John Mayer’s Marriage-Only Dating Rule Explained
Here’s me side-eyeing John Mayer’s marriage-ready filter. The 47-year-old guitar god just dropped a new personal policy: if it isn’t wife material, it isn’t worth dating. Mayer spelled it out on stage with the SmartLess podcast hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes during their June 12 live show, confirming that every romance he embarks on now must have “upward mobility” toward matrimony. According to E! Online, he’s “absolutely” ready to be a husband—and dating without a clear path to a ring is off the table.
Mayer joked that this approach doubles as a savvy filtration system: “It will be easy when the right person comes along,” he told the crowd, adding that all his ex-girlfriends—think Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry—were potential wives at the time. Fans remember his infamous “sexual napalm” quip about Simpson in Playboy back in 2010, but these days he’s all about respectful commitment.
This isn’t a sudden whim. On SiriusXM’s Radio Andy in 2021, Mayer confessed that tying the knot and having kids is the last unchecked item on his bucket list. He explained to host Andy Cohen that he’d rather wait until he’s 100 percent sure he’s “exploring what’s out there” before handing out wedding invitations. That comment lines up with his stage chat, where he emphasized that he won’t settle until he meets someone who passes his new “potential wife” litmus test.
Of course, Mayer’s relationship history reads like a who’s-who of early 2000s pop culture. The oft-cited rumor that he wrote “Your Body Is a Wonderland” about Jennifer Love Hewitt turns out to be myth—Mayer told VH1 Storytellers it was inspired by his first teenage crush and originally titled “Strawberry Wonderland.” Hewitt herself has shrugged off the speculation, calling the idea flattering but inaccurate in a 2007 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Fast forward to today, and Mayer insists he’s “a catch,” quipping, “I stay inside the house. Aren’t I a good boy, America? I’m not dating anybody!” He’s clearly taken a step back from headline-chasing flings, preferring to stay off the radar until someone meets his wife-ready standards.
This new approach feels equal parts pragmatic and slightly detached—classic millennial vibes. Mayer’s catalog of heart-on-sleeve ballads suggests he’s more than capable of the deep dive marriage demands. Whether he’ll find his perfect match soon is anyone’s guess, but one thing’s clear: casual dating is officially canceled for John Mayer. Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, SmartLess Live Event, SiriusXM Radio Andy
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
