire relationship.

In 2025, they took a massive step that really quieted the "they're just kids" crowd. They adopted a baby girl.

Millie had been hinting at wanting to be a young mom for years. She told Glamour back in 2023 that she felt ready for the next chapter. On August 21, 2025, they officially announced they had welcomed their daughter through adoption. It was a private move, and they’ve been fiercely protective of her since. Noah Schnapp is the godfather, which is just about the most wholesome thing to come out of the Stranger Things cast.

Addressing the "Too Young" Narrative

Let’s be real. Millie is 21. Jake is 23. In most parts of the modern world, that’s considered "starting early."

She addressed this head-on during a podcast appearance on Call Her Daddy. Basically, her take is that when you know, you know. Her parents got married young. Jake’s parents, Jon and Dorothea, have been together since high school. When you grow up surrounded by long-term, early-start marriages that actually work, your perspective shifts.

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They moved in together pretty quickly. They raised dogs together. They navigated the end of an era as Millie wrapped up Stranger Things Season 5.

Key Milestones in the Millie and Jake Timeline

• June 2021: First linked after a "BFF" selfie on Instagram.
• November 2021: They go "Instagram Official" with a kiss on the London Eye.
• March 2022: Red carpet debut at the BAFTAs.
• April 2023: The "underwater" engagement announcement.
• May 2024: Secret legal wedding in the U.S.
• September 2024: Lavish second wedding at Villa Cetinale in Italy.
• August 2025: They announce the adoption of their daughter.
• January 2026: Jake supports Millie at the final Stranger Things screenings.

What’s Next for the Bongiovis?

Life isn't slowing down for them in 2026. Millie is already back in the "Enola Holmes" mindset. Netflix just gave us a first look at Enola Holmes 3, and interestingly, Jake is listed as an executive producer on the project. They aren't just partners at home; they're becoming a production duo.

Jake has been carving out his own space in acting and modeling, but he seems most comfortable being the steady support system in the background of Millie’s massive career. It’s a dynamic that works for them.

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If you're looking to follow their journey or understand why this couple has stayed so steady despite the Hollywood pressure, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Follow the work, not just the "Gram": Millie's production company, PCMA Productions, is where she’s moving her focus. Watch for Jake’s name in the credits.
• Respect the privacy: They’ve made it clear they won't be posting their daughter's face on social media.
• Look at the long game: They are modeling their marriage after the decade-long success of Jon and Dorothea Bongiovi.

They’ve essentially built a private fortress in Georgia, surrounded by animals and family, while the rest of the world debates whether they're "old enough" to be doing any of it. At this point, they've already proven most of the skeptics wrong.

To keep up with their latest projects, keep an eye on Netflix's 2026 release schedule, especially as the final chapters of the Hawkins saga and the new Maltese adventures of Enola begin to roll out.