15 'Bachelor' Couples Where Are They Now?
The Bachelor is an immensely popular reality show that has produced some of the most unforgettable moments in its genre. The series made its debut in 2002 and has since become an indisputable phenomenon and insatiable guilty pleasure for millions of viewers all over the world. In fact, this show is so successful that it birthed several popular spinoffs including The Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad, and Bachelor In Paradise. The concept of The Bachelor is simple: one eligible bachelor enters a mansion filled with over two dozen admirers of the opposite gender, each competing to win his heart. Each week, an elimination ceremony takes place and whoever doesn't receive a rose from the bachelor will be sent home. The contestants are treated to extravagant and romantic dates, with the main objective being that a proposal happens at the end of the show. Much like any other reality show, The Bachelor has its fair share of drama, cat-fights, backstabbing, and antagonists, but the true core of the series has always been all about two people finding love in the most expected way imaginable.
Of course, The Bachelor has been responsible for a growing number of engagements and marriages over the years, but it has also been the source of multiple brutal breakups and broken hearts. After the cameras stop rolling, many wonder what ever became of some of the show's most memorable matches. If you're one of those people, don't worry - we've got you covered. Let's get up to speed on these 15 former Bachelor couples. Here are the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
15 Trista Rehn And Ryan Sutter
Of course, competing on a reality dating show is one way to get your fifteen minutes of fame, but there are actually couples who can say they found their soulmate thanks to the franchise. Trista and Ryan Sutter are here to prove the haters all wrong. Trista is a staple in the Bachelor franchise and she appeared on the very first season of the show in 2002, making it to the final two before being sent home on finale night. Producers came up with the brilliant concept of The Bachelorette and offered a jilted Trista a second shot at love on her own spinoff series. This time, a group of men would compete for the heart of one lucky lady.
Trista hit the jackpot when she met handsome firefighter Ryan Sutter. The couple tied the knot on December 6, 2003, in a three-part televised special titled, Trista & Ryan's Wedding. The pair was generously compensated for allowing their wedding to be filmed for television, earning an impressive $1 million from ABC. Marrying someone you just met on a reality show was a super unorthodox concept back then and very few people believed that the marriage would last. Since their on-screen nuptials, Trista and Ryan welcomed daughter Blakesley Grace and son Maxwell Allston. They've made several appearances on reality TV over the years, including spots on Dancing With The Stars and Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars. The Sutters have solidified themselves as one of the most long-standing couples not only from The Bachelor franchise but from reality television as a whole. Trista and Ryan were exactly what the world needed to validate the process of finding the love of your life on reality television. These two are certainly a power couple and we're very confident that they'll be together forever.
14 Jason Mesnick And Molly Malaney
Like many other Bachelor stars, Jason Mesnick first set out to find love on The Bachelorette where he tried to propose to DeAnna Pappas before she insisted he wasn't the right one for her. Of course, Mesnick proceeded to headline the thirteenth season of The Bachelor, earning himself the undeniable title as one of the biggest a-holes in the show's lengthy history. In the finale, he chose former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Melissa Rycroft in the end, even asking for her hand in marriage in the final episode. Things appeared to be great for the happy couple, and viewers couldn't wait to hear all about how their relationship had progressed since filming wrapped. In an episode of After The Final Rose that followed the show's big finale, Mesnick unexpectedly dumped Melissa in front of Chris Harrison, a live audience, and millions of viewers tuning in at home.
If you thought that was bad, just wait… it gets much worse. Mesnick goes on to tell his fiancé that he believed he had made a mistake in choosing her and that in his heart he knew he wanted to be with Molly. Melissa was appalled… and so was everyone tuning in. To add insult to injury, Molly is next to come out on stage, and Jason tells her that she's the one he wants to be with. Shockingly, Molly accepts Jason's advances and agrees to give him a second chance at making it work. Seriously… we couldn't make this kind of drama up if we tried. Jason proposed to Molly in 2009 and they got hitched on February 27, 2010. Their big day was filmed and televised for a two-hour special titled, The Bachelor: Jason and Molly's Wedding. The couple later welcomed a daughter, Riley Anne, in 2013. What can we say? The heart wants what it wants, and in this case, Jason's decision to be with Molly might have been the right one after all.
13 Ashley Hebert And J.P. Rosenbaum
Ashley Hebert first made her mark on the fifteenth season of The Bachelor. She made it to the final two before being rejected by Brad Womack. Ashley went on to become The Bachelorette and she met twenty-five men who wanted to date her… or so she thought. Hebert was undeniably smitten with a contestant named Bentley Williams, but he became the villain of the season by insulting Hebert during his interviews and saying he wished the bachelorette was Emily Maynard instead before bowing out of the competition.
Fortunately for Ashley, not even one man with a thorn in his side would stop her from meeting the man she wanted to give her final rose to. She met her Prince Charming in J.P. Rosenbaum. The couple became engaged on the show's final episode of the season and they went on to marry in 2012. Since then, Ashley and J.P. have become one of the most successful pairings in the Bachelor franchise. The happy couple welcomed a son, Fordham Rhys, in 2014 and added another new addition this November, a daughter named Essex Reese. There's no denying that this is one seriously sweet couple and we wish them all the best with their growing brood!
12 Ben Flajnik And Courtney Robertson
Ben Flajnik became the sixteenth Bachelor following coming in second place on the previous season of The Bachelorette. Ben was the recipient of the ultimate rejection after bachelorette Ashley Hebert waited for him to get down on one knee and propose to her before informing him that she didn't think he was “the one." Instead of forever going down in history as the guy who got humiliated on national television, producers and fans chose Flajnik as their next bachelor. Ben's season proved to be both highly entertaining and intensely infuriating, as he shocked everyone by choosing a resident villain, Courtney Robertson.
In front of Ben, Courtney put on her best “sweet-as-can-be” impression, but during her interviews with production, she showed her true colors… as a woman who was more interested in winning the show than actually falling in love with Ben. Other contestants tried to warn Ben of Courtney's dangerous ways, but he proved to be under her spell. Though Ben popped the question to Robertson on finale night, the couple broke up before the season even finished airing. Once Ben saw how Courtney really was, he pulled the plug on their relationship… until announcing that they were giving their romance a second chance on an episode of The Bachelor's After the Final Rose. If you hadn't already guessed by now, Ben and Courtney never made it down the aisle and split up for good in 2012. Courtney went on to release a super controversial tell-all titled, I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain. The book was filled with juicy gossip regarding her Bachelor experience and her relationship with Flajnik. Ben went on to find love the way many do these days, on Tinder. He is currently dating a woman named Stephanie Winn. Let's just hope that this relationship is a whole lot more stable than his previous one.
11 Emily Maynard And Jef Holm
Sean Lowe is best known for his role as The Bachelor on the show's seventeenth season. He earned his spot after he became an instant fan favorite following his third place elimination from the previous season of The Bachelorette featuring Emily Maynard. When it came to being the bachelor, it seemed as though Lowe was born for the part. With his insatiable good looks, charisma, sweetness, and his since desire to find a lifelong partner, he was well on his way to becoming one of the most memorable bachelor's the show has ever seen. Lowe finally met his match in Catherine Giudici, a bubbly girl-next-door type who had every quality Sean looked for in a woman. Sean proposed to Catherine on the series finale, and the couple later went on to get married on January 26, 2014. Naturally, their wedding was televised in their own spinoff special, appropriately titled Sean & Catherine's Wedding.
Since the show, the couple has been enjoying married life to the fullest. They often make appearances on new seasons of The Bachelor to offer insight, advice, and support to those who aspire to find love on the show, much like they were able to. The Lowe's also have become a staple of reality television, appearing on such shows as Dancing With The Stars, Celebrity Wife Swap, and Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars. Sean even co-hosts the weekly talk-show, The Bachelor: After The Final Rose. Sean and Catherine have also added a new addition to their growing family, as they welcomed their son, Samuel into the world over the summer. Though finding love on reality TV may seem unconventional, this couple definitely proves that it's far from impossible.
9 Desiree Hartsock And Chris Sigfried
Sweet Desiree Hartsock became the ninth star of The Bachelorette following her stint on the previous season of The Bachelor where she had hoped to win the heart of Sean Lowe. Viewers loved her which made her an obvious choice to headline the spinoff series. Early on in the season, it became increasingly apparent that Hartsock had strong feelings for a contestant named Brooks Forester. She even told cameras that she was already “in love” with him. With her attraction for Brooks only growing stronger by the day, Forester felt obligated to tell her that the feelings weren't mutual. Brooks voluntarily bowed out of the competition, leaving Desiree utterly crushed and visibly heartbroken.
Though Brooks was no longer an option, Desiree was left with two men who genuinely did care for her, Drew Kenney and Chris Sigfried. Despite professing her love for someone else throughout pretty much the entire season, Desiree chose Chris as her winner and the two became engaged on the spot. Naturally, some viewers had their doubts about whether or not this couple would go the distance, but the pair wed in January of 2015 and they welcomed a son, Asher Wrigley, this past October. In retrospect, Chris was always the right man for Desiree all along. It just took her a little bit longer to open her eyes and see that he was “the one."
8 Juan Pablo Galavis And Nikki Ferrell
We met professional soccer player Juan Pablo Galavis when he was one of the 25 men competing to win Desiree Hartsock's heart on The Bachelorette. He was given the boot midway through the season, but that didn't stop him from earning the title of our next Bachelor. Galavis quickly became a questionable choice for the role once his season began airing. Though he was a likable personality on The Bachelorette, he showed an entirely different side on The Bachelor. Juan Pablo came across as arrogant, entitled, and dismissive of the women's feelings, often brushing them off by saying “it's okay” whenever they voiced their concerns. In the end, the final two contestants came down to Clare Crawley and Nikki Ferrell. Juan Pablo gave his final rose to Ferrell, leaving Crawley both shocked and utterly disgusted because he got hot and heavy with her the night before. In another shocking turn of events, Juan Pablo not only chose not to propose to Ferrell on the show's finale, but he also refused to tell her he loved her.
Of course, Juan Pablo became one of the most disliked bachelors in the show's history, but for some reason, Ferrell wanted to stand by his side despite all of the red flags. The couple infamously went on to star in another reality show, Couple's Therapy, where they bickered back and forth about major flaws in their relationship… such as the fact that Juan Pablo still refused to tell Nikki he loved her. Finally, Ferrell split from the emotionally-void Galavis once and for all in 2015, and fans across the country breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it didn't take long for Nikki to find the partner she deserves. She got to Tyler VanLoo in January of this year and she said “I do” in November. As for Juan Pablo, rumor has it that he's dating Venezuelan television host Osmariel Villalobos. Let's hope for her sake he's able to muster up the courage to tell her he loves her.
7 Andi Dorfman And Josh Murray
Attorney Andi Dorfman made her reality TV debut on The Bachelor where she voluntarily eliminated herself from the competition after only nine episodes following Juan Pablo Galavis' crude behavior toward her. Andi's sassy and strong-willed attitude was revered by viewers of the show, solidifying her spot as the next Bachelorette. On the show, Andi narrowed her final two choices to Nick Viall and Josh Murray. Dorfman chose Murray in the end, leaving Viall heartbroken and out for revenge once the reunion episode finally rolled around. Viall outed Andi for leading him on and questioned her ability to be intimate with him in the fantasy suite when she knew that she was going to choose Murray. Despite the controversy surrounding Dorfman's choice, she and Murray appeared to be happily engaged for a while, until they shocked fans by announcing their split after only eight months together.
After the break up, Andi released a tell-all book called It's Not Okay which was loaded with accusations against Josh that allegedly resulted in their relationship coming to an end. Murray vehemently refuted his ex's claims and starred in back-to-back reality shows Famously Single and Bachelor In Paradise. It was in Paradise that he met Amanda Stanton, a castoff from Ben Higgin's season of The Bachelor. The couple fell in love on the island and Murray then proposed on national television for the second time. Other skeptical contestants tried to steer Stanton away from Murray based on the claims made in Andi's book, but the couple defied all odds and are currently planning their wedding.
6 Chris Soules And Whitney Bischoff
Chris Soules was amped up as The Bachelor's resident hunky farmer when he starred in the nineteenth season of the series. The handsome headliner was a castoff from the previous installment of The Bachelorette, where he came in third while trying to win the heart of Andi Dorfman. Soules presented himself as a humble and down-to-earth kind of guy, who takes great pride in working on his family's farm. Chris also stressed that whoever he chose would probably have to uproot their entire life and move to his home state of Iowa. Of the wide variety of women to choose from, Soules narrowed the final two down to fan-favorite Becca Tilley and fertility nurse Whitney Bischoff. Ultimately, it was Whitney who received the final rose, a stunning Neil Lane engagement ring, and a brand new fiancé in the show's series finale. Once the show came to an end, Soules pretty much threw everything about the importance of living in Iowa right out the window and the pair went on to live together in Los Angeles. Wanting to capitalize on Soules' popularity with viewers, he was recruited to compete on season twenty of Dancing With The Stars, where his doting bride-to-be was always in the audience to cheer on her man.
Not long after his stint on back-to-back reality shows ended, the couple announced that they were ending their engagement after only six months. The couple claims to have split amicably, but we never found out the real reason behind their break up. Recently, Chris Soules somehow found his way back on the reality TV circuit as a contestant on The Food Network's Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition. As for Whitney Bischoff? She recently became engaged this past summer to a man Ricky Angel who she met on the dating app, Bumble. It seems like both Bischoff and Soules got what they wanted out of their Bachelor experience. She finally found “the one” and he got to be a reality star.
5 Kaitlyn Bristowe And Shawn Booth
We first met Canadian beauty Kaitlyn Bristowe when she appeared as a contestant on The Bachelor and tried to win the heart of farmer Chris Soules. Bristowe came in third place and eventually snagged a spot as The Bachelorette after competing with Britt Nilsson for the role. On The Bachelorette, a confused Kaitlyn found herself catching feelings for more than one guy. Ultimately, she narrowed down her final two choices to arch-enemies Shawn Booth and Nick Viall. This was Viall's second appearance on The Bachelorette and Booth had a disliking toward him from the minute he entered the competition. In the end, Kaitlyn followed her heart and became engaged to Booth on the show's season finale. This marked the second time that Viall became a runner-up on the show following an intimate night in the fantasy suite.
Prior to the big reveal of Booth's win, Bristowe mistakenly sent out a Snapchat of the two of them lying in bed together, creating the ultimate spoiler alert. Shortly after the season ended, Kaitlyn and Shawn appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live where they expressed how serious their relationship really was. They jointly stated, “If we are not still in a committed relationship on July 27, 2016, we will pay Jimmy Kimmel $1,000.” Well, it's been over a year since they made that declaration and the adorable duo is still happily in love. Currently, the couple lives together in Nashville with their Golden Retriever. Though they haven't begun the wedding planning process just yet, it's super safe to assume that Kaitlyn and Shawn are in it for the long-haul.
4 Ben Higgins And Lauren Bushnell
Ben Higgins secured the coveted spot as The Bachelor for the show's twentieth season after getting the boot from Kaitlyn Bristowe on the previous season of The Bachelorette. Ben had a strong group of wonderful women to choose from, and his heart ultimately led him to Lauren Bushnell. On the show's finale, Higgins got down on one knee and presented Bushnell with a staggering $100,000 diamond engagement ring… not too shabby if you ask us! Of course, Lauren said yes to Ben's proposal and the couple went on to bask in the glory of being one of the more popular couples from the Bachelor franchise.
Following their stint on The Bachelor, the twosome inked a deal to star in their very own reality series called Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After. The show chronicles the ups and downs of being in a relationship with the added stress of being in the spotlight. Of course, many other Bachelor fan favorites make cameo appearances on the show from time to time as well. Ben and Lauren's reality series has certainly proved that not everything about their highly-publicized romance is as glamourous as it seems. On a recent episode, Ben decided to postpone the couples impending nuptials all together, confessing that he feels they aren't ready for marriage and won't be any time soon. Lauren appeared to be both confused and crushed by Ben's decision, but Higgins later told the press that just because the wedding is on hiatus doesn't mean that their relationship is in jeopardy, insisting “We are together, happier than ever - no plans to break up!” Hmmm… looks like we'll just have to wait and see if these two will ever make it down the aisle.
3 JoJo Fletcher And Jordan Rodgers
On the most recent season of The Bachelorette, JoJo Fletcher embarked on her quest for love on reality TV for the second time, after coming in second place on the previous season of The Bachelor. The Texas native quickly became a fan favorite while competing to win Ben Higgin's heart, but he confused both JoJo and millions of viewers when he told both of his final two women that he was in love with them. Though Fletcher wasn't the lucky lady who got the final rose, we've come to realize that getting your heart broken on national television can come with its perks. JoJo immediately began filming her season of The Bachelorette, where twenty-six men vied for her affection. Viewers of the show could see that Fletcher took a liking to contestant Jordan Rodgers early on, the younger brother of NFL player Aaron Rodgers.
Maybe out of jealousy, several other contestants accused Jordan of not being interested in JoJo for “the right reasons,” a sentiment that many viewers believed to be true. Despite the odds stacked against them, JoJo chose Jordan in the end, only to be faced with an ample amount of backlash from the media insisting that their entire relationship is one big sham. Currently, engaged lovebirds are brushing off the skeptics and living together in Dallas. They are supremely confident that they will get married and live happily ever after, with JoJo telling reporters, "I vow that if we are not together one year from now, we'll both do 1,000 jumping jacks for E! News.” Jordan took it a step further by saying, “"I'll do it in a man thong, sure. Let's up the stakes!"
2 Lacy Faddoul And Marcus Grodd
Lacy Faddoul was a contestant on Juan Pablo's season of The Bachelor, while Marcus Grodd competed for the affection of Andi Dorfman on The Bachelorette. You might wonder what these two have in common, aside from not receiving a final rose on either of their seasons. Well, due to the immense popularity of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, a unique spinoff series was born. The new show was called Bachelor In Paradise, and it made its debut in 2014. The show's concept was simple - take castoffs from past seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, put them all together on an island, with the incentive to find love or get sent home. The show featured a flirtatious Faddoul and heartthrob Grodd, who ultimately fell in love while filming the show's inaugural season. In true Bachelor fashion, the couple got engaged on the series finale. The giddy lovebirds tied the knot in 2015 during the following season of BIP, making them the first ever couple to get married following their stint in Paradise… or so we thought.
The couple announced their split this past summer, and Marcus revealed that their televised ceremony wasn't legally binding… . meaning they weren't ever actually married. Grodd then said that they had planned on making things official once they had returned to California, but his fiancé had completely changed her tune once the cameras stopped rolling. Grodd stated, “When I came back, it was just a very different situation with her. It was kind of like postponing our plans. That was the drop of our relationship.” The reality star went into further detail by telling the media that Lacy became controlling, didn't want to live together anymore and that she wanted to take time away from their romance. Feeling blindsided and duped by the experience, he insists that he and Lacy are done for good.
1 Jade Roper And Tanner Tolbert
Last summer, Bachelor In Paradise returned with its highly-anticipated second season. Of course, the show's second installment brought back even more of the past contestants that viewers loved (and loved to hate). The first group of contenders to arrive to the island included none other than Jade Roper (from Chris Soules' season of The Bachelor) and Tanner Tolbert (from Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of The Bachelorette). Though neither of these two were lucky in love on their respective seasons, the two made an instant connection and paired up right from the start. Week after week, they successfully survived rose ceremonies and became one of the strongest couples on the show. In true Bachelor franchise fashion, Tanner proposed to Jade on finale night, presenting her with a stunning $88,000 Neil Lane diamond engagement ring.
The pair tied the knot on January 24 of this year, in a charming televised ceremony that was officiated by none other than Bachelor host Chris Harrison. Since getting hitched, Tanner and Jade are in the process of building their dream home together in Kansas City, Missouri. The duo is also featured on the current season Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars, where they are airing their fair share of dirty laundry while strengthening their bond as husband and wife.