All 27 Seasons of ‘The Bachelor’ — Where Are They Now?
After 27 seasons, not too many winning relationships from "The Bachelor" are still in bloom, but we have a recap on where all these stars are now.
“The Bachelor” is one of those reality shows we just love to hate. In each season, one lucky bachelor meets dozens of women, narrowing them down each week until only two remain. In the final episode, he proposes to a contestant he’s known for less than three months. It’s every bit as dramatic and ridiculous as it sounds.
Unsurprisingly, not many roses are still in bloom after 24 seasons. Keep reading to find out where these “Bachelor” couples are now.
Season 1: Alex Michel and Amanda Marsh
Peter Kramer / AP Photo
The first season of the Bachelor hit record heights in the ratings when Alex Michel chose Amanda Marsh as his girl to be.
However, their relationship didn’t last long, and Marsh dumped Michel after learning about his flirtatious ties to Trista Rehn, the runner-up of season 1, who, of course, moved on quickly as the star of the first season of “The Bachelorette.”
Where Are They Now?
Today, Michel is married with children in Washington, D.C., and has continued his career in business, working for companies such as LinkedIn and Microsoft.
Marsh, now a practicing nurse with a young daughter in Kansas City, Missouri, has gone on to marry an advertising executive after divorcing from her first marriage with her childhood friend.
Season 2: Aaron Buerge and Helene Eksterowicz
Aaron Buerge and Helene Eksterowicz may have seemed like a perfect match in season 2, but the two broke their engagement after just five weeks. According to Helene, Aaron was the one to end it, stating he wasn’t “emotionally invested” in the relationship.
Helene also reported feeling heavily deceived after Buerge had continuously reaffirmed his feelings for her before. Hmmmm … are we surprised?
Where Are They Now?
Buerge eventually got married and is now the father of three children. After the banker/entrepreneur filed for bankruptcy after claiming his new note holder expected premature payment, he and his family relocated to Missouri for a fresh start.
Eksterowicz is now a mother of one and works as a school psychologist. She married Andrew Goodman, a technology consultant, in 2013, and currently resides in New Jersey.
Season 3: Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft
Sparks flew between Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft in season 3, but their engagement only lasted a few months. Unlike other “Bachelor” splits, their breakup was an amicable decision between the two, involving a long thorough conversation.
Schefft actually went on to star in “The Bachelorette,” but didn’t end up with any of the contestants, writing a book afterward titled “Better Single Than Sorry.” Did the show’s host, Chris Harrison, approve that?
Where Are They Now?
Ultimately, Schefft ended up with a businessman named Joe Waterman and now has two daughters. She now works in public relations.
Firestone eventually married actress Ivana Bozivolic, and they are currently raising their three children in Santa Barbara, California. He is currently co-founder of a hospitality development center called StonePark Capital.
Season 4: Bob Guiney and Estella Gardinier
In season 4, Bob Guiney became known as one of the first bachelors to kiss several of the women on camera — kissing a reported 14 women by episode three. Can you believe there was a time when that was considered inappropriate for this show?
Anyways, Estella Gardinier received a promise ring from Guiney, whose decision to gift a promise ring was based on the idea that the two could get to know each other better. Unfortunately, their relationship ended a mere month after the show. That didn’t stop Guiney from continuing in reality television, though, appearing in “Date My House” and “GSN Live.”
Where Are They Now?
In 2004, Guiney married actress Rebecca Budig, but they divorced in 2010. In 2016, he was remarried to Jessica Canyon, with whom he now shares a son.
Gardinier now lives in California and works as a fitness trainer, real estate broker and is the founder of a non-profit called “Project Love You”, which is dedicated to educating and inspiring youth through interactive opportunities about nutrition and wellness.
Season 5: Jesse Palmer and Jessica Bowlin
James Yee / AP Photo
Jesse Palmer and Jessica Bowlin may have not ended season 5 with a touchdown, but at least they continued to date — albeit briefly. They only made it two weeks after the show before breaking up.
Palmer, the former NFL Giants quarterback became a commentator and football analyst for ESPN and ABC and appeared on multiple shows including “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
Where Are They Now?
As of 2019, Palmer is engaged to Emely Fardo, a Brazilian model.
Bowlin went on to graduate from East Carolina University and Chapman University Law School and now works as an attorney in California. In 2013, she married Omar Rawi with whom she has two children.
Season 6: Byran Velvick and Mary Delgado
ABC
Season 6’s couple, Byran Velvick and Mary Delgado, lasted longer than most before calling it quits after five years of engagement (yes, you read that right!).
Velvick, a professional bass fisherman, and Delgado, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader, made the mutual decision to split after growing apart.
Where Are They Now?
Velvick eventually retired from fishing, but continued to appear on various fishing television shows and got married to Belinda Juarez in 2015. He is now the father of one.
In 2015, Delgado married James Kordomenos in Cuba. Today, she works as a real estate broker in Tampa, Florida.
Season 7: Charlie O’Connell and Sarah Brice
Charlie O’Connell (yes, the younger brother of actor Jerry O’Connell) and Sarah Brice dazzled in season 7, but their relationship didn’t progress to an engagement.
Instead, they continued an off-and-on relationship from 2005 until officially splitting in 2010.
Where Are They Now?
O’Connell continues to act, his most recent role being in 2019’s “Staged Killer.” (We haven’t heard of it either.) He also married actress and Playboy model Anna Sophia Berglund in 2018.
Brice is currently the vice president of business development at Cliovana and is married with three sons.
Season 8: Travis Stork and Sarah Stone
On season 8, Travis Stork and Sarah Stone didn’t get engaged at the end of the show.
That may be why they only continued to date for only about a week after the season finale aired.
Where Are They Now?
Stork continued in television after “The Bachelor,” serving as the medical expert on Dr. Phil and becoming a co-host on “The Doctors” a medical talk show. He was previously married to Charlotte Brown, a pediatrician, but recently remarried to Parris Bell in 2019 and had a son.
Stone is now a co-host of a podcast called “Say It Southern.” She resides in Nashville, Tennessee, and shares three daughters with her now-husband Brock Smith.
Season 9: Prince Lorenzo Borghese and Jennifer Wilson
Season 9’s special guest was Italian Prince Lorenzo Borghese, but he never made Jennifer Wilson his princess.
Even when the show ended, there was no engagement; however, they did try to make it work for a few months.
Where Are They Now?
Years later, Borghese has still not tied the knot with anyone, but has continued appearing in television, such as “America’s Next Top Dog: The Princess,” a reality spoof and the U.K.’s version of “Big Brother.” He also published a book titled “The Princess of Nowhere.”
Wilson married Lee Gerschutz, an accountant, and now resides in South Florida.
Season 10: Andrew Balwin and Tessa Horst
Andrew Balwin and Tessa Horst were engaged for several months after the end of season 10.
Balwin and Horst broke off their engagement but continued to date before officially breaking up.
Where Are They Now?
The former U.S Naval Officer doctor is reportedly still single and competes in navy triathlons. He’s also appeared on “Top Chef” and frequently works with charities. He’s also the founder of Got Your Back Network, a non-profit dedicated to supporting families who’ve lost their own in active service.
Horst eventually married Tom Pickard and had a son. She and her family now live in San Francisco, where she founded the Infant Growth Group.
Season 11: Brad Womack, Deanna Pappas and Jenni Croft
Craig Sjodin / ABC
In season 11, Brad Womack made headlines when he decided to choose neither Deanna Pappas nor Jenni Croft and instead remain single.
Womack, a winemaker, returned to the show in season 15 but ultimately didn’t find love then either (more on that later).
Where Are They Now?
Since then, Womack has kept a very low profile — probably a good call!
Pappas became the star of “The Bachelorette’s” fourth season, and even though she didn’t continue her on-show romance, she did marry Stephen Stagliano, who is the twin brother of another “Bachelorette” contestant — way to keep it in “The Bachelor” family. They have two children.
Croft moved on so quickly that she had already gotten back together with an ex-boyfriend before season 11 even aired. While it didn’t work out with that guy, she’s now married with three children and living in Phoenix.
Season 12: Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas
Matt Grant proposed to Shayne Lamas in season 12, but they called the engagement off five months later.
Where Are They Now?
Grant, an English financer, has continued his career in banking. In 2017, he was married to Rebecca Moring.
Lamas eventually tied the knot with Nik Richie, who founded TheDirty.com, a gossip website. The two were also cast in VH1’s “Couples Therapy.” Lamas is the mother of two, a daughter and a son that were both born with the help of a surrogate.
Season 13: Jason Mesnick and Melissa Rycroft
On season 13, Jason Mesnick and Melissa Rycroft were engaged, but not for long. On the national television segment, “After the Final Rose,” Mesnick admitted to breaking up with Rycroft in front of thousands of viewers.
He later got back together with Molly Malaney, the runner-up for that season. In normal dating circles, that would be appalling behavior, but let’s be fair to the guy, he was trying to choose a life partner in less time than a seasonal Starbucks drink lasts. Mistakes happen!
Where Are They Now?
The story actually ends happily. In 2010, Mesnick married Malaney during a “Bachelor” television special and the two are still together with two children.
Rycroft, the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, went on to host “Bachelor Pad,” and star in “Dancing With the Stars.” Rycroft is also married to Tye Strickland, an insurance agent, and is the mother of three.
Season 14: Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi
This season was particularly cringe-worthy. Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi ended season 14 with an engagement.
But they ended their relationship a few months later with a messy split that was aired on live television in the show’s “After the Final Rose” episode.
Where Are They Now?
Today, Pavelka still works as a pilot and has appeared on multiple reality shows, including “Bachelor Pad” and ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” In addition to reality TV, Pavelka has also starred in “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
In 2016, Girardi was engaged to Todd Allen, a NASCAR racer, but they broke it off. She is currently in a relationship with Jay Husagic, a real estate consultant. Girardi also opened up publicly about her miscarriage of twins in 2018 and the mental health struggles that came with it.
Season 15: Brad Womack and Emily Maynard
Brad Womack returned in season 15 to find the one.
But his supposed perfect match, Emily Maynard, apparently didn’t make the cut either.
Where Are They Now?
As previously mentioned, Womack has pretty much fallen off the grid since his second appearance on the show. He doesn’t even have social media accounts — at least not any that we can find.
Maynard, on the other hand, has gone on to publish her book titled “I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption and True Love.” And find true love she did. She’s now married to an automotive management consultant named Tyler Johnson and, including her children from a previous relationship, is now the mother of five.
Season 16: Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson
Season 16 was a rollercoaster of emotions. Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson got engaged at the end of filming, broke up while the season was airing, then got back together but ultimately ended their engagement within a year of the season’s end.
They must have needed neck braces from all that whiplash.
Where Are They Now?
Flajnik now resides in San Francisco and has founded Ion Wines and Fernet Francisco. He has dated off and on since “The Bachelor,” but has yet to marry.
Robertson went on to marry Humberto Preciado and give birth to a son. She also published a book in 2014 called, “I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends,” which went in depth about her experience on the show and her relationship with Flajnik. Let’s just say he wasn’t exactly happy about it.
Season 17: Sean Lowe and Catharine Giudici
Finally! — a couple we can be happy for. Sean Lowe proposed to Catharine Giudici in season 17, and the two eventually tied the knot in 2014.
The entrepreneur and graphic designer are one of the few couples from “The Bachelor” that are still together.
Where Are They Now?
Their wedding was televised on ABC from the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort for fans of the show to watch. After the season ended, the two appeared on several reality shows including “Celebrity Wife Swap” and “Dancing With the Stars.”
Lowe released a memoir in 2015 titled “For the Right Reasons: America’s Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage and Why Nice Guys Finish First.” In addition to their own line of Wayfair furniture, Giudici now runs LoweCo, the couple’s greeting card company, while Lowe himself has a career in real estate. Somehow, the power couple also found time to produce three beautiful children.
Season 18: Juan Pablo Galavis and Nikki Ferrell
While Juan Pablo Galavis didn’t propose to Nikki Ferrell, they did date for almost a year before officially splitting in 2014.
That said, Chris Harrison was not happy with their on-air fairytale ending because Galavis refused to say they were “in love.” Perhaps, we shouldn’t shame the man for being practical, but fans were furious, too.
Where Are They Now?
Galavis now works as a “sports and music consultant”, whatever that means. He has continued coparenting his daughter Camila with his first ex-wife, Carla Rodriguez. More recently, he divorced television host Osmariel Villaobos.
Ferrell went on to marry Tyler Vanloo, a sales executive in 2016, but divorced after two years. She now works as a pediatric nurse.
Season 19: Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff
In season 19, Chris Soules proposed to Whitney Bischoff, but ended the engagement two months after the finale aired.
Soules still farms as he did when he appeared on “The Bachelor,” but he wasn’t completely done being in the limelight.
Where Are They Now?
He made an appearance on “Dancing With the Stars” and, more surprisingly, made national news when he rear-ended a tractor, notified authorities and fled the scene before they arrived in 2017. The man driving the tractor succumbed to his injuries, and Soules was consequently charged and arrested for a felony. Yikes! He only served two years on probation, but the felony charge isn’t a great look for the franchise.
Today, he resides in Iowa and was rumored to be involved with former “Bachelor” contestant, Victoria Fuller, from season 24. Fuller confirmed the rumors but claimed they have broken up since.
Bischoff still works as a fertility nurse and currently resides in Chicago with her husband, Ricky Angel, a sales manager, and their son, Hayes.
Season 20: Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell
Ben Higgins proposed to Lauren Bushnell in season 20.
Sadly, after a year and a half, the business analyst and flight attendant decided to end things.
Where Are They Now?
Higgins, now living in Nashville, Tennessee, went on to co-found a for-purpose business called Generous Coffee that donates its profits to charitable causes around the world. Higgins also co-hosts a podcast called “Almost Famous” alongside Ashley Laconetti, another former “Bachelor” contestant. He also released a book this year titled “Alone in Plane Sight.” He did eventually find love, just not on the show. He has plans to tie the knot with a woman named Jessica Clarke in the fall of 2021.
Bushnell also lives in Nashville and is an Instagram influencer with more than 1.4 million followers. In 2019, she married country singer Chris Lane.
Season 21: Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi
After being the runner-up on “The Bachelorette” on both seasons 10 and 11 (ouch!), Nick Viall took the reins as the season 21 bachelor.
He proposed to Vanessa Grimaldi at the end of season 21, but they ended their relationship five months later.
Where Are They Now?
After “The Bachelor,” Viall appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” as well as various movie and television roles, including ones on “General Hospital” and “The Coop.” In addition to running his company, Natural Habits Essential Oils, Viall hosts a podcast titled “The Viall Files,” in which he goes into detail about past relationships.
Grimaldi now resides in Montreal. She still works as a speciale-ducation teacher, but she’s also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. She founded a company called No Better You, which focuses on constructing sensory rooms for special-education programs. Additionally, she started a lifestyle channel on YouTube and became engaged to a Canadian businessman named Josh Wolfe.
Season 22: Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Becca Kufrin
Arie Luyendyk Jr. chose Becca Kufrin to be his wife at the end of filming season 22. But (because this is “The Bachelor”) two months later, during a televised event, he broke up with Kufrin in front of a national audience so that he could be in a relationship with runner-up Lauren Burnham.
We did say the show was dramatic, didn’t we? He even went as far as to propose to Burnham during the “After the Final Rose” special.
Where Are They Now?
At least, it sounds like he made the right choice. He married Burnham in Hawaii in 2019 in a ceremony that was officiated by none other than Chris Harrison. The two are still together, and they currently have one child, plus a set of twins on the way. Luyendyk Jur. now works in real estate but has continued his race-car driving career on the side.
Kufrin was the bachelorette for the show’s 14th season and got engaged to Garrett Yrigoyon by the end of the show, but they broke it off in 2020. Now living in Los Angeles, Kufrin works as a publicist and runs her own clothing brand, B the Label. She is also the co-host for two Bachelor-themed podcasts called “Bachelor Live” and “Bachelor Happy Hour.”
Season 23: Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph
Season 23 caught many viewers off guard when Cassie Randolph eliminated herself, leaving Colton Underwood scrambling to get her back. With only three contestants remaining, Randolph revealed to Underwood that she didn’t think she was ready for marriage and left.
It looks like playing hard to get works because Underwood was so distraught that he made it his mission to win her back, even when it meant derailing the remaining episodes of the show.
Where Are They Now?
Eventually, Underwood and Randolph started dating, but they ended up splitting in 2020. Underwood, now single, lives in Los Angeles and recently published his memoir “The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV.” He has also been keeping a low profile since Randolph accused him of stalking and harassing her, which resulted in her receiving a temporary restraining order against him. Sounds like she dodged a bullet, there!
Randolph also lives in sunny California and has continued her career in speech pathology. She has publicly stated that the months of recovering from her relationship with Underwood were “awful.” We haven’t heard much from her since. Hang in there, Cassie. You can do much better.
Season 24: Peter Weber and Hannah Ann Sluss
Peter Weber proposed to Hannah Ann Sluss in season 24.
But he ultimately broke up with her in the show’s “After the Final Rose” episode.
Where Are They Now?
Weber is still a pilot and was in a relationship with Kelly Flannigan for some time, another former “Bachelor” contestant on the season 24 cast.
Sluss moved to Los Angeles after being dumped by Weber. She continues to model and also works as an Instagram influencer with just over 1.3 million followers.
Season 25: Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell
Matt James was the first-ever African American bachelor and, at 28 years old, he was young enough to be the son of the show’s first contestant. He chose Rachael Kirkconnell at the end, but he elected not to propose.
He had already been hesitant to rush into marriage, and Kirkconnell’s past Instagram posts of her wearing Native American attire as a costume gave him pause, understandably.
Where Are They Now?
Surprisingly, season 25 ended well. It’s like taking things slow is a good thing. Weird, right? Kirkconnell owned up to her mistakes and learned from them, and the couple continued to date going forward. As of 2023, they’re still happily together.
Season 26: Clayton Echard and Susie Evans
Michael Owen Baker / AP
Clayton Echard , a walk-on for the University of Missouri football team and a medical sales rep with dreams of starting his own business, hoped to find a lifelong partner and best friend on the set of the Bachelor. He had a funny way of showing it, however.
His first pick, Susie Evans, walked off the show after finding out Echard had told three different women “I love you,” and was intimate with two of them. Echard broke it off with his second and third pick at the last minute, and ended up getting back together with Evans after the finale.
Where Are They Now?
For all that drama, it didn’t work out in the long run. The couple amicably split in September 2022, citing “external forces” that neither party were prepared for. We hope they both get their happy endings eventually.
Season 27: Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar
Believe it or not, season 27 of The Bachelor is already in the books. Feeling old, yet? Zach Shallcross, a 26 year old sales account executive, made his first appearance on reality TV on the set of The Bachelorette. After he came in third, he was invited to be the next star of The Bachelor. He fell for Kaity Biggar, a nurse, and proposed to her at the end of the season.
Where Are They Now?
He didn’t conduct himself well during the show, sharing that he’d slept with one of the woman after swearing off sex for the duration of the contest. He later apologized, and he and Kaity remain happily engaged.
Will it last? Who knows? To recap, only five bachelors ended up finding lasting love on the show, including Zach and Kaity, and three of those were with runners-up. But many of them found love elsewhere, so maybe there’s hope for the rest of us yet — just not on reality TV.
