ABC/E! IllustrationIt's a reunion more than 15 years in the making!
Yes, it's hard to believe that 2003 is when Trista Sutter became ABC's very first Bachelorette. While the franchise was relatively new, the former Miami Heat dancer met Ryan Sutter on the show. And yes, they remain happily married today.
Fortunately for fans, the happy wife and mom will join many of your favorite Bachelorettes from the franchise for a special reunion episode airing tonight on ABC. It got us thinking of all the ladies who have taken a chance at love and signed up to find what could be their happily ever after on reality TV. In fact, Hannah B will have her chance later this month when a new season kicks off.
"I feel like she's going to be exactly what she should be because I feel like Hannah B is very self-deprecating...I feel like she's kind of like her own person and I think she's going to be that same way where she's true to herself," Kaitlyn Bristowe shared with E! News when celebrating her Dew scrunchies, which is a public re-release of a Frank Body collaboration. "Like every season, I think people are going to like her and people are going to dislike her, but I think she's going to stay true to who she is and that's your only way to find somebody."
Hannah's co-stars can't help but agree. After appearing on The Bachelor with Colton Underwood, several contestants immediately gravitated to Hannah B's personality and energy.
"Hannah is going to be the best Bachelorette. I cannot wait," Heather Martin recently told E! News at The Woody Show's After Hours Takeover at Disney's California Adventure Park. "She was one of my best friends in the house and she is just the most real and genuine person. She's going to tell it like it is and it's going to be a wild journey for her. I'm so excited to watch."
Tracy Shapoff added, "I think Hannah is going to do great. I think she's going to be so fun to watch. Funny, fun, unpredictable, she speaks her mind so I'm excited."
Until Hannah B starts handing out her own roses, we asked some of our favorite Bachelor Nation members to share their favorite Bachelorette of all time. Take a look at who made quite a positive impression in our gallery below.
"Jillian Harris was probably my favorite...maybe I'm biased because she's Canadian. We're both from the same province in Canada and she just was a hilarious, authentic kind of Bachelorette who was funny and again Canadian," she told E! News when celebrating her new collection of Dew scrunchies available May 15. "Her and Emily Maynard were my two favorites. They're two very different Bachelorettes because Emily is a Southern girl next door but I really enjoyed both of their seasons."
"My favorite Bachelorette of all time from the franchise is most certainly Kaitlyn Bristowe. One, because I'm bias and she was my Bachelorette but two, she's just really cool, down to earth and she put up with my movie quotes which is pretty awesome and if not for Kaitlyn dragging me to fourth place, I don't know if I ever would have met Ashley I on Bachelor in Paradise," the Help! I Suck at Dating podcast co-host revealed. "For that, I'm forever grateful."
"For sentimental reasons, Jillian Harris' season of The Bachelorette is a favorite of mine. This aired during a really hard time in my life and it was such a fun outlet to look forward to… and it was prior to my time on The Bachelor," the blogger shared with E! News. "I watched without ever imagining that I would be on the very next season to follow. Never in a million years would I have imagined that. Jillian was so spunky and I think one of the first to really be true to herself. (Besides Trista Sutter of course)."
Tenley added, "And I do have to mention, the memories I have watching Trista and Ryan's wedding—I hadn't exactly followed Bachelor/Bachelorette yet, but the wedding was the first viewing party that I had ever attended. I was captivated by Trista's personality, and still am to this day, and grateful to have now call Trista and Ryan friends!"
"I cannot possibly choose a favorite. I love all of these women so much! I love Jillian Harris for her kindness & generosity. I love Andi Dorfman because she is a true Girls, Girl. I love Trista Sutter for her kind heart & friendship. I love Kaitlyn Bristowe because she is so freaking funny. I love Emily Maynard because I feel connected to her southern roots," the Moms in Cars star shared. "I love all of these women tremendously. What a beautiful group to be included in!"
"I would definitely have to say Becca Kufrin. I'm a little bias. She was great. She made it easy for all the boys throughout our journey and she found happiness with my brother Garrett so I'd definitely have to say Becca," he told us at The Woody Show's After Hours Takeover at Disney California Adventure Park.
"Ali Fedotowsky, because we are the same age and she was living in San Francisco when she was on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I could really relate to her. She felt like someone I could be friends with and I still feel that way! She's so sweet and you could tell she was genuinely looking for her person!! I love continuing to watch her love story and her beautiful family grow!"
"If I am being completely honest, Emily Maynard is most definitely a step above the rest that I've seen. She has the perfect combo of beauty and class," the owner of F45 Training Buckhead in Atlanta shared with us.
"I absolutely love Becca Kufrin. I think Kaitlyn Bristowe was hilarious but I think Becca seems like the most relatable, down to earth and real person. She seems really funny."
"I liked having Kaitlyn Bristowe as my Bachelorette because it was fun. She kept it very light hearted. But probably JoJo Fletcher. JoJo was good," he revealed at Luxury Experience & Co's Coachella lounge.
"I have to say JoJo Fletcher was my first Bachelorette season so I really liked that one. I think she is so cute and definitely unapologetically herself. She's just super sweet and I just related to her a lot."
"Undeniably my favorite Bachelorette is the one and only, the Beautiful Ms. Kaitlyn Bristowe."
"My favorite Bachelorette is Trista Sutter from Season 1 because without her, there would have never been another season of the Bachelorette and I think she did a fantastic job. She's an OG," the Help! I Suck at Dating podcast co-host shared. "She' s still married to her husband Ryan and what more could you want from a Bachelorette. So thank you Trista."
"My favorite by far was watching one my best friends, Kaitlyn Bristowe. Women everywhere can agree that she was the Bachelorette we needed for the 21st century. Her role coincided perfectly with female empowerment today and smashed the double standard. Not to mention, she is just hysterical and so fun to watch. Bravo, KB!"
"Emily Maynard. She was Bachelorette before the hype of social media. So, I believed her desire to truly find real love...not to sell tea, ha. She also had the most compelling story. I rooted for her then and I root for her now."
"I'm going to throw it back and say Emily Maynard was my favorite—little southern belle. She was a mama but I got to give Kaitlyn Bristowe love too," she shared with E! News at Luxury Experience & Co's Coachella lounge.
"Kaitlyn Bristowe's authenticity makes me so drawn to her. She is relatable and unapologetically herself and I absolutely adore her for that!" the Help! I Suck at Dating podcast co-host shared.
"Getting to meet the women I've admired, like Ali Fedotowsky is the coolest part," the founder of SheLift shared with us. "I have always respected and admired Ali for keeping it real and challenging tradition; in her career ambition, her relationship, parenting and her body image. I respect that Ali has always been able to see the big picture and impact she can make with her giant heart and personality."
"I think my favorite—and my first time ever watching—was Emily Maynard. That's who I started with and she was so sweet and really got me hooked on the show."
"I have to go with my Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher. My honest opinion, she has been the most beautiful and well-rounded Bachelorette in the last 5 years," the partner of REVEL Social in Denver shared. "I feel fortunate to have even been given the chance to get to know her on a personal level and to this day respect how she handled everything from start to finish during our season."
"Kaitlyn Bristowe!" the founder & CEO of Hoop Nation shared with us. "I have to thank her for dumping Nick Viall, which led me to go on his season to meet Rachel Lindsay, who introduced me to my boyfriend Tyler. So, selfishly-Kaitlyn Bristowe. But, I would like to say that Rachel Lindsay had so much pressure on her being the first African American Bachelorette and she was perfection and handled herself with such class, but also knows how to let loose and have fun."
"All of them! That's what is so great about the show. Every season, The Bachelorette is different and unique in their own ways. All of them are major catches—there's no way for me to pick just one!" the Lani the Label clothing designer shared with us.
"My favorite Bachelorette was JoJo Fletcher. She was so classy but still so fun and enjoyable to watch!" the makeup mogul shared with us. "Her season felt very genuine and I think she was super smart about all her choices. And she and Jordan are still together which shows a lot—because not many Bachelor couples last nowadays."
"Ashley Hebert's season changed my life. I saw Ben Flajnik and decided to take a chance because I felt such a strong pull to him," the I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends author shared with us.
"Well this one is a given but my favorite is Rachel Lindsay. She is smart, funny, beautiful and carries herself with grace while always staying true to herself and bringing that little bit of swag and attitude. Oh, and she's also one of the best friends anyone could ever have."
"For me, as a viewer, it's a tie between JoJo Fletcher and Kaitlyn Bristowe. Jojo because although her love story was predictable and you could tell Jordan had her at hello, it was great to see how incredibly genuine she was throughout the show. Kaitlyn because let's face it, she was a total wild card and I never knew what the hell was going to happen next."
"All have been great and made me proud to be female. There are so many classy, beautiful women who have gracefully carried the title of Bachelorette but I gotta go with the OG Trista Sutter! I've been lucky to get to know her and her family and she's been such a great role model and friend. I also remember watching Emily Maynard and night after night thinking to myself, 'She is literally perfect?!'"
"My favorite Bachelorette was Becca Kufrin because it's the only season that I watched and then our Bachelor Colton came off of it so that's why I like her."
"My favorite Bachelorette was Becca Kufrin. I love her. She was so down to earth and relatable. That was my favorite season to watch."
"I'm going to go with Becca Kufrin only because I was on one episode of her seasons. Becca was cool," he shared at The Woody Show's After Hours Takeover at Disney California Adventure Park.
"There's so many," she shared at The Woody Show's After Hours Takeover at Disney California Adventure Park. "I loved Becca Kuffrin because she's one of my closest friends and she's hilarious."
The Biggest Bachelorette Reunion in Bachelor History Ever! airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC. And watch a brand-new season of The Bachelorette when it returns Monday May 13 at 8 p.m. only on ABC.
—Additional reporting by Jessica Finn, Ashley Lewin, Spencer Lubitz, Alli Rosenbloom and Amanda Williams