Little Big Town Couple Reflect on Surprise Wedding

It was a big surprise to friends and fans alike when Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook announced their marriage in the summer of 2006, as they had done a good job of hiding their romance. So when the band came into our studios for their AOL Music Sessions taping last week, we had to ask -- why did they keep the relationship under wraps?

"It was important for the band to keep the music first," Fairchild explained.

"Especially with the timing of it," Westbrook continued. "Our second single was just breaking into the Top Ten, and we were coming to the CMA Music Fest, which is a lot of interviews ... and if we had said anything about that before, it would have been all about that."

"We were just waiting for the right time to tell everybody. And when we did, they were like, '[Gasp] Controversy!'" Fairchild said, laughing.

"And we had never had controversy before, so it was kinda cool!" bandmate Phillip Sweet chimed in.

Fairchild also explained that they simply didn't think their nuptials were a big deal, especially given that they were married right around the same time as another celebrity couple in Nashville: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman. "Now that was a big deal!" she says.

The expanded version of Little Big Town's 'A Place to Land' CD is due in stores October 14, with four new songs. That's also the date their AOL Music Sessions launches, which you can watch right here on The Boot.