Fans of The Bachelor know that not every contestant on the show finds true love. There are theatrics, heartbreaks, and disputes in the play. As a result, unions necessitate time, effort, and a great deal of resolve away from the screen.
It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but relationships formed on reality television do not usually survive in the real world. Nonetheless, the Bachelor series has shown its matchmaking abilities over the years, with several couples who met on-screen and fell in love in real life.
The lucky few who received the last rose and remained united beat all odds. Over two decades, the brand has created countless successful marriages, engagements, and partnerships.
Following their on-screen happy endings, here are the selected favorite couples who made it work in real life.
The Bachelor’s on-screen to real-life relationship transitions
1) Ryan Sutter and Trista Rehn
Trista Rehn, ABC’s first Bachelorette, was betrothed to firefighter Ryan Sutter at the season finale—Ryan proposed to her, even though the show’s original plan was for Trista to ask for his hand in marriage.
They married in a broadcast event in December 2003 and are still recognized as the franchise’s crowning achievement, even after 18 years.
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The couple’s two children, Max and Blakesley, reside in Colorado. Maxwell Alston, their boy, was born in July 2007, and Blakesley Grace, their daughter, was born in April 2009. According to reports, Trista disclosed the secrets of their long-lasting and good marriage in an interview, stating:
“You must devote the same amount of time and effort to your relationship as you do to everything else.”
2. Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici
Sean gave Catherine his final rose and a massive diamond in the season 17 finale. Their on-screen romance was just getting started. They married in the first-ever Bachelor aired TV marriage ceremony in 2014.
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They currently have two sons, Samuel and Isaiah, and a daughter, Mia, born in late 2019. Although Sean getting down on one knee for Catherine was surprising, the two have shown that their romance is intended to last.
Catherine revealed some details about their marriage to E! News, saying:
“I adore waking up next to my best friend, spending the day with her, and kissing her good night. Every day, I can count on Sean to make me feel appreciated and to provide me excellent advise when I need it. He is, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
3) Bryan Abasolo and Rachel Lindsay
In season 13 of The Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay chose Bryan Abasolo over fan-favorite Peter Krause. She appears to be the happiest she has been since making her decision.
They started planning their future in Texas, married in a non-televised wedding in Mexico in 2019, and are now based in Los Angeles.
Lindsay resorted to Bryan’s podcast, Dr. Abs Healthcast, to discuss their lives in Los Angeles, saying:
“I didn’t move to Los Angeles because I adore the city. You’re focusing on your practice and growing it to where you want it to be, and I’m here in L.A. working for Extra and doing other things, and we’re all doing it to finally bring ourselves together.”
4) Molly Malaney and Jason Mesnick
Even by The Bachelor standards, the circumstances that brought Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney together were extraordinary. Jason came after the Final Rose, claiming he had split from Melissa and was now seeing second-place winner Molly Malaney.
Despite his initial preference for Melissa Rycroft as the recipient of his last rose, the Bachelor eventually settled on Molly as his real-life companion.
Molly became Ty’s stepmother as a result of Jason’s previous relationship. In 2010, they married in a live televised ceremony. Riley was born in 2013, and the pair celebrated ten years of marriage around two years ago.
5) Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James
Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell met in 2021 on The Bachelor’s season full of drama and scandal. During the pair’s early TV appearances, Rachael was chastised for racist and offensive imagery from her undergraduate days. Chris Harrison supported Rachael before stepping down as the show’s host.
Rachael and Matt talked about their separation After the Final Rose and decided to go their separate ways in various ways. Matt chose Rachael in the last episode, and the two set off without making it official. Rachael apologized for the photos after the pair split up.
Matt made it official in May that he and Rachael are dating again. Despite this, the two were seen together in public several times this spring, despite both claiming they are not together. According to Us Weekly, Matt was rumored to see other women behind Rachael’s back.
6) Jordan Rodgers and JoJo Fletcher
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers fell in love on season 12 of The Bachelorette. JoJo gave Jordan her final rose during the finale while accepting Jordan’s proposal.
When they finally met in person, the flame between them sparked the fire, and the rest was Bachelorette history. The couple is still engaged, despite having to reschedule their wedding twice, and have yet to make any public announcements about their marriage.
In August 2021, Jordan told US Weekly:
“Every time we’ve had to postpone, it’s had to be a year away from the original date because fall isn’t an option.” Jordan has been away for football all fall, and there are only a few months of the year when our venue is truly blooming and gorgeous because it is outside, so it will be May of next year.”
8. Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
The romance between Raven (from Nick’s year on The Bachelor) and Adam (from Rachel Lindsay’s year on The Bachelorette) stood out on season four of Bachelor in Paradise.
Instead of getting engaged soon after the season, the couple intended to continue dating outside the show’s set. However, Adam proposed soon after, and Ravel accepted!
According to People Magazine, despite not getting engaged right away in the 2017 finale, the couple married in April 2021 after postponing their wedding three times due to COVID-19.
Raven and Adam posted a picture on Instagram on Valentine’s Day 2022, formally announcing the birth of their child.
Holly Durst had two significant reasons to celebrate at the finale of the Bachelor spinoff, which aired before Paradise’s title Bachelor Pad. Holly revealed her engagement to fellow star Blake Julian in addition to winning the $250,000 prize money with companion Michael Stagliano in the 2011 finale.
Unfortunately, the discovery was unsettling, as fans were forced to see Michael (Holly’s former partner) react in disbelief to the news.
Despite the onstage tension, Holly and Blake married in 2012 and continue to have a strong game. The couple now lives in South Carolina with their daughter Poppy.
9) Chris Lambton and Peyton Wright
Although Chris Lambton, who finished second on The Bachelorette season 6, did not receive Ali Fedotowsky’s final rose, he found happiness outside the show with Peyton Wright.
Peyton and Chris are yet another couple who met after failing to find love on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, respectively. Peyton was rejected for Andy Baldwin’s season, whereas Chris, a landscaper, was one of two finalists for Ali Fedotowsky’s hand in 2010.
They met at a franchise-organized gathering and hit it off right away. They married in 2012, moved to Massachusetts, and then had their two children, Lyla and Hayes.
