She got married at 19. She knew on her wedding day it was a mistake. Layla said it out loud anyway — and millions of people felt seen. Layla Taylor’s story is one of the most honest arcs on reality TV right now. Here is everything you need to know about Layla Taylor’s husband, her divorce, her kids, and where she stands in 2026.
Quick Bio: Layla Taylor
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Layla Taylor |
| Date of Birth | March 12, 2001 |
| Age (2026) | 25 years old |
| Birthplace | Mesa/Gilbert, Arizona, USA |
| Current Location | Utah, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Biracial (White mother, Black father) |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Occupation | Reality TV Star, TikTok Influencer |
| Show | The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Disney+/Hulu, Season 1–4) |
| TikTok Followers | 1.2 million+ |
| Ex-Husband | Clayton Wessel |
| Marriage Year | 2020 |
| Divorce Finalized | May 28, 2025 |
| Children | Oliver “Ollie” Clay (b. 2021), Maxwell “Max” Dean (b. 2022) |
| Child Support | $832/month (from Clayton) |
| Relationship Status (2026) | Single — split from Mason McWhorter, February 2026 |
| Religion | Former LDS (left the church) |
Layla Taylor’s Husband: The Quick Answer
Layla Taylor’s ex-husband is Clayton Wessel, a Utah-based salesperson. The two married in 2020 after a whirlwind relationship and share two sons together. Their divorce was finalized on May 28, 2025.
Layla is currently single as of 2026, following her February breakup with boyfriend Mason McWhorter. She is raising her two boys and starring in Season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Who Is Clayton Wessel?
Clayton Wessel is the man Layla Taylor married at 19 after a rapid courtship in Utah. He is not a public figure himself — his name became widely known only through Layla’s appearance on the show.
He works as a salesperson, earning approximately $10,000 per month according to court documents filed during the divorce proceedings.
Clayton Wessel: Fast Facts
- Age: Around 30 years old (2026)
- Hometown: Salem, Utah
- Occupation: Salesperson (approximately $10K/month income, per court documents)
- Sons: Oliver “Ollie” Clay Wessel and Maxwell Dean Wessel
- Custody: Joint legal and physical custody shared with Layla
Clayton keeps a very private life. He has no confirmed public social media presence. Outside of co-parenting his two sons, he does not engage with the media attention surrounding Layla’s career.
How Layla and Clayton Met
Layla grew up in Gilbert, Arizona. She moved to Utah as a teenager after converting to the LDS church at age 16. She met Clayton just one week after arriving in Utah — a timeline that set the pace for everything that followed.
The two dated on and off for about a year. Layla later described that period to Teen Vogue as “toxic” — a relationship where she often felt like she was begging for commitment.
Then she became pregnant at 19. Two weeks later, they were engaged. One month after that, they were married. The entire arc from pregnancy to marriage happened in under six weeks.
The Wedding Day She Won’t Forget
Layla has spoken openly about how she felt on her wedding day. She told an interviewer:
“I was sick to my stomach the entire day, besides being pregnant. It was eerie, almost. Deep down, I just knew it wasn’t a good decision. But in that moment, I just felt like it was the only decision.”
That honesty is exactly what made fans connect with her so fast on the show. She did not dress the marriage up as something it was not.
Why She Went Through with It
Layla joined the LDS church as a teenager, craving structure and family stability. She grew up in what she called a “messy home,” with her parents divorcing when she was seven.
She told Teen Vogue that she converted to Mormonism at 16 hoping it would help her build the traditional family life she never had. When she became pregnant, marrying Clayton felt like the only path that fit with the values she had adopted.
The Divorce: Full Details
Layla and Clayton’s marriage lasted nearly three years before it broke down. The road to finalising the divorce was not smooth — it took more than a year of legal proceedings.
Filing and Finalisation Timeline
- January 5, 2024: Layla first filed for divorce in Utah
- March 2024: The court dismissed the initial case
- February 20, 2025: Layla refiled for divorce
- May 28, 2025: Divorce judgment officially entered
The process took over 16 months from first filing to final judgment.
What the Divorce Judgment Said
The official Utah court documents revealed detailed terms. Here is what was agreed:
| Term | Details |
| Custody | Joint legal and physical custody — both parents share equal time |
| Child Support | Clayton pays Layla $832 per month |
| Alimony | Neither party awarded alimony |
| Bank Accounts | Each kept their own accounts |
| Vehicle | Clayton awarded a 2022 Hyundai Elantra |
| Drug/Alcohol Clause | Neither parent allowed to consume alcohol or illegal drugs when children are present |
| Communication Rule | Neither party allowed to disparage the other in texts, emails, or in front of the children |
| Extracurricular Costs | Split equally between both parents |
The substance clause is notable. Both parents are legally required to stay sober around Ollie and Max. This clause does not appear by accident in Utah divorce judgments — it reflects concerns raised during proceedings.
Why the Marriage Was “Toxic”
Layla has used that word consistently. She told Us Weekly the three-year marriage to Clayton was an “extremely toxic” relationship.
Key concerns that emerged publicly:
- Allegations of emotional abuse and infidelity
- Reported jealousy when Layla began dating after separation (“He found out about my boyfriend,” she told Us Weekly in September 2024)
- The substance clause in the official custody order
- The need for restraining orders during proceedings
The court documents also show that Layla’s income from social media marketing was listed at $5,000 per month at the time of divorce — a figure that has likely grown significantly since Season 3 and Season 4 of the show aired.
Layla’s Sons: Ollie and Max
The children are the centre of Layla’s world. She has been clear about that from day one on the show.
Both boys were born during the marriage:
- Oliver “Ollie” Clay Wessel — born 2021 (age 4 in 2026)
- Maxwell “Max” Dean Wessel — born 2022 (age 3–4 in 2026)
Layla and Clayton made a joint decision not to feature their sons on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The boys do not appear on screen. That boundary has held through all four seasons — a parenting decision that stands out in the reality TV world.
Both parents attend and volunteer at school events, per the court order.
Layla’s Relationship History After Divorce
After separating from Clayton, Layla took time before dating again. Then her love life became part of the show’s most watched storylines.
Mason McWhorter: The Most Recent Relationship
Layla first teased a new relationship in July 2025 via a now-deleted Instagram carousel post. The man in the photo was Mason McWhorter — the former brother-in-law of her Mormon Wives co-star Miranda McWhorter. (Mason’s brother Chase was previously married to Miranda.)
Layla confirmed in November 2025 that she was happy: “Things are going really good between us. He’s just my best friend.”
Then, on February 7, 2026, she posted a tearful TikTok video confirming the split.
“Obviously, me and Mason are no longer together,” she said. “It’s still super fresh. I genuinely want and wish nothing but the best for Mason. Things just weren’t working out. I think we were just on two different paths right now.”
She later revealed the breakup hurt more than expected. Mason had spent nearly a year in the lives of Layla and her boys.
“Mason was a really big part of me and my boys’ lives for the past almost year,” she said. “And we went through a lot in this last year, to be honest.”
A few days after her initial video, Layla walked back her “no bad blood” comment with a follow-up post — hinting that the split had a messier side she had chosen not to share publicly.
Brief Connection with Chase McWhorter
Layla has also acknowledged going on a few dates with Chase McWhorter — Mason’s brother and Miranda’s ex — roughly two years before she and Mason became serious. She has been clear that it was never a real relationship. “I wouldn’t even say it was a relationship, to be honest,” she told Swoon.
Layla Taylor on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
Layla joined the show in Season 1 as the group’s only recently divorced cast member. She was 22 at the time of filming — the youngest member of MomTok by several years.
Her storyline across the four seasons:
| Season | Status | Key Storyline |
| Season 1 (2024) | Recently divorced | Navigating single motherhood and the LDS church |
| Season 2 (2024–2025) | Single | Dating life, leaving the church |
| Season 3 (2025) | Dating Mason | Relationship exploration, eating disorder and mental health openness |
| Season 4 (2026) | Post-Mason split | Breakup aftermath, personal growth, executive producer role |
By Season 4, Layla has been elevated to executive producer of the show — a significant career milestone at just 25 years old.
Layla Taylor’s Faith Journey
Layla was not born Mormon. She chose the church at 16, searching for the stable family structure she grew up without. She later admitted she kept her conversion secret from her parents at first, sneaking out to attend church services.
In a 2025 interview with The Independent, Layla confirmed she has since left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She still allows her ex-husband to take their sons to church on Sundays. Her approach to the boys’ religious upbringing:
- She encourages them to explore and choose for themselves
- She does not want them to feel pressured in any direction
- She teaches them they have agency over their own beliefs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Layla Taylor’s husband?
Layla Taylor’s ex-husband is Clayton Wessel — they married in 2020 and finalised their divorce on May 28, 2025.
Why did Layla Taylor and Clayton Wessel divorce?
Layla publicly described the marriage as “extremely toxic,” citing jealousy, emotional difficulties, and incompatibility after a very rushed courtship.
Does Layla Taylor have children?
Yes — she has two sons with Clayton: Oliver “Ollie” (born 2021) and Maxwell “Max” (born 2022), sharing joint custody.
Who is Layla Taylor dating in 2026?
Layla is currently single after confirming her split from boyfriend Mason McWhorter on February 7, 2026.
How much child support does Layla Taylor receive?
Per the court judgment entered May 28, 2025, Clayton pays Layla $832 per month in child support.
Conclusion
Layla Taylor married young, got out of a toxic marriage, raised two sons largely on her own, and built a national platform telling the truth about all of it.
Her ex-husband Clayton Wessel is a private figure who co-parents their boys and stays out of the spotlight. At just 25, Layla is already an executive producer of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — and her most important chapter is clearly still ahead.
