Jax Taylor Says He Doesn't Believe in Divorce: 'Marriage Is Work, There's Good Days and Bad'

Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright do what it takes to keep their relationship strong.

The couple and former Vanderpump Rules costars — who are one of the only remaining pairings from the Bravo reality series — got candid about the ups and downs of marriage in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

"We would always hear when we got married, people were like, 'They'll be together for one year,' or whatever. Now we've been together for eight years, almost married for four. We're trucking through," Cartwright, 34, says while promoting the duo's upcoming podcast, When Reality Hits with Jax & Brittany, which will give listeners a candid look at their daily lives.

Taylor, 43, adds that while some moments are tougher than others, he has no plans to ever throw in the towel. "I don't believe in divorce. My parents didn't get divorced," Taylor says. "I don't believe in that. Marriage is work. I'm not saying every day is amazing."

Cartwright chimes in: "Yes. It is amazing!"

"There's good days and there's bad days, but that's marriage, and that's what makes your relationship stronger," Taylor adds. "We love hard. We fight hard. It's amazing."

Taylor says the pair are "best friends" and his wife is the "only one" who can "put up" with him. "We have a lot of fun with each other. I honestly can't imagine my life with anybody else. Like I said, she's the ying to my yang, a little," he explains.

"I'm a tough guy to be around, so it takes a certain person to deal with my crap," he continues. "Even through all this, and even though my life is a lot better now, I'm still tough to handle. I think she's the only one that can put up with me really."

Cartwright adds, "[It] takes some patience."

The duo's love story has not been without its ups and downs. Taylor admitted to cheating on his partner and they briefly split in 2017. But they eventually got back on track and announced their engagement in June 2018.

The couple, who announced their departure from the Bravo series in 2020, married in June 2019, exchanging vows at The Kentucky Castle in the bride's home state, surrounded by 240 of their friends and family.

Many of the pair's castmates were attended the fairytale ceremony, including Scheana Shay, Ariana Madix, Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute and Lala Kent, who all acted as bridesmaids. Katie Maloney took on the role of matron of honor as she was still married to her now ex-husband, Tom Schwartz, who was the best man.

During their interview with PEOPLE, Taylor and Cartwright also revealed how welcoming their son Cruz into the world has improved their relationship.

"I think becoming parents made us stronger too because I love seeing him as a dad," Cartwright says of Taylor being a father to their little boy, who turns two next month. "It just makes you love him more."

"Being a parent is really awesome. It's changed my life," says Taylor, who appeared on Wednesday's episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen alongside his wife, as Cartwright adds, "We're obsessed."

The couple announced the birth of their son Cruz Michael Cauchi in April 2021, sharing a sweet shot to Instagram of them cradling their baby boy and planting a kiss on his head.

"Yesterday, April 12th at 1:51pm, our lives changed forever in the absolute best way possible," Cartwright wrote in the caption.

And while they may have left Vanderpump Rules behind, that didn't stop the reality show alums weighing in on the news that Tom Sandoval had cheated on his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, with their costar Raquel Leviss.

"It wasn't shocking to me," Taylor says of his reaction after hearing about the affair. "I've known Tom Sandoval for 20 years, we grew up together. I just know his lifestyle. I know who he is, and I've said it many times. No one wanted to believe me."

Cartwright found the scandal "so shocking," saying she "did not see" Leviss "doing that to Ariana."

"It's just all bad," she adds.

The couple's podcast, When Reality Hits with Jax & Brittany, launches on March 28. Vanderpump Rules airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.