RHONJ 's Melissa Gorga Admits Her Marriage to Husband Joe Gorga Is 'a Lot of Work'

Melissa and Joe Gorga
Melissa and Joe Gorga
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Arturo Holmes/Getty Melissa and Joe Gorga

Melissa Gorga hasn't made it through 17 years of marriage to husband Joe Gorga without putting in the work.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 43, shared how she keeps her relationship healthy during a May 2 interview with Chanel in the City.

"They take a lot of work. They're not easy. Anyone who says they are is lying," she told host Chanel Omari of relationships. "It's like I have a pretty damn good one. And it's a lot of work for me. Listen, some people do get lucky. And it's just an easier transition. Their lives work easier, whatever it might be. But it's always a little work. It's always work, nothing's perfect."

"There's always going to be a couple of bumps in the road, you may have a couple of years that you're like, 'Wow, this is perfection.' But something you know, the longer together, something's going to arise," she added.

RELATED: RHONJ's Melissa Gorga Shares a Peek at Construction of New Jersey Mansion: 'Time for a Change'

The reality star shared that it was "very hard" to change the dynamic of her marriage as she became an entrepreneur.

"It was just easy breaking that mold of telling Joe, 'No, actually you're as responsible to get the kids to school as I am because I have to go to work too,'" she revealed. "And that for him was like, 'What happening here?'"

Teresa Giudice makes an appearance at Joe Gorga's Book release party
Teresa Giudice makes an appearance at Joe Gorga's Book release party

BACKGRID Joe and Melissa Gorga

RELATED: Melissa Gorga Reveals Where She Stands with Teresa Giudice After RHONJ's Reunion

On Tuesday's RHONJ reunion episode, Melissa came to her husband's defense after he stormed off stage during a blowout fight with his sister, Teresa Giudice. During their argument, Teresa claimed her brother was "like a Housewife" because he was too involved with the women's drama and doubled down by calling him "a b---- boy."

"You're just so quick to put him down all the time," Melissa told her sister-in-law. "Any dig you can dig."

"I'm not putting him down!" responded Teresa, 49, to which host Andy Cohen told her, "Well, you did just put him down. You're demeaning him by saying, 'What are you even doing here? You're in the women's drama.' Please go talk to him."

RELATED VIDEO: Luis Ruelas Asks for Joe Gorga's Blessing to Marry Teresa as Questions Loom on RHONJ About His Past

RELATED: Melissa Gorga Speaks Out After Learning She Isn't a Bridesmaid in Teresa Giudice's Wedding

Gorga also opened up on Chanel in the City about not being asked to be a bridesmaid for Teresa's upcoming wedding.

"I feel like it's just a very relatable situation. It goes on in so many families," she said. "And it's not necessarily always the sister-in-law and the sister-in-law, it's the two brothers-in-law, sometimes it's the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law. So it's very common to clash a little bit when you're blending families."

During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live in March, Giudice revealed that Gorga will not be included in her bridal party when she marries fiancé Luis "Louie" Ruelas this summer.

"Melissa will not be a bridesmaid?," asked Cohen. When Giudice replied, "No," he pressed her, saying, "Does she know that?"

"Don't make a big deal. I mean, come on," she added. "I guess so, I mean, hello! We're on national TV."

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The third and final installment of The Real Housewives of New Jersey's season 12 reunion airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.