Cindy Culler is explaining why things didn’t work out with Mel Owens on The Golden Bachelor.
Although she reached the final round of The Golden Bachelor season two with Peg Munson, the retired engineer ultimately chose to remove herself from the competition before they could reach the fantasy suite. The main reason was that Mel wasn’t ready to get engaged, and that was a problem they couldn’t resolve.
She explained to the former NFL player that she lives by a simple rule: she acts as if her future husband would admire her choices. Whether that person is him or someone else, she wants to live a life worthy of respect. She admitted the process of finding a partner is quick, and neither of them will know everything about each other right away. Ultimately, she hopes her future partner will feel an instant, undeniable connection with her â like he can’t imagine life without her.
She continued, “I think you’re great, but I’m not sure I want to free fall for that long.”
Mel looked disappointed as she firmly made her decision, and their goodbye was painfully sad.
âIâm so sorry,â she said sadly. âThis isnât what I hoped for, but youâre truly one of the best.â
Before they split, Cindy directly asked Mel if he was considering proposing after the dating show ended. He admitted he wasn’t ready, explaining that he needed time to develop those feelings and wouldn’t propose just because the show was over. He said he could see himself marrying her eventually, perhaps in a couple of years.
That admission made it clear to Cindy that he wasn’t the long-term partner she’d been hoping for.
She explained that she repeatedly hoped he would express his feelings and commit to a relationship, saying something like, ‘Please be patient, I’m falling for you.’ But he wouldn’t even say that. Instead, he asked for two years to figure things out, and she felt that if you meet someone you connect with, you shouldn’t wait to commit.
After mentioning Mel, 66, and saying she didnât expect to get engaged anytime soon, she clarified that at 60, sheâs enjoying her life and doesnât want to wait around for someone. She stated plainly, ‘Heâs just not the right person for me.’
Although Peg and Mel decided against getting engaged during their time in Antigua, they didnât leave empty-handed. Mel proposed with a Neil Lane diamond ring, so Peg did leave with a ring on her finger.
As Mel explained, the jewelry symbolized their dedication to each other and their willingness to work together to build a future.
Their approach clearly worked well for them. As Peg, 62, explained on After the Final Rose, reaching their 60s meant they could define their own relationship. “We’re both on the same page,” she said, “and that’s what makes this love story special for us.”
Keep reading to find out which couples from The Bachelor franchise have gotten married or broken up.
Status: Dating
Before The Golden Bachelor even started airing, Mel Owen faced some criticism. He appeared on the MGoBlue Podcasts With Jon Jansen and said he wouldn’t consider women over 60, and preferred they didn’t have hip replacements or wear wigs.
Although his longtime partner, Peg Munson, is also in her sixties, their relationship is full of life and excitement. The former NFL player described her to Glamour as incredibly energetic.
Even though he didn’t kneel during his final game in November 2025, the athleteâwho is also a lawyerâpresented a Neil Lane diamond ring, explaining, “This symbolizes our dedication to each other and gives us the space to plan our future together.”
Status: Engaged
Spencer Conley, who made a good impression on Jenn Tran with his friendly personality on The Bachelorette, found a connection on season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise. In August 2025, he shared a post with Jess Edwards (who previously tried to win over Joey Graziadei on The Bachelor) hinting they were falling for each otherâa common way of saying they weren’t ready to say “I love you” just yetâand jokingly declared he’d “already won.”
Jess echoed the sentiment, posting on social media, “Just really happy about this guy and everything!”
They were thrilled to choose each other over the $250,000 prize, and their happiness continued when they got engaged and received an unexpected check for $190,000.
“Everything that weâve been through,” Jess said, “has led us to this exact moment.”
Jess shared during the November 2025 After the Finale Rose special that she’ll be moving to Dallas in a few weeks, following her blossoming relationship.
Status: Dating
Bailey Taylor Brown shared on Instagram in August 2025 that her date with Jeremy Simon was the best first date she’d ever had, following his appearance on the tenth season of Paradise. However, it might also be their last. Bailey, who originally competed for Grant Ellisâs affection, and Jeremy, who almost won over Jenn on The Bachelorette, recently overcame their biggest fight yet when Bailey discovered Jeremy had hesitated about letting Susie Evans go.
Their romance continued to blossom while they were in Costa Rica. Even though they didn’t make it to the end of Bachelor in Paradise, they decided to keep dating after the show. They’ve already met each other’s families and are making plans to live in the same city.
In a September 2025 Instagram post, Bailey expressed how fortunate she felt to have met her partner and shared her excitement for the future.
Status: Dating
It appears that Andrew Spencer, who competed on Katie Thurstonâs season of Paradise, and Alexe Godin from Grantâs season are still very much together after filming. Just six days after Andrew publicly called Alexe his âloveâ on Instagram in August 2025, she reciprocated, calling him her âdarlingâ in a post of her own.
Even though they picked love instead of the $250,000 prize on the Bachelor in Paradise finale, they still received $125,000.
âThis is incredible,â Alexe exclaimed. âIâm leaving with more than just moneyâIâm leaving with love, and thatâs what truly matters.â
The show will feature Alexe and Andrew’s exciting news: they’re moving to Chicago together!
In September 2025, she shared on Instagram that she’d found someone who shares her unique personality, and she’s excited to build a life with them.
Status: Dating
During the finale of Bachelor in Paradise, a conflict arose when Sean McLaughlin claimed Kat Izzo had hidden a laptop and was secretly corresponding with a former boyfriend. Kat, a nurse practitioner, strongly denied contacting him while on the show.
She asked if they were still together before this happened. He replied that they were, explaining he hadn’t expected to meet anyone else.
Even though Kat and Dale didnât make it to the final test on Paradise, they continued dating. The show revealed that the couple â Kat, who was on Zach Shallcrossâ season, and Dale, who was on Clare Crawleyâs â traveled the U.S. together and are planning a future together, including moving closer to each other.
Dale wrote under Katâs August 2025 Instagram post that things were difficult at times, but they got through it together, and he wouldnât trade the experience for anything.
Status: Just friendsâfor nowÂ
As a lifestyle expert, I was really rooting for Gary Levingston from Golden Bachelorette and Leslie Fhima â you might remember Leslie as a fan favorite on Golden Bachelor! They seemed so happy leaving Bachelor in Paradise and even shared a sweet video about starting a new chapter together. However, it sounds like things aren’t quite as straightforward as we thought. Apparently, Leslie, who once inspired Prince with her beauty, is taking things slow and isnât sure if she’s ready for a romantic relationship with Gary just yet.
You know, I’ve gotten really close with Gary. We talk all the time â honestly, he’s become one of my best friends. I feel so comfortable calling him when I’m going through something, and he’s amazing at helping me calm down and see things clearly. It’s a really supportive friendship; we genuinely have each otherâs backs, and I know I can always count on him.
Even though they live far apart â she’s in Minnesota and he’s in California â she’s still optimistic about their connection. She explained that, for her, the foundation of any good relationship, especially a romantic one, is friendship. She wants to be with someone she considers her best friend as they both get older.
Status: Just friends
Kim Buike, a frontrunner on Golden Bachelorette, has found love with Faith Martin, who previously received the first impression rose from Gerry Turner. Despite being eliminated on season 10 of Paradise, the pair are still together. In August 2025, Faith shared a video on Instagram showing Kim enjoying a date with her in Washington.
In the end, they realized they were better suited as friends than as a couple.
Faith explained in a September 2025 Instagram video that she and the other person talk about two or three times a week, despite living five and a half hours apart. However, she clarified that they’re not in a romantic relationship and never were â they simply had a strong connection while filming the show.
Grant met twenty-five women on the first night of The Bachelor, but ultimately chose Juliana Pasquarosa. Sadly, the couple broke up less than three months after their proposal was shown on television.
Grant announced on Instagram on June 13th that he and Juliana have decided to break up. He explained that they both tried their best and cared deeply for each other, but after careful consideration, they realized they weren’t a good match for the future.
Joan Vassos, who was a contestant on The Golden Bachelor and later became the first Golden Bachelorette, is engaged! After appearing on Gerry Turnerâs season and then leading the first season of The Golden Bachelorette, she accepted a proposal from Chock Chapple.
During the November 2024 finale of The Golden Bachelorette, Joan shared a message of hope, saying, ‘We prove that even later in life, things can still work out.’ Just before Chock proposed in Bora Bora, she told him, ‘I’ve waited for this special moment, in this beautiful place, to tell you that I love you. I want to spend my life with you â waking up with you every morning and kissing you goodnight.’
During the finale of The Bachelorette season 21, it seemed like Jenn Tran, who previously appeared on The Bachelor, had found love with her final choice, Devin Strader. However, Jenn shared during the After the Final Rose episode in September 2024 that Devin became distant with her immediately after filming ended.
Jenn explained to Jesse Palmer that he had strongly declared his love for her, but the very next day acted as if those feelings never existed. She said all the promises and affection heâd expressed were suddenly gone.
The situation escalated when Devin posted a 13-minute video on Instagram explaining his perspective and taking responsibility for his actions. In the video, he also detailed the reasons behind their breakup, which he had initially discussed during a 15-minute phone call.
Jenn said he ended their relationship over the phone in August, but he insists she pressed him for answers while he was attempting to tell her in person.
He said he hadn’t seen another option, especially since he wanted to tell her face-to-face. Ultimately, she made him reveal it.
Jenn then met Sasha Farber on Dancing With the Stars, and they became partners both on and off the dance floor. Although they were eliminated in October 2024, they continued dancing together for a time before ultimately splitting up in 2025.
Greg Grippo, who appeared on Katie Thurstonâs season of The Bachelorette, started dating Victoria Fuller from Bachelor in Paradise in November 2022. They announced their relationship on the season eight finale of Bachelor in Paradise, but Greg shared in April 2024 that they had broken up.
Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo revealed their relationship after the finale of season eight of Bachelor in Paradise, but before that, Victoria had ended her engagement with fellow cast member Johnny DePhillipo.
Gerry and Theresa Nist got engaged in November 2023 during the first-ever Golden Bachelor finale, and they were married in a televised ceremony in January 2024. They are now divorced.
However, three months after their nuptials, the couple announced that they were breaking up.
Gerry and Theresa have been having open and honest conversations about their relationship and future, and after careful consideration, they’ve mutually decided to get a divorce. Gerry shared this news during an appearance on Good Morning America in April 2024.
They reached a divorce settlement in June 2024, according to court records reviewed by TopMob News.
In April 2025, Gerry shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast that he was seeing someone and things were progressing nicely.
Tennis star Joey has found his life partner! After dating 32 women, he proposed to project manager Kelsey Anderson in March 2024. He told Kelsey, “I can’t wait another minute to tell you that I love you,” before asking her to marry him. Joey shared that Kelseyâs positive energy makes him incredibly happy, a feeling heâd never experienced before. He also expressed that meeting her showed him just how wonderful his life could be.
John Henry Spurlock, who competed for Charity Lawson’s affection, and Kat Izzo, from Zach Shallcross’ season, found a connection on season nine of Bachelor in Paradise, though it took a while to develop. John Henry proposed with a Neil Lane diamond, telling Kat she was everything he was looking for. However, shortly after the season finale, the couple announced their split. They explained in an Instagram post that their differing career goals made a long-term relationship impossible, but they were thankful for the support they received from family, friends, and fans.
Eliza Isichei, who previously dated Clayton Echard, is engaged! Despite being hesitant about finding love again after Paradise, she said yes to Aaron Bryant’s proposal on the beach. She was especially touched that Aaron asked her mother for her blessing beforehand, admitting she was overcome with emotion.
However, their engagement didn’t last. Shortly after the show aired, Eliza and Aaron announced they were ending things. They shared on social media in December 2023 that the split was mutual and they remain positive and respectful towards each other, despite the difficult emotions of watching their journey unfold.
Despite previously wishing boyfriend Aven Jones would propose like he did on The Bachelorette with Rachel Recchia, Kylee Russell accepted his proposal to try and make their relationship work after Paradise. Though she had a special engagement dress planned, she felt it was the right decision, explaining that love requires taking chances. Unfortunately, just two days after the show aired in December 2023, Kylee revealed on social media that the relationship had ended due to Avenâs infidelity. Aven later apologized, admitting he had made significant mistakes and hurt Kylee.
Charity Lawson is thrilled with how her season of The Bachelorette ended! She hinted to TopMob News that things were going well, but her August 2023 finale was even more exciting than she let on. Dotun Olubeko, an integrative medicine specialist, proposed to Charity, a child and family therapist, getting down on one knee and calling their love “perfect.” He asked her to make their “fairytale” a reality.
Although they’re planning a wedding for 2025 or 2026, Charity will first be hitting the dance floor on Dancing With the Stars. Dotun surprised her on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose, revealing, “I know you love to dance, and weâve talked about this amazing opportunity. Iâm so happy to tell you that you’re going to be on Dancing With the Stars! Letâs go!”
 
As a huge fan, I was so thrilled to see Zach finally get his happy ending! After a bit of a rocky journey, especially with those Fantasy Suite dates, he proposed to Kaity Biggar in March 2023. He told her he was completely in love and that she was his world â it was so sweet! And then, in July 2023, they announced they were officially roommates, which feels like such a big and exciting step for them. I’m really happy for Zach and Kaity!
Kaity and her partner got married on May 23, 2025, in a small, intimate chapel ceremony. They had originally planned a bigger wedding, but Kaity realized it wasnât necessary. As she explained on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast in June 2025, she wanted to focus on what truly mattered: their love and connection. She felt she was getting too caught up in the minor details.
However, one thing especially impressed her. The aunt who encouraged her to compete for Zachâs affection had discovered the charming chapel near Austin where they held their wedding. âIt was absolutely perfect,â Kaity said.
Danielle Maltby and Michael Allio, who seemed like a promising couple after meeting on Bachelor in Paradise, have broken up. Both had faced personal tragedy â Danielle lost her fiancĂ© to a drug overdose, and Michael’s wife passed away, leaving him to raise their son James. After a year of Danielle moving to Ohio to be with Michael, he revealed they’d split. He explained on a podcast that while they cared for each other, they weren’t compatible, and he was grieving the loss of both the relationship and the future they’d imagined together.
Brandon Jones proposed to Serene Russell on season seven of Paradise, telling her he would love her forever. Sadly, their relationship didn’t last. Just five months after their engagement aired, the couple announced their split in a joint statement on Instagram. They explained that trying to work through their issues had been very difficult with so much public attention, and that despite a lot of love, the breakup was painful for both of them. They asked for privacy and kindness during this difficult time.
Pilot Rachel and general contractor Tino Franco ended their engagement after he kissed someone else while their season of the show was still airing. Tino later admitted on the Viall Files podcast that he deeply regrets his actions. He said he doesn’t excuse what he did, that it was unfair to Rachel, and that he still feels ashamed and wishes he could have handled the situation differently.
Susie Evans and Clayton Echard’s relationship, which began on the 2022 season of The Bachelor, had a complicated journey. After Susie initially turned Clayton down in the finale, they briefly reconnected, but ultimately broke up six months later. Susie explained in a November 2022 blog post that while they shared happy times, she wasn’t truly thriving and felt lost within the relationship. She felt the breakup was necessary for her own well-being.
Susie began dating Justin Glaze, who is known from The Bachelor franchise, but they ended their relationship in August 2024.
Michelle, an elementary school teacher from Minnesota, received a proposal and a $200,000 check for a future home from Nayte Olukoya, a sales executive from Texas, after appearing on a reality show. However, the couple ended their relationship six months after the show’s finale in December 2021, realizing they weren’t a good match. Nayte later admitted it was a mistake that they didn’t have the final breakup conversation in person. Michelle later found love with Jack Leius, and they became engaged in 2023, getting married in Minnesota in June 2025.
Fans were really hoping to see Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian build a future together, picturing cozy Sunday mornings for the couple. Unfortunately, their relationship from season seven of BIP only lasted a few weeks. In a joint statement released in January 2022, Maurissa (who previously dated Peter Weber) and Riley (a contestant on Tayshia Adamsâ season) announced they were breaking up. They explained that they both needed to focus on personal growth and hadn’t anticipated this outcome.
Status: Split
The first same-sex couple from Bachelor in Paradise got engaged during season six, but they announced their breakup in 2019 on Halloween.
We’ve always loved and cared for each other, and making the best decision for both of us has always been our priority. With a lot of love and sadness, weâve decided to take a break and focus on ourselves. We believe this is the best path forward for our individual growth and overall well-being, even though itâs difficult.
Despite a breakup during season seven of Bachelor in Paradise, Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer realized they were meant to be together. After initially living in San Diego, the couple recently bought a house in Noahâs hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abigail announced the exciting news on Instagram in July 2023, joking that they were entering their âChip and Joanna Gaines era.â Noah proposed to Abigail in San Diego in August 2023, and theyâre now planning their wedding and looking forward to building a life together in Tulsa.
Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile, who first connected on reality TV, surprised everyone by getting legally married in October 2022! The couple, known from The Bachelor and Paradise, decided to have a quick ceremony at City Hall near their home in New York City about a year after getting engaged. They’re still planning a larger wedding celebration for September 2023, but as Serena (now co-host of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast) put it, ‘Who doesn’t want to get married twice?!’ Joe Amabile originally gained attention on Becca Kufrinâs season of The Bachelor before finding love with Serena.
Kenny Braasch proposed to Mari Pepin with a Neil Lane diamond ring during the 2021 finale of Paradise, telling her, “I am so in love with you and can’t imagine my life without you.” Mari, a beauty queen from Maryland who originally appeared on The Bachelor, then moved to Chicago to be with Kenny. Before their November 2023 wedding â a 65-person ceremony held in Puerto Rico â the couple cemented their bond with matching tattoos during a trip to the Bahamas in May 2023. Kenny was previously eliminated in week five of Paradise by Tayshia Adams.
Status: Married
Becca Kufrin, who starred on The Bachelorette, and Thomas Jacobs, a contestant from Katie Thurston’s season, found love on season seven of Bachelor in Paradise in 2021. They briefly split up during filming but got back together after the show ended.
In May 2022, they announced their engagement, revealing that Becca had proposed. She told TopMob News that she hoped their unconventional approach would empower others to break tradition. Thomas returned the gesture by proposing to her in October of the same year. In September 2023, they welcomed their son, Benson, with Becca sharing on Instagram that no words could express how much love they felt for him.
Just weeks after Benson’s birth, the couple had a surprise wedding ceremony on October 13th.
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2025-11-13 23:50