Goodbye camera crews and hello real world!
It's hard to believe that Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph have only been able to have their romance public for one week.
But ever since revealing on The Bachelor two-night finale that they are giving their love story a second chance, both parties have finally been able to experience life as a (relatively) normal couple.
In true Bachelor Nation fashion, there are a few things that the average pair can't experience on the regular. A People magazine cover, nationwide press tour and trips to Banana Republic with cameras nearby doesn't happen every day.
But as the buzz continues to quiet down, a fairytale ending may just be in their future.
Over the weekend, Colton traveled to Cassie's neighborhood in Huntington Beach, Calif., for a much more relaxing hometown date.
For starters, the pair enjoyed Surf City USA by visiting the beach and Sandy's Beach Shack restaurant with members of Cassie's family.
"The part of hometowns y'all didn't get to see," Colton joked on Instagram while posing with his girlfriend's dad. Cassie added, "Here goes our actual hometown date :)."
The weekend also featured a first for the former NFL player. While visiting The Bungalow, Colton was able to display some PDA on his terms. "PDA is gross, but this was my first kiss in a bar," he shared with his followers.
While the duo may not be experiencing helicopter rides and lavish dates with producers an ear shot away, both Colton and Cassie are grateful for the memories they have created just in the past seven days.
"This last week has been much needed. Being able to do normal stuff (beach, dinner, trips to the grocery store) was a breath of fresh air," Cassie shared with her followers. "Even though once I stopped going 100 miles an hour, I got sick…does this happen to anyone else? I always get sick right when it's time to relax."
Colton added, "I'm proud of you. Throughout this whirlwind of a last week you have balanced so much... from spending all 5 hours on the plane working on school work to staying up late to take quizzes with the flu...you continue to work hard and deserve everything this world has to offer."
And for those wondering, the 23-year-old is currently completing her degree in speech pathology down in Orange County. Talk about balance!
As for what the world has to offer, fans have every reason to be on ring watch as the couple settles into their new reality.
"Our goal is to buy a house in Huntington Beach in the next year, but we probably won't move in together until we're engaged or married," Colton told People. "As much as I want her to live with me, it's a big step and something we both take very seriously."
Speaking of serious, all signs point to a pair determined to defy statistics and expectations with a long-lasting romance. Besides, you can't fault a couple for taking things slow.
"The last 4 months, just focusing on 'us' have been amazing and you have become my best friend. You have shown me the purest, strongest love that any girl could ask for," Cassie shared on Instagram. "You jumped a fence, took a risk, and challenged the 'rules' to fight for us. I can't even begin to describe how lucky I feel to have you by my side. I am so excited to see what is next for us in this new phase of our 'journey'... I'd jump a thousand fences for you."
Now that deserves a final rose.