Reba McEntire Reveals the Real Reason She and Rex Linn Still Haven't Set a Wedding Date

The acclaimed country singer and "Better Call Saul" actor are engaged and ready to marry. The difficult part has been finding the time to make it happen.

Reba McEntire and Rex Linn are still planning to marry, but their wedding remains unscheduled. After months of delays tied to work, McEntire has revealed what is still standing between them.

A New TV Role Pushed Their Wedding Back

At the 2026 Grammy Awards on February 1, McEntire said she was waiting for news about the future of NBC's "Happy's Place," which also stars Linn.

"We're still waiting on a third season pickup from Happy's Place," she told E! News during "Live From E!: Grammys."

The NBC comedy, which debuted in 2024, centers on Bobbie, played by McEntire, after she takes over her late father's restaurant and discovers she must share the business with a half-sister she never knew about. Linn appears as Emmett, while Belissa Escobedo plays Isabella.

Linn also had another commitment on his calendar. "And Rex got picked up on Stick with Owen Wilson, so that pushed the wedding back," McEntire said.

Deadline reported in May that Linn had joined the recurring cast for the show's second season. The golf comedy stars Owen Wilson as former professional golfer Pryce Cahill, with Peter Dager returning as young player Santi.

The series was renewed for Season 2 in July, with several returning cast members and new additions. For McEntire and Linn, however, the significance was simpler: another production schedule had to be worked around.

McEntire summed up Linn's approach in a few words: "He says, 'Work comes first.'"

Reba McEntire Reveals What Needs to Happen Next

McEntire returned to the subject on August 10 at NBC's Backlot Pass event, where Escobedo pointed to the couple's packed schedules. She described McEntire and Linn as "two of the busiest people," adding, "Always on a new job. Making new music."

That workload, McEntire said, is exactly why the wedding has yet to move forward.

"We're just waiting until we have an open spot to have the wedding," she told the same outlet. "Get it planned. Print those invitations."

McEntire did not offer a tentative date, but her latest update made the situation clear: the wedding can move ahead once their schedules finally leave enough room for it.

McEntire and Linn confirmed their engagement on the red carpet before the 2025 Emmy Awards. During an interview with "Live From E!" correspondent Zuri Hall, Linn was introduced as McEntire's fiancé.

McEntire then said, "We're having a blast on Happy's Place and so glad to be here tonight."

McEntire Has Already Shared What She Wants Their Wedding to Look Like

McEntire was still unsure when the wedding would happen, but she had a clearer idea of what the day itself might involve.

In a recent interview with "Extra" at Reba's Place in Atoka, Oklahoma, McEntire said the ceremony would likely fall somewhere between intimate and large-scale. "It'll be low-key, lots of friends and family," she said.

McEntire also said their animals would have a place in the celebration. "I have two granddogs, Watson and Belle, so they may be the ring bearers or something like that, but we have to have our animals there," she added.

The singer also joked that their engagement could last much longer than expected if work keeps taking priority.

"They're kind of being pushed every time Rex gets a job because he always says work comes first," McEntire told "Extra." "Heck, we might be engaged 30 years before we get married, but we're okay with that, too."

Despite the delays, McEntire made clear she was content with where things stood. "I am totally happy, I really am," she said. "Loving life, enjoy what I do."

A year earlier, McEntire and Linn had offered another glimpse of their relationship when they attended the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards together.

The event was held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The couple's coordinated red carpet appearance sparked a flood of reactions across social media.

The couple arrived hand-in-hand, both dressed in all-black ensembles with formal touches. McEntire wore a black tailored suit adorned with beaded patterns.

She paired it with a black blouse and a matching belt featuring silver accents. Her signature red hair was styled in soft waves, and she accessorized with a silver cross necklace and rings.

Meanwhile, Linn complemented her look with a black blazer, black shirt, and blue satin tie. He also wore dark denim jeans, blending casual and formal elements.

Photos of the couple quickly made rounds on social media, where fans and followers shared their thoughts on McEntire's appearance and the couple’s dynamic.

On Instagram, one person commented, "Queen is looking great for 70!!" Another added, "loving the hair and loving the outfit beautiful lady [sic]." A third fan wrote, "Obsessed with the outfit, hair, AND the jewels [sic]."

The reactions on Facebook echoed the excitement and curiosity seen on Instagram. One commenter noted, "Reba hasn't had hair that long in a long time! Beautiful, 'Red [sic]!'"

Another wrote, "I'm so glad she found true happiness again. I love her so much and they are great together." A third person shared, "The best dressed couple and she has the best music," while someone else remarked, "He looks a little scared."

One netizen pointed out an interesting detail about the couple's appearance at the event, "What's going on with their hands???"

While speaking ahead of her hosting duties at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, McEntire explained the reasons their relationship has worked so well.

"Well, Rex and I get along in every aspect," she said. "He's a better cook than I am, so I like that, for sure. We love Longhorns, we love the cowboy way of life, cowgirl way of life, and we both got into the entertainment industry."

She also spoke about their shared passion for acting and entertainment, saying, "He's an actor. I'm a singer. I love to act. Now we act together. So it's just the perfect union, absolutely. And we get along great. We do argue now. We argue a lot, but we have fun doing that too."

According to McEntire, their journey began decades ago as friends in 1991. But it wasn't until 2020 that their relationship turned romantic, marking a new chapter in their lives. She revealed they became closer after reconnecting following the death of her mother.

"He was in Los Angeles, and I was in Oklahoma because my Mama had just died," McEntire shared. "We didn't get to see each other from March to June, but we'd talk over Zoom and FaceTime four to five times each day. We created a bond and an intimacy that was getting to know each other without being physical."

This emotional connection grew over time, with McEntire previously telling E! News, "We didn't get to see each other from January [2020] till June 16, but we created an intimacy by texting and talking over the telephone that we wouldn't have gotten if we'd have been together all of that time. It was very special. It was a great way to find out about each other without ever touching."

She added, "We've been pretty much inseparable ever since June 16 of 2020."

Reflecting on her past, McEntire admitted that she "really wasn't interested in finding love again" after divorcing music manager Narvel Blackstock in 2015. Their marriage lasted 26 years. But her outlook changed after reconnecting with Linn. "He's the love of my life," she said. "We're pretty much inseparable."

She also spoke about how her relationship with Linn has influenced her personally and professionally. "I didn't expect it," she told US Weekly in October 2024. "But everything just gelled, the success of us getting to work together, my touring and everything else fell into place. Timing is everything and everything happens for a reason."

Reba McEntire shared that she has found a "newfound strength" since being with Linn. "Once you're confident in your love life, your at-home life, then you can go out and conquer the world," she said.