Set up a man or woman with his/her soulmate.
Heck, nearly every season ends with a proposal, right? And yet, very few of these proposals end in actual marriage.
Oh yeah, look at Jason and Molly. Or Sean and Cat. Rachel and Bryan. Even Arie and Lauren … or JoJo and Jordan.
Nevertheless, it’s an arduous, uphill battle — and the odds are poor.
The fact is, it’s hard out there for duos spawned by this franchise to make it work — a fact we’ve been reminded of over and over again during the past couple of years.
Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya Let’s start with some good news: Michelle Young found love on her season of The Bachelorette, and we don’t know if we’ve ever rooted for a Bachelor Nation couple as hard as we’re rooting for Michelle and Nayte Olukoya. Nayte may have rubbed some viewers the wrong way — there were concerns that he was too “cocky,” or that he came off as aloof and uninterested on group dates. But Olukoya has since explained that while he didn’t always feel comfortable on camera, he was always 100 percent at-ease around Michelle. Here’s hoping these two can break the slump by becoming the first Bachelorette couple to make it to the altar in a very long time.
Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes Ah, Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes. They tried, God bless ’em, but this relationship was doomed from the start. After getting engaged during The Bachelorette finale did their best to convince the world that they were head over heels for one another. But very few were convinced. The feeling among viewers was that Katie was heartbroken after the controversial departure of suitor Greg Grippo, and she went for Blake as a sort of back-up plan. It wasn’t a good sign when Katie spent most of her After the Rose special fuming about Greg instead of gushing about Blake. But the good news is, Katie hasn’t given up on love. She’s currently dating John Hersey, a fan favorite contestant from her season. So perhaps the Bachelorette system works, after all!
Clare Crawley and Dale Moss Where to begin with Clare Crawley and Dale Moss? These two got engaged after like two weeks, peaced out of the show, and were head over heels in love before a host of usual suspects – cheating allegations, long-distance relationships, conflicting priorities, the stress of the spotlight, the honeymoon phase wearing off – derailed their romance in spectacular fashion in early 2021. Is it possible for a breakup to be surprising and yet not at all? These two briefly reconciled after and appear to be making it work, but it wasn’t long before the whole thing went kablooey again. Honestly, did anyone see that coming? (Yes, we’re being sarcastic with that question.)
Tayshia Adams and Zac Clark (ABC) Now, Tayshia Adams and Zac Clark are a very different story. These two seemed destined to last, but sadly, they went their separate ways in December of 2021. Tayshia was hosting co-hosting The Bachelorette at the time, and she announced the split after Kaitlyn Bristowe noted that she wasn’t wearing her ring while taping After the Final Rose. “All I have to say is that I’m heartbroken. But we tried really hard, and I still love him very much, and I’m not sure what the future holds,” the former Bachelorette explained. “You know how it is. It’s really tough.” Tough, indeed. We wish these two all the best, and we hope they’re able to find happiness individually.
Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell What a mess. What a complete and utter mess. An unmitigated disaster that the show will take a long time to recover from, if it ever does, no one can take away the fact that it was, truly, the most shocking season in Bachelor history. (Ironically, Chris Harrison stepped down at the end of it.) Of course Matt James, hyped for months as the first Black Bachelor, would end up giving Rachael Kirkconnell – who came under fire for racially insensitive photos and comments – his final rose. He never even proposed to her (no promise ring, no nothing) on the finale, which is probably the only good news producers could’ve hoped for, as their Valentine’s Day breakup (a month before the season finale even aired) was relatively quick and painless. Yet, after all that, we’re here eating our words in 2022, as these two are back together again, living their lives, and seemingly oblivious to criticism. Who would’ve ever guessed?
Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph Speaking of messes, Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph went their separate ways in May of 2020, and the situation got very ugly in the weeks that followed. Cassie got a restraining order against Colton, whom she accused of stalking her. The split took another unexpected turn shortly thereafter, when Colton came out as gay. These days, he’s the star of a Netflix reality series about his experiences, though many Bachelor fans feel that it’s unethical for the streaming giant to partner with a man who’s been accused of harassing his ex. It’s anyone’s guess what the future holds for these two, but we think it’s safe to say they won’t be getting back together anytime soon.
Peter Weber and Madison Prewett Peter Weber was an iconic disaster on The Bachelor. So much so that it’s hard to decide which of his relationships to even include here. He began his season needing “closure” with Hannah Brown, who returned to the show for multiple episodes … then got engaged to Hannah Ann Sluss on the finale and dumped her a month later (long before the finale actually made it to air). Then Chris Harrison flew to Alabama to set Peter up with runner-up Madison Prewett, who he went public with on the After the Final Rose special. They broke up two days after. Then he got together with Kelley Flanagan, another contestant on his season who didn’t even make it to hometown dates. Good luck to her.
Hannah Brown and Jed Wyatt This one didn’t come close to working out. Hannah accepted Jed’s proposal… only to find out TWO WHOLE DAYS later that Wyatt had never told her about a quasi girlfriend back at home. She then dumped him. A year later, she said she had doubts even during the proposal itself. Maybe she shouldn’t have put herself through that, but what can you do. The heart wants what it wants and sometimes that’s douchelords.
Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen hit it off from the very start, and after a fairly conventional season of The Bachelorette, they got engaged on the finale. Perhaps the most notable obstacle for this duo came prior to the season, when his Instagram “double-tapping” of some seriously offensive posts and memes came to light. It appeared they were destined to stay on cloud nine, until the spring and summer of 2020, when it appears his support of Blue Lives Matter and their different world views were just too much to overcome. They split shortly thereafter.
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers have been an interesting case, both seemingly over the moon in love and behind the proverbial eight ball since day one. They certainly seem to have weathered whatever storms have been in their path thus far, and enough time has passed that they’re no longer in the “honeymoon” phase that they’ve proven us wrong, for sure. Whether or not they make it to the altar is still an open question, but there’s zero signs of trouble right now, at least publicly. It’s been FIVE YEARS at this point so we have to give them credit. Hey, they even got engaged, again. For whatever that’s worth.
Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas These two lasted about 13 minutes. Turns out it was for the best, as Shayne went on to meet the man, the myth, the legend, celebrity blogger Nik Richie, one night and married him within a couple of hours. (You can find this in the dictionary under “Upgrade.”) Shayne and Nik have two children and a beautiful semi-retired life together to this day, so perhaps there’s hope for all of us yet here in 2022.
Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo are a match made in heaven. Bachelor Nation seemed to prefer runner-up Peter Kraus, but Rachel went with the smooth (too smooth for some fans’ liking) doctor from Miami at the last minute. And it worked out for them! These two got married in August 2019!
Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham Yes, Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham are still together … and MARRIED. And they have a baby!! Needless to say, the consensus was that Becca dodged a bullet when Arie pulled the ol’ switcheroo after his season and that Lauren might have her heart broken next. We weren’t rooting for that sad outcome, but just saying … it’s Arie. It seemed plausible, if not likely. But we are happy that they’re proving us wrong. We wish them the best with their marriage and family!
Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi Look … we wished Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi all the best. But after the least inspiring public debut from a Bachelor couple since Juan Pablo and Nikki, it was no surprise that they eventually broke up. Come on, people. We were talking about Nick Viall, who was clearly bitten hard by the fame bug, and fell for a girl who didn’t want to be in the “business” or leave Canada, where he had no interest in moving. Just saying. The odds made them a definite underdog from the start, and their short-lived relationship proved skeptics correct.
Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell It was a good year, closer to a year and a half actually, which is a long time for any relationship, reality TV style or regular style, when Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell publicly called out what they deemed as “fake news” that alleged they had broken up … and then canceled their wedding and admitted that they broke up. #realnews
Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth looked the part of the happy couple ever since they got engaged in August 2015. Until they split up in November 2018. So the joke’s on us, because three years is a long time for any relationship … yet they did break us as predicted. Call it a wash?
Ashley Hebert and JP Rosenbaum (Getty) Ashley Hebert and JP Rosenbaum were married in 2012 after meeting on The Bachelorette a year earlier. Plain and simple, he won her heart on the show, and in life. They have two children and had a beautiful life together – until they didn’t. JP and Ashley stunned Bachelor Nation by going their separate ways in October 2020, proving that even the long-lasting fairy tales have shelf lives.
Brad Womack and Emily Maynard (Getty) Brad Womack and Emily Maynard did not last. He chose no one on his first stint on The Bachelor, making him 0-for-2. She fittingly tried this charade and flopped again too.
Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff just got engaged on The Bachelor season finale in March 2015 … only to break up in May 2015! What seemed like the perfect fit turned out to be anything but.
Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici got engaged on The Bachelor in 2013 and never looked back. They made it official early in 2014.
Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi got engaged on The Bachelor. They broke up in epic fashion and did not last long, to the surprise of no one.
Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney (Getty) Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney got engaged, and married, and had a kid! This infamously happened after he dumped his final rose recipient, Melissa Rycroft, and chose Molly instead … close enough. COUNT IT! Melissa went on to marry Tye Strickland and have a beautiful family of her own, so really, everyone won in this case.
Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried got engaged on The Bachelorette in 2013, and ever since then they’ve still been a thing. A MARRIED THING! They got hitched two winters later, and are living their happy ever after.
Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson a.k.a. the Black Widow, got engaged on The Bachelor, and lasted for about a year. They broke up. She wrote a tell-all book about successfully reverse cowgirling him like a madman in the Fantasy Suite. The rest is hisstory.
Emily Maynard and Jef Holm (Getty) Emily Maynard and Jef Holm broke up really, really fast. She chose Jef with one F over Sean Lowe on The Bachelorette. Bad call.
Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez (Getty) Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez dated for a long while. They didn’t last, however, calling off their engagement after about 18 months.
Travis Stork and Sarah Stone Travis Stork and Sarah Stone broke up before The Bachelor finale and After the Final Rose special even aired. Now that takes decidation to not making it work.
Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski (Getty) Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski’s engagement was short-lived. She’s better off for it.
Charlie O’Connell and Sarah Brice (2005 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.) Charlie O’Connell and Sarah Brice are obviously not still together. But they sure made a cute pairing on the early years of the ABC reality franchise.
Jesse Csincsak and Deanna Pappas Jesse Csincsak and Deanna Pappas got engaged after The Bachelorette chose him over Jason Mesnick. Did not take.
Juan Pablo and Nikki Ferrell (Getty) Juan Pablo’s now-infamous non-proposal made him persona non grata for many fans, but he and winner Nikki Ferrell were together for a good six months before she finally got sick of his crap.
Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter have been together so long, we forget that she was ever not Mrs. Ryan Sutter. They have been married for a decade and have two kids!
Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray split up after just six months together. Amazingly, they appeared happily together and in love just days before they called it off.
Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron Yup, Hannah gets to be on this list twice. She asked out runner-up Tyler on the After the Final Rose special — and he said yes! They then went out on a single date, before he hit it off with Gigi Hadid and is apparently now very serious with the model.
Peter Weber and Hannah Ann Sluss This f–k boi gets a second entry as well, by virtue of the fact that it was Hannah Ann – not Madison or Kelley – who actually accepted his final rose. Sure, things sometimes don’t work out, but this guy basically let things die a slow death until she just couldn’t take it anymore, while secretly (or not even that secretly) pining for other girls from the show. Plural. Straight up f–k boi.
Peter Weber and Kelley Flanagan The third time was not the charm for Pilot Pete, who ran through cast members like Drano in 2020. After his brief engagement to winner Hannah Ann Sluss and subsequent split from runner-up Madison Prewett, he reconnected with fellow cast member Kelley Flanagan. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be, with the pilot sharing on New Year’s Eve that their nine-month romance was over. “While our relationship was filled with countless beautiful memories, our relationship simply didn’t work out in the end,” Pete said on Instagram. On to the next, we suppose. Such a f–k boi.
Chris Soules and Victoria Fuller One of the least expected Bachelor Nation hookups of all time began in quarantine. Chris slid into Victoria’s DMs, and she went out to Iowa to shack up with him, and that was awesome for awhile. Then they went their separate ways after a few months because he’s Chris Soules and she’s Victoria Fuller.
Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti Another success story! It took these two awhile to find each other – or, to be specific, for Jared to acknowledge Ashley was The One – but they went ahead and also got married in the summer of 2019.
Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson These two were the villains of their seasons (Randone competed for Becca Kufrin’s heart while Nielson went after Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s.) But they got their own happy endings when they found love… with each other. The pair moved to Los Angeles, have two dogs, and were married by Chris Harrison. Soon enough it was over, though; Just months before their one-year wedding anniversary, the newlyweds shared the news of their divorce. Krystal is now expecting her first baby with boyfriend Mike Bowles.
Kevin Wendt and Astrid Loch Wendt made a name for himself on Bachelor in Paradise, which is where he met Loch, who competed on Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor. The pair initially got it on in Paradise, but reconnected off-screen and are now going strong. In July 2020 Astrid and Kevin announced that they are delaying wedding until next year due to the pandemic, but rest assured, they are going strong.
Joe Amabile and Kendall Long Joe and Kendall went public in the fall of 2018 after also meeting in Paradise. They signed a lease for an apartment together in West Hollywood. Alas, distance and shifting priorities proved too much for them and they called it quits in late 2020.
Carly Waddell and Evan Bass Another married couple we thought would be a lifelong success story! This Bachelor in Paradise couple (from Season 3) got married in June 2017 and welcomed a girl in February 2018. Alas, they have decided to go their separate ways. Go home, 2020, you’re drunk!
Lace Morris and Grant Kemp Two months after the 2016 Bachelor in Paradise finale, Morris and Kemp were living together in San Francisco and looking forward to planning their wedding. However, in November 2016, despite having matching tattoos, the couple broke up.