No roses, hot tubs or helicopters required!
While many people sign up to take part in the Bachelor franchise in the hopes of finding love on TV, there have been a few leads and contestants who have ended up meeting—and sometimes reconnecting with—their person once ABC's cameras stopped rolling. Hey, if at first you don't succeed, try again off-camera.
Just months after season 17 Bachelorette Katie Thurston revealed she was dating one of her eliminated suitors following her breakup with Blake Moynes, her predecessor Clare Crawley seems to be stealing a page from her playbook. The former lead, who broke up with her final rose recipient Dale Moss in October, had fans abuzz when she posted videos on social media of herself getting cozy with Blake Monar, one of the men she sent packing during week two of her shortened season.
But Katie and Clare aren't the only stars to give one of their contestants a second chance after all the champagne glasses were packed away. Bachelor Nation has had its fair share of off-screen relationships over the years. Yes, it seems some singles don't even need to pay Bachelor in Paradise a visit in order to find true love in the franchise. Just ask Chris Lambton, who was set to become the Bachelor before meeting his future wife, or Kaitlyn Bristowe, whose romance with fiancé Jason Tartick began after a podcast interview. And those are just a couple of pairings that have ended with a non-Neil Lane proposal.
Look back on all of the Bachelor Nation couples that got together once cameras stopped rolling:
Is Clare the latest franchise lead to give one of their eliminated contestants another shot?
Months after her split from ex-fiancé Dale Moss, the season 16 Bachelorette had Bachelor Nation speculating that she was dating Blake, the hairstylist she rejected in the second week of her short stint handing out roses.
The pair documented their trip to Indiana on Instagram in early January, with Clare captioning her post, "Went for business, left with the most unexpected remarkable memories. Indy, you were truly beautiful and exactly what my soul needed." Some of the clips from her video included the two shopping and riding in a car together, going bowling and playing with his niece and baby nephew.
Blake, who also competed on Bachelor in Paradise last summer, shared on his Instagram Story a video of himself and his niece pushing Clare on a toy car inside a home. He later shared a clip of himself and his former co-star walking outside together, with his arms around her. He captioned the post, "How's walking on black ice with a grown man hanging on your back @clarecrawley?" So there's no reason to think these two hair pros can't cut it in the real world.
Never doubt the power of a second impression.
The season 17 Bachelorette caused quite the social media stir when—just one month after ending her engagement to Blake Moynes—she revealed she was dating John, who she sent home in week two of her season.
Both living in San Diego, the pair formed a friendship with a source telling E! News, "Katie and John were mutually in the friend zone for months" but her split from Blake changed "a lot."
"It's been wild but exciting for those closest to them to witness," the source continued. "It's clear Katie has never been happier."
After rumors of cheating began to run rampant online, John posted a letter on Reddit denying allegations that Katie had been unfaithful to Blake.
According to John, he and Katie "developed an incredible and deep friendship over the last half-year or so," adding that their bond was "ALWAYS platonic."
"The boundaries of our friendship with respect to her ongoing relationship never even required addressing, because it was never a thought in our minds that we would ever be anything more," the reality TV star explained. "You guys—she was engaged. It is apparent that many of you misjudge how both her and I view that commitment. Neither Katie nor I would ever cheat, push someone to cheat, or be involved in cheating. It is not in our nature. It is not acceptable. It is not okay."
Katie and John split in June 2022.
Who knew a podcast could lead to happily ever after?
Shortly after high-profile split from fiancé Shawn Booth, Kaitlyn, who appeared on season 19 of The Bachelor before starring on The Bachelorette, first met Jason when he appeared as a guest on her hit podcast, Off the Vine, in early 2019. Clearly, she hit it off with Becca Kufrin's former suitor because a hit it off and a romantic relationship soon blossomed.
"We were friends, a little banter here and there, and then friendship turned into a relationship," Jason told Today's Hoda Kotb that year. The pair quickly became one of Bachelor Nation's most beloved couples, moving into a shared Nashville home in 2020.
And just months after Kaitlyn's Dancing With the Stars win, the couple announced they were engaged in May 2021.
"It was everything I could have asked for," Kaitlyn told ET at the time. "The words that came out of his mouth were insanely beautiful. We've never locked eyes like that in our lives. We were holding hands, so intense, and I was listening to his every word, but still blacked out."
Pilot Pete experienced a lot of turbulence during his time as the Bachelor—including a failed engagement to Hannah Ann Sluss and a brutal breakup with runner-up Madison Prewett—but the skies seemed clear when he revealed he was dating Kelley, the attorney he met during a chance encounter before filming then sent home prior to his finale.
After the couple revealed their plans to move to New York City together, fans were shocked when Peter confirmed their split in December 2021.
"Love is a funny thing," Peter wrote on Instagram. "It can make you you feel on top of the world and it can make you feel a pain you wish didn't exist. I'm here to share that Kelley and I have decided to go our separate ways. While our relationship was filled with countless beautiful memories, our relationship simply didn't work out in the end."
Victoria, who made it to the final three of Peter Weber's season, discovered the farm life just wasn't for her after dating former Bachelor Chris (a.k.a. "Prince Farming") in the fall of 2020.
After a five-month romance, Victoria confirmed their split on the Viall Files podcast.
"I am just living my best life," she explained to Nick Viall at the time. "We went a separate direction, but I, like, respect him so much and I think he's an amazing man. I just think that right now, I'm in such a different place than he is."
Victoria continued, "I'm not moving to Iowa anytime soon so I just want to focus on me. It's been so much about other people this year that I just really want to hone in on what I want to accomplish and what I want to get out of this year."
Back in 2016, two-time Bachelor contestant (and Chris Soules' runner-up) Becca dated Robert, who appeared on season nine of The Bachelorette and the inaugural installment of Bachelor in Paradise.
"They've been friends for a long time," a source told E! News confirming their coupling, "and have the same circle of friends."
The pair traveled to Miami, Greece and New York City during their romance, which came to an end after a couple of months.
"It wasn't like one of us cheated or there was this bitterness," Becca explained to Us Weekly in 2017. "I still care a lot about him and there's no hard feelings. Hopefully on either side, but I can say that for me."
Did you know Chris, the fan-favorite runner-up from Ali Fedotowsky's season, was this close to being named the Bachelor in 2010, with producers even bringing him in to meet all of the bosses and wooing him with a trip to Los Angeles and an appearance at a charity golf game.
But then fate intervened, and Chris met Peyton—a contestant from Andy Baldwin's season and Bachelor Pad—at that very event, and nine months later, they were engaged.
"They offered me a good amount of money, way more than I'd make landscaping," the HGTV/DIY Network star said on the Reality Steve podcast in 2017. "But, again, I talked to my brothers and my dad about it, and Peyton got in the picture and that relationship was starting."
More than a decade later, Chris and Peyton are settled in his home state of Massachusetts where they share two children and their own HSN collection of outdoor furniture.
The villainess (and winner) of Ben Flajnick's season went on to spill the details of her alleged brief 2012 hookup with Emily Maynard's runner-up in her tell-all book. We're sure you're shocked by this.
And their quick relationship once again made headlines when Arie was named the Bachelor in 2018 as it was revealed he was actually Courtney's landlord.
"We're actually still really good friends!" Arie told E! News at the time. "I own the place that she lives in, so I'm her landlord."
But their relationship remained platonic, with the season 22 lead explaining, "The romantic side of our relationship, that was way in the past. It's fun to talk to her about this whole experience because she's been through it...so before I left we had a good conversation about it."
Though he proposed to DeAnna Pappas on The Bachelorette, Jesse ended up finding his happily ever after with Ann, who appeared on Jason Mesnick's season. After exchanging vows in 2010, the couple went on to welcome two children.
After dodging a thorn when Jake Pavelka sent her home sans rose, Elizabeth found love with Ty, one of Ali Fedotowky's former suitors. The duo said "I do" in March 2014 and have a 3-year-old daughter, Blakely.
Don't remember either of these contestants? Same here, probably because they were eliminated on the first night of their respective seasons. But, still, good for them for finding each other. Married in 2010, they welcomed their son Warner in 2012.