Neil Patrick Harris’ husband is David Burtka, an American actor and professional chef. The couple married in Italy on September 6, 2014, after being together for about a decade, and they share fraternal twins, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, born in October 2010. In September 2026, the couple marked their 12th wedding anniversary and shared affectionate tributes to each other on social media.
Neil Patrick Harris’ Husband David Burtka and Their Family Life
Introduction
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka are one of entertainment’s best-known married couples. Harris, widely recognized for playing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, married Burtka, an actor and chef, in an intimate ceremony in Italy in September 2014. Their relationship began years earlier, and the couple became parents to twins, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, in 2010.
Their relationship recently reached another milestone. In September 2026, Harris and Burtka celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary, sharing affectionate messages about their marriage and the life they have built together. The anniversary brought fresh attention to their long relationship, family life, and careers.
For readers searching for Neil Patrick Harris’ husband, the answer is David Burtka. But their story extends beyond their wedding: they spent years together before marrying, navigated parenthood while maintaining demanding careers, and have spoken publicly about the importance of family.
Who Is David Burtka, Neil Patrick Harris’ Husband?
David Burtka is an American actor and professional chef. He has worked in television and theater, and viewers may recognize him from appearances in How I Met Your Mother, the sitcom starring his husband. He also developed a career in food and has shared his interest in cooking and entertaining publicly.
Burtka and Harris have both worked in the entertainment industry, although their careers have followed different paths. Harris is known for leading television roles, Broadway performances, hosting work, and film appearances. Burtka has combined acting with culinary work, making food and entertaining an important part of his professional identity.
The couple have generally presented their family life as a shared partnership rather than making every personal detail public. They occasionally discuss parenting and their relationship in interviews, while maintaining boundaries around their children’s privacy.
Quick facts about David Burtka
- Name: David Burtka
- Known for: Acting and professional cooking
- Spouse: Neil Patrick Harris
- Wedding: September 6, 2014, in Italy
- Children: Twins Harper Grace and Gideon Scott
- Relationship began: Around 2004, according to published profiles. The Guardian+1
When Did Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Get Married?
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka married on September 6, 2014, in Italy, after being together for approximately 10 years. Harris publicly confirmed the marriage on September 8, sharing the news with fans on social media. CBS News and The Washington Post reported the announcement at the time.
The wedding was an intimate celebration attended by family and close friends. How I Met Your Mother director Pam Fryman officiated, and Elton John performed at the reception. The couple’s young twins also participated in the celebration.
Their wedding attracted attention not simply because Harris was a popular actor, but also because it represented an important family milestone after years together.
Why did they wait to get married?
The couple had been engaged for years before their wedding. In 2011, after New York legalized same-sex marriage, Harris explained publicly that he and Burtka had already proposed to each other years earlier and had been waiting for the opportunity to marry.
Harris later discussed the family significance of the ceremony on The View. He explained that, as their children grew older and began asking questions, it mattered to have a clear way to explain their relationship: Burtka was his husband. He described the wedding as a declaration of commitment in front of the people most important to them.
Their explanation offers context for the timing. The wedding was not the beginning of their relationship; it formally recognized a partnership that had already lasted about a decade.
How Did Neil Patrick Harris Meet David Burtka?
Harris and Burtka began their relationship around 2004. Their early years together largely preceded the public announcement of their engagement and wedding. They made a more visible public appearance as a couple at the 2007 Emmy Awards, according to published biographical coverage.
The couple kept their relationship relatively private in its early stages. Over time, they became more open about their life together, especially after becoming parents and eventually marrying.
Both were established in entertainment, but their partnership has not depended on appearing in the same projects. Their professional lives overlap at times, including Burtka’s guest appearances on How I Met Your Mother, yet each has maintained separate interests and work.
Do Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Have Children?
Yes. Harris and Burtka are the parents of fraternal twins, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, born on October 12, 2010. The couple announced the birth publicly, saying that the family was happy and healthy. Contemporary reporting said the twins were born with the help of a surrogate.
Their children were three years old when Harris and Burtka married in 2014. The twins had roles in the ceremony, making the wedding a family occasion as well as a celebration of the couple’s relationship. Reports from the time described Harper as the flower girl, while Gideon chose a playful role handing out oranges to guests.
As of October 2026, Harper and Gideon are 15 years old and will turn 16 on October 12, 2026.
What have they shared about parenting?
Harris and Burtka have occasionally offered glimpses of parenting in interviews. In June 2026, they spoke to E! News at the Tony Awards about their relationship with their teenage twins and whether their children considered them “cool” dads. The report highlighted the twins’ sense of humor and the family’s playful dynamic.
The couple’s public comments suggest that parenting is a central part of their lives, but they do not share every detail about their children. That approach allows them to discuss family milestones without making their teenagers’ private lives a constant subject of public attention.
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Celebrate 12 Years of Marriage
In September 2026, Harris and Burtka marked 12 years of marriage. PEOPLE reported that the couple shared affectionate anniversary tributes on social media, reflecting on their relationship and expressing gratitude for each other. The report also noted that they had been together for years before their 2014 wedding.
The anniversary was a milestone rather than a new wedding announcement. Their marriage began in Italy in September 2014, and the 2026 celebration marked 12 years since that ceremony.
Their public anniversary messages are consistent with how the couple has discussed their relationship over the years: with affection, humor, and recognition that long-term partnerships take commitment. In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Harris spoke about family life with Burtka and their twins, describing the everyday responsibilities of raising children alongside a busy career.
The latest anniversary coverage provides a current update for readers wondering whether the couple are still together. The available reporting indicates that they remain married and celebrated the occasion together in 2026.
What Does Neil Patrick Harris Do?
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor, comedian, producer, and presenter. He began working as a young actor and became widely known for playing the teenage doctor in Doogie Howser, M.D. He later reached a new level of popularity as Barney Stinson in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.
His career also includes Broadway performances, film roles, and hosting major award ceremonies. In 2014, the same year he married Burtka, Harris won a Tony Award for his performance in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His career has moved between television, theater, and live entertainment.
Harris’ work has often involved comedy, but he has also taken dramatic roles and hosted events that require a different performance style. His professional range is one reason his personal life attracts attention from audiences who have followed him across multiple stages of his career.
What Does David Burtka Do for a Living?
David Burtka has worked as both an actor and a chef. His acting work includes television and theater, as well as appearances in How I Met Your Mother. His culinary interests have also become a significant part of his public identity.
The combination of acting and cooking gives Burtka a career distinct from Harris’ more prominent television and hosting roles. Although the couple occasionally appear together at industry events, their professional interests are not identical.
Their relationship is an example of two people in the same broad industry maintaining individual careers while raising a family together. Public interest in the couple often centers on their marriage, but Burtka’s own professional work is also part of his story.
What Officials and Organizations Have Said About Their Relationship
There is no new official statement from a government or entertainment organization announcing a change in the couple’s marital status. The main confirmed information comes from the couple’s own public announcements, interviews, and established news coverage.
- Neil Patrick Harris: He publicly confirmed the wedding in September 2014 through a social media announcement. The Washington Post+1
- Harris in interviews: He explained that marriage gave their children a clear way to understand and describe the couple’s relationship. Advocate.com+1
- CBS News: Its September 2014 report confirmed the wedding and noted that the couple had been together for about 10 years. CBS News
- PEOPLE: Its September 2026 report covered their 12th wedding anniversary and shared tributes. People.com
- E! News: Its June 2026 interview covered the couple’s comments about raising their teenage twins. E! Online
These sources support the basic timeline and current relationship status. Details about their private routines or personal feelings should be attributed to their own interviews rather than treated as independently established facts.
Why Their Relationship Matters to Readers
The story of Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka has drawn public attention for years because it combines celebrity, marriage, and family life. Their relationship also unfolded during a period when legal recognition of same-sex marriage changed significantly in the United States.
Harris’ comments about marrying partly to give their children a clear description of their family illustrate the personal significance of legal marriage beyond a public celebration. Their 2014 wedding came after years together and after New York legalized same-sex marriage in 2011.
Their story should not be reduced to a single milestone. The couple had a long relationship before marriage, became parents in 2010, and continued balancing professional work with family responsibilities. Their 2026 anniversary is another point in that longer timeline.
For readers, the most important distinction is between the confirmed facts and celebrity speculation. Their wedding date, children’s names, and anniversary have been reported publicly. Claims about private problems or major relationship changes should not be accepted without credible evidence.
What Happens Next for Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka?
As of October 2026, recent coverage indicates that Harris and Burtka remain married and have continued to share occasional updates about family life. Their latest widely reported milestone was their 12th wedding anniversary in September.
No confirmed upcoming announcement about their marriage was included in the reports cited here. Both continue to have careers in entertainment, and their children are now teenagers.
Any future changes to their relationship or family life should be confirmed through direct statements or reliable reporting. For now, the established account remains that Neil Patrick Harris is married to David Burtka, and they have built a family together over more than two decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Neil Patrick Harris’ husband?
Neil Patrick Harris’ husband is David Burtka, an American actor and professional chef. They married in Italy on September 6, 2014.
2. When did Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka get married?
They married on September 6, 2014, in an intimate ceremony in Italy after being together for about 10 years.
3. How did Neil Patrick Harris meet David Burtka?
The couple began their relationship around 2004. They made a public appearance together at the 2007 Emmy Awards, according to biographical coverage.
4. Do Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka have children?
Yes. They have fraternal twins named Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, born on October 12, 2010, with the help of a surrogate.
5. How long have Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka been married?
They celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary on September 6, 2026. Their relationship began around 2004, so they have been together for approximately 22 years as of October 2026.
6. What does David Burtka do?
David Burtka is an actor and professional chef. He has appeared in television and theater, including a role on How I Met Your Mother.
7. How old are Neil Patrick Harris’ twins?
Harper and Gideon were born on October 12, 2010. They are 15 years old as of October 9, 2026, and will turn 16 on October 12, 2026.
8. Where did Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka get married?
They married in Italy in September 2014. Reports at the time described a small ceremony with close friends and family, officiated by How I Met Your Mother director Pam Fryman.
9. Are Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka still together in 2026?
Recent reporting indicates that they remain married. PEOPLE reported their 12th wedding anniversary in September 2026, including affectionate messages shared by the couple.
