Why Golden Bachelorette’s Joan Vassos Won’t Have a TV Wedding

by

Joan Vassos isn’t going to let TV get in the way of her I do’s 

It’s been over a year since Chock Chapple proposed to the star of *The Golden Bachelorette*, and she recently explained why they probably won’t have a wedding on TV. This is in contrast to Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist from *The Golden Bachelor*, who recently divorced after televising their wedding.

Joan shared on the September 17th episode of *The Tangle* podcast with Kyle Ridley that, despite what people ask, she and her partner haven’t received any offers to get married on television.

Joan revealed that despite becoming reality stars after getting engaged on *The Golden Bachelorette* in July 2024, she and her fiancé haven’t actually benefited from many opportunities, even though they’ve been offered some great ones.

I’m content keeping things private with our family and friends,” she said. “But I wouldn’t mind sharing some photos and letting you know what we’re up to.

The 62-year-old emphasized that her relationship with Golden Bachelor Nation is “paramount.”

I’m really thankful people tuned in to watch the show. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to those viewers – they’re investing their time in what we’re creating, and I wouldn’t want to let them down.

Even though Joan and Chock’s time on *The Golden Bachelor* ended – with former NFL player Mel Owens announced as the new lead in April – Joan still feels a responsibility to keep her fans updated about her love life.

She said her family deserves to be kept in the loop about their relationship and to share in any successes. She believes it wouldn’t be right for them to learn about the marriage separately, as they’ve been supportive throughout the relationship and deserve to be included in this important milestone.

Joan didn’t have any news about her wedding plans with Chock, but she said their relationship is stronger than ever. They’ve been traveling so much that they haven’t even had time to look for a place to live in Manhattan yet.

She excitedly explained that their relationship allowed them to enjoy exciting activities together, rather than just spending time at each other’s homes. Since they didn’t have children, they had the freedom to go out and experience new things, which she found much more enjoyable than dating in her youth.

Keep reading for an update on every Bachelor Nation pair… 

Status: Engaged

Spencer Conley, who made a good impression on Jenn Tran with his friendly personality on *The Bachelorette*, found romance on season 10 of *Bachelor in Paradise*. He shared a post with Jess Edwards (who previously tried to connect with Joey Graziadei on *The Bachelor*) hinting that they were falling for each other – a way of saying they weren’t quite ready to say “I love you” yet. In an August 2025 Instagram post, Spencer declared he’d “already won.”

Jess also expressed her excitement online, writing that she was feeling happy about Spencer. The couple chose their relationship over a $250,000 prize, and were thrilled to get engaged and receive a surprise gift of $190,000. Jess shared that everything they had experienced together had brought them to this perfect moment. She will soon be moving to Dallas to be with Spencer.

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, after taking him out during the tenth season of *Paradise*. But could it also be their last? Bailey, who originally competed for Grant Ellis’ affection, and Jeremy, who almost won over Jenn on *The Bachelorette*, managed to work through a major disagreement when Bailey found out Jeremy had hesitated about sending Susie Evans home.

Despite the drama, their connection grew stronger in Costa Rica. Though they didn’t make it to the end of *Bachelor in Paradise*, they continued dating after the show. The show later revealed they’d already met each other’s families and were planning to live in the same city.

Status: Dating

It appears that Andrew Spencer from Katie Thurston’s season of *Paradise* and Alexe Godin from Grant’s season are still very much together after filming. Andrew publicly called Alexe his “mon amour” on Instagram in August 2025, and she responded by calling him “mon chéri.” Despite choosing love over the $250,000 prize on *Bachelor in Paradise*, they each still received $125,000.

“This is incredible,” Alexe exclaimed. “I’m leaving with money, but more importantly, I’m leaving with love.”

The show then revealed that Alexe and Andrew are moving to Chicago together to start a new life.

Status: Dating

Kat and Dale faced a difficult situation during the *Bachelor in Paradise* finale when Sean McLaughlin claimed Kat had been secretly communicating with an ex-boyfriend through letters and a laptop. Kat, however, denied contacting him while on the show. She explained that she and her ex had still been in touch before arriving, as she hadn’t expected to find someone new.

Although Kat and Dale didn’t make it to the final rose ceremony, their relationship continued to grow after the show. Viewers learned that the couple, who both originally appeared on *The Bachelor*, traveled the U.S. together and were planning a future together, including potentially moving closer to each other.

Dale wrote under Kat’s August 2025 Instagram post that things were difficult at times, but they got through it together, and he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Status: Just friends—for now 

After leaving season 10 of *Bachelor in Paradise*, Gary Levingston and Leslie Fhima (who was a finalist on *Golden Bachelor*) seemed to have a promising future together, even sharing a video about creating new memories. However, Leslie, who once inspired musician Prince, isn’t sure she wants to pursue a romantic relationship with Gary.

You know, I’ve become really close with Gary. Honestly, he’s one of my best friends now. I can call him with anything – he’s great at helping me stay grounded when I’m stressed, and I always know he’s there for me, just like I’m there for him. We really have each other’s backs, and that kind of support is priceless!

Even though they live far apart – she’s in Minnesota and he’s in California – she’s still optimistic about their connection. She explained that, for her, the most important part of any relationship, especially a romantic one, is building a strong friendship first. She wants to grow old with someone she considers her best friend.

Status: Dating

As a huge fan of the Bachelor franchise, I was so thrilled to see Kim Buike from *Golden Bachelorette* connect with Faith Martin, who originally received Gerry Turner’s first impression rose! Even though they didn’t make it to the end on season 10 of *Paradise*, it looks like they found something real. Faith shared a sweet video on Instagram back in August 2025 showing her and Kim enjoying a date in her hometown of Washington – they looked so happy together!

Honestly, after Faith and Kim left Paradise, Faith was just glowing, saying Kim is an incredible person. And when asked if they saw a future together, Kim explained they both feel a really strong connection already and are excited to continue building on that outside of the show. It sounds promising, and I’m really rooting for them!

Grant initially connected with 25 women on *The Bachelor*, but ultimately chose Juliana Pasquarosa. Sadly, the couple broke up less than three months after their proposal was shown on television.

Okay, so this is tough to share, but I want to be real with you all. Juliana and I have decided to go our separate ways. We truly gave it our all – there was a lot of love and effort on both sides – but after a lot of honest conversations, we realized we’re just not the right match for the long haul. It’s sad, but sometimes the most loving thing to do is acknowledge when a relationship isn’t meant to be.

Joan Vassos, who was a contestant on the first season of *The Golden Bachelor* and left early, found love as *The Golden Bachelorette*. She got engaged to Chock Chapple during the show.

As a huge fan, I was completely moved when Joan said on *The Golden Bachelorette* finale, right before Chock’s proposal in Bora Bora, that we really are proof you can find hope at any age. It was just so beautiful! Then, she told him she’d waited for this perfect moment to say ‘I love you’ and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him – waking up next to him every morning and sharing a goodnight kiss every night. It was honestly the sweetest thing ever!

During the season 21 finale of *The Bachelorette*, it seemed like Jenn Tran, who previously appeared on *The Bachelor*, had found her happy ending with Devin Strader. However, Jenn later revealed in September 2024, during the *After the Final Rose* episode, that Devin became distant as soon as 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 he’d expressed had completely disappeared.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Devin just posted a THIRTEEN-minute video on Instagram explaining everything! He said he’s taking responsibility, which is good, but then he went into ALL the details about their breakup – apparently, it all went down during a FIFTEEN-minute phone call! I’ve watched it like five times already, and I’m still trying to piece it all together. It’s SO much drama, and I’m completely obsessed with knowing what happened!

Jenn said he ended their relationship during a phone call in August, but he insists she pressed him for answers while he was trying to tell her in person.

He said he’d been wanting to tell her face-to-face, but she pushed him to reveal it sooner than he’d planned. He felt like he didn’t have a choice.

Jenn then met Sasha Farber on the set of *Dancing With the Stars*, and the two began dating. They continued to dance together even after being eliminated from the show in October 2024, but eventually broke up in 2025.

Greg Grippo, who appeared on Katie Thurston’s 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.

Before revealing their relationship on the season eight finale of *Bachelor in Paradise*, Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo had already broken up with their respective partners. Victoria had ended her engagement with fellow cast member Johnny DePhillipo.

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist got engaged in November 2023 on the finale of the first season of *The Golden Bachelor* and 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 living arrangements. During an appearance on *Good Morning America* in April 2024, Gerry announced that they’ve mutually decided to get a divorce.

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 love! 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 explained that Kelsey’s positive energy made him incredibly happy, and he’d never felt that way before. He shared 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 *Bachelor in Paradise*, but their romance didn’t last. Despite a proposal involving a Neil Lane diamond, the couple announced their split shortly after the show’s finale. They explained on Instagram that their differing career goals led them to realize they weren’t a long-term match, but they remained thankful for the support they received from family, friends, and fans of *The Bachelor* franchise.

Eliza Isichei, who previously dated Clayton Echard, is engaged! Despite initial anxieties about finding love again after *Paradise*, she said yes to a proposal from Aaron Bryant, a software salesman, in a beautiful oceanfront setting. Eliza was especially touched that Aaron asked her mother for her blessing before popping the question.

However, the couple revealed they’ve decided to end their engagement shortly after the show aired. Eliza and Aaron shared on social media in December 2023 that while the split was difficult to watch unfold, they are parting ways amicably with positivity and respect for each other.

Despite previously expressing disappointment that her boyfriend, Aven Jones, hadn’t proposed in the traditional way-something he reportedly considered doing on *The Bachelorette* with Rachel Recchia-Kylee Russell accepted his proposal to try and make their relationship work after *Paradise*. While she had already picked out an engagement dress, she felt it was the right decision, explaining that love requires taking chances. However, just two days after the show’s finale aired in December 2023, Kylee announced on Instagram that they had broken up due to Aven’s cheating. 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, “I am happy with how this season turns out!” – a statement that didn’t quite capture the excitement of the finale. Dotun Olubeko, an integrative medicine specialist, proposed to Charity, a child and family therapist, getting down on one knee and declaring their love “perfect.” He then asked, “Would you do me the honor of turning this fairytale into a reality?”

Though a wedding (potentially in 2025 or 2026) is in their future, Charity will first be hitting the dance floor on *Dancing With the Stars*. Dotun surprised her during *The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose*, saying, “I know you like to cut up, you like to dance and you like to get down. You know that we’ve talked about this-about how amazing this opportunity would be. And I am so happy to be the one to tell you that you’re gonna be on *Dancing With the Stars*! Baby, let’s go!”

 

Zach Shallcross found love on season 27 of *The Bachelor*, proposing to Kaity Biggar in March 2023. He told her, “I am so in love with you,” expressing how much she meant to him. By July 2023, the couple, who are both based in Texas, had taken their relationship a step further and announced they were moving in together.

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 wasn’t necessary. As she explained on the *Bachelor Happy Hour* podcast in June 2025, she wanted to focus on what really mattered – their love and connection – and felt she was getting too caught up in the minor details.

However, one thing especially impressed her. The aunt who signed her up to compete for Zach’s affection discovered the charming chapel near Austin where they held their wedding. “It was exactly what I’d hoped for,” Kaity shared.

Danielle Maltby and Michael Allio, who seemed like a promising couple after meeting on *Bachelor in Paradise*, have broken up. Despite a strong connection – Danielle had previously experienced loss, and Michael is a single dad raising his young son James – the couple split a year after Danielle moved to Ohio to be with him. Michael explained on a podcast in September 2023 that while they loved each other, they weren’t compatible, and he was grieving the loss of both the relationship and the future they had planned together.

Brandon Jones proposed to Serene Russell on season seven of *Paradise*, telling her he would love her forever. However, their relationship didn’t last. Just five months after getting engaged on the show, the couple announced their split in May 2023. In a joint statement on Instagram, they explained that they had tried to work through their issues privately, but it was difficult with so much public attention. They shared that the breakup was painful for both of them and asked for privacy and understanding.

Pilot Rachel and contractor Tino Franco ended their engagement after he kissed someone else while their season of the show was still being broadcast. Tino later admitted on the podcast *The Viall Files* 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 things differently.

Susie Evans and Clayton Echard’s relationship, which unfolded on and off-screen during the 2022 season of *The Bachelor*, ultimately ended after six months. While they briefly reconnected after an initial rejection, Susie explains the breakup was necessary for her own well-being. In a blog post, she shared that she wasn’t truly happy and felt she was losing herself, despite having some good times with Clayton. She realized they weren’t a good long-term fit and needed to prioritize her own growth.

Okay, so after Clayton’s season, Susie actually started dating Justin Glaze from Bachelor Nation! I was SO excited for her, I really thought he was a good match. But sadly, they announced their breakup in August 2024, and honestly, my heart broke a little bit with hers. I was really rooting for them!

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 ultimately broke up six months after the show’s finale in December 2021, realizing they weren’t a good match. Nayte later admitted on a podcast that their relationship was filled with conflict and that ending things without an in-person conversation was a mistake. Michelle later found love with Jack Leius, and they became engaged in 2023. The couple married in Minnesota in June 2025.

Fans were excited about a future for Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian after watching them connect on *Bachelor in Paradise*. However, the couple ultimately only spent a short time together – a few months, really. In January 2022, Maurissa and Riley announced their breakup in a joint statement, explaining that they both needed to focus on personal growth. While they initially envisioned a long-term relationship filled with happy moments, they decided to go their separate ways.

Status: Split

The first same-sex couple from *Bachelor in Paradise* got engaged on season six, but they broke up and announced their split on Halloween in 2019.

We’ve always loved and cared for each other deeply, and prioritizing our well-being has always been key. With a lot of love and sadness, we’ve decided to take a break and focus on ourselves. We believe this is the best path forward for both of us, allowing us to grow as individuals, and ultimately, is what’s best for our future.”

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 Noah’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abigail shared on Instagram in July 2023 that they were excited to start their next chapter, including planning a wedding! Noah proposed to her in August 2023 at a beach house in San Diego.

Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile, who first connected on reality TV, secretly tied the knot in October 2022! The couple – Serena was a finalist on Matt James’ season of *The Bachelor*, and Joe, known as the ‘Grocery Store Joe,’ became a fan favorite after appearing on Becca Kufrin’s season – decided to have a small ceremony at City Hall near their home in New York City. They had gotten engaged a year earlier after leaving *Paradise*. Serena, who now co-hosts the *Bachelor Happy Hour* podcast with Joe, shared the news with a video and explained they’re still planning a larger wedding for September 2023, but why not get married twice?

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, who first appeared on *The Bachelor* and caught Matt’s eye, relocated to Chicago, Kenny’s hometown, to begin planning their future together. Before their November 2023 wedding – a 65-person ceremony held on a beach in Puerto Rico – the couple solidified their bond with matching tattoos during a May 2023 vacation to the Bahamas. Kenny had previously been eliminated by Tayshia Adams during week five of *Paradise*.

Status: Married

Becca Kufrin, who starred on *The Bachelorette*, and Thomas Jacobs, previously a contestant on 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 she hoped their decision would inspire others to break tradition. Thomas returned the gesture by proposing to her in October. In September 2023, they welcomed their son, Benson, with Becca sharing on Instagram that no words could express how much love they had for him.

Just weeks after Benson’s birth, the couple had a surprise wedding ceremony on October 13th.

Status: Split

In the 2021 finale of *The Bachelorette*, Katie got engaged to Blake Moynes. They first connected during an overnight date that included activities like paintball, a relaxing soak in a cowboy tub, and a heartfelt conversation under the stars.

Blake proposed to Katie by getting down on one knee and telling her he wanted to support her dreams and be with her always.

Just three months after getting engaged, the couple announced they were breaking up. In similar statements, they said they cherished the time they’d spent together this past year, but realized they weren’t right for each other long-term and that going their separate ways was the kindest thing to do. She has since married comedian Jeff Arcuri.

Read More

2025-09-19 00:24