Why Shay Mitchell Refuses to Marry Matte Babel After Years Together—and What She Directly Tells Her Daughters When They Ask

Shay Mitchell has zero interest in walking down the aisle, and she makes no apologies for skipping the traditional altar route. Sitting down on Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land, the 39-year-old actress revealed why she has intentionally chosen not to marry longtime partner Matte Babel—even when their young daughters persistently ask why their parents aren’t husband and wife.

Rather than bowing to societal pressure or storybook endings, Mitchell views their connection through an entirely different lens. For her, commitment is a continuous, day-to-day decision rather than a legal certificate.

What Mitchell Tells Her Children About Marriage

Children naturally mirror the cultural scripts around them, and Mitchell’s household is no exception. The Pretty Little Liars and Baywatch reboot star shares two daughters with Babel: Atlas, 8, and Rome, 4. The topic of marriage surfaces regularly in their home, especially whenever someone in their immediate circle gets engaged.

Mitchell explained that her daughters bring up the subject with direct honesty, asking point-blank why their parents have not tied the knot.

“Mommy and Daddy are like partners, and I just didn’t want a wedding and just don’t need it. It’s not something that I want.”

Her answer is simple, honest, and completely grounded in personal autonomy.

Challenging the Traditional Fairy-Tale Ending

Mitchell’s candid conversations with her daughters stem from a desire to broaden their perspective on what fulfillment actually looks like. She pointed out that children’s movies and storybooks overwhelmingly push a single formula: ending with a princess running off into the sunset with a prince.

When her daughter asks who her own prince is, Mitchell actively disrupts the notion that a wedding is the sole marker of female success.

She emphasized that she does not want that narrow storyline to serve as her children’s only narrative. Mitchell clarified that she is not trying to prove a point by avoiding marriage; she simply wants her daughters to see that healthy partnerships can take multiple forms without requiring a white dress or a ceremony.

Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on January 8, 2018.

Debunking the Broken Home Myth

A widespread public misconception suggests that people who reject marriage must harbor trauma from childhood divorces or unstable upbringings. In Mitchell’s case, that assumption falls apart completely.

When asked by Kardashian, 42, whether she has always placed low emphasis on marriage, Mitchell affirmed that her parents, Precious Garcia and Mark Mitchell, provided an exceptional blueprint of longevity.

Her parents have remained together for 40 years in a strong, flourishing relationship. Her perspective on marriage is not a reaction against past family turmoil, but an authentic individual choice about how she prefers to structure her own life.

The Power of Daily Choice Over Legal Obligation

Mitchell and Babel, 46, both originally from Ontario, Canada, have been romantically linked since 2017. Babel—a television host, producer, and branding expert—shares an understanding with Mitchell that prioritizes voluntary presence over traditional expectations.

Could the couple ever decide to marry in the future? Mitchell remains open, refusing to box herself into an absolute rule.

“Things could change in, like, five years. I just love the freedom of, like, ‘Hey, I’m choosing to be in this position with you right now,’ and as he is with me too, and it just kinda works.”

For Mitchell, true stability does not rely on exchanging rings—it thrives on the conscious freedom to stand side by side every single day.

💬 Mitchell’s take on long-term partnership challenges long-standing assumptions about family dynamics and happy endings.

✨ By prioritizing mutual respect and honest dialogue over convention, she offers her children a distinct perspective on what commitment looks like in real life.

📱 Do you agree with Shay Mitchell’s approach to marriage, or do you prefer traditional vows? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!