Bachelorette Jillian Gets Engaged, Other Guy Will Be Just Fine

29-year-old interior designer picked the most believable of the dudes who was vying for her heart

By Natalie Finn Jul 28, 2009 2:29 AMTags
The Bachlorette, Ed Swiderski, Jillian Harris, Kiptyn LockeABC/CRAIG SJODIN; ABC/ADAM LARKEY; ABC/CRAIG SJODIN

Considering all that came before, was it surprising that the proceedings leading up to tonight's proposal lacked a certain gravitas?

On Monday's finale of The Bachelorette, the bullet-dodging Jillian Harris had to choose between the gone-yesterday, here-today Ed Swiderski and Kiptyn "I don't want to lose" Locke.

After meeting Jillian's family in Hawaii and spending one last night with the object of their increasingly believable affection, Ed and Kip both picked out engagement rings (we liked Kip's 3-karat sparkler best) and formulated what they wanted to say to the 29-year-old interior designer.

It was a long road for Jillian, who also had to deal with real winners like Wes (and his girlfriend) and foot fetishist Tanner, only to receive a last-second bonus proposal from last week's castoff, Reid Rosenthal—because only on the way home did he realize how connected they were.

"You know what's going on here right now, right?" Jillian asked Reid as he prepared to pop the question after she had already denied one suitor and was preparing to say yes to another.

The 30-year-old realtor said he regretted never telling the obviously flabbergasted Jillian how he felt and confessed his love, prompting her to take the long walk back over the pool bridge so she could have some time to think.

Bachelor and Bachelorette host Chris Harrison sat down with Jillian to help her sort things out. Believe it or not, he steered her in the right direction. (Where's this guy's Emmy? No guy has ever looked so gleeful while not so much as cracking a smile!)

Here's a lesson to remember, girls—as nice as one man's 8-pack may be, go with the guy who thinks you're a genius.

Kip, who after Jillian dismissed him said he was heartbroken for the first time in his life, told her, "I'm a man who will have to get through this, but at least I'm leaving here knowing I told you those things, and I want you to be happy. You're an incredible woman, and Ed's a lucky man."

And that was one big exhale he let out when he got back in the car.

ABC/MARIO PEREZ

In the meantime, it's lucky that Ed's ride over took such a long time—although it would have been awesome if there had been a face-to-face between him and Reid.

"Ed better not [bleeping] disappoint me," Jillian said as she awaited the arrival of the last man standing—the 29-year-old tech consultant, who was seen quitting the show for fear of getting fired, only to return a few weeks later to begin the short trek back into Jillian's good graces.

"Jillian, you may not know how much you have impacted me, how much you have changed me as a man and helped me reprioritize my life," Ed told her. "You are everything I could ask for in a woman."

"There is no doubt in my mind that I am madly in love with you," she replied. "I love you so much."

And so down on one knee he went.

"I want to be with you forever," Ed said, offering up his ring. "I want a family with you. I want you to give me a hard time when we're 80 years old. Jillian, will you marry me?"

To make a long story short, she said yes.

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While you wait for Ed and Jillian to set a date, check out pics of celebrity couples who swapped vows this year.

Poll

The Bachelorette Postmortem

Is Jillian Harris engaged to the right man?
Absolutely! Despite the disappearing act, Ed truly loves her
43.1%
Not so much. Kip took awhile to come around, but he was worth the wait
21.2%
She should've taken the repentant Reid up on his offer
23.2%
After what she went through, Jillian should have pulled a Brad Womack and run for the hills
12.5%