'Bachelor in Paradise' 2021: Engaged couples discuss finale, wedding plans
It was a paradise to remember! Three couples left the beach engaged and two more rekindled their relationships after filming.
Bachelor Nation waited two years for "Bachelor in Paradise" to return and season 7 of the summer show was a soaring success. Three couples got engaged during the finale and two more rekindled their relationships after the show finished filming.
Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt
Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt were a strong couple from the beginning. Despite Amabile's ex-girlfriend, Kendall Long, showing up this season and getting her closure during the finale, the grocer proposed to Pitt.
"We were together 24/7 on the beach, so we really got to know each other super well and there really [weren't] any major surprises coming out of that environment," Pitt told On The Red Carpet.
"We couldn't let people see us in public, so when you are just in a room in my apartment all day long, you get to really know somebody. But it's been nice!" Amabile added.
Pitt is excited to become "Grocery Store Serena" (modeled after Amabile's nickname, "Grocery Store Joe"). The couple is currently splitting time between Toronto and Chicago, but plan to move in together next spring.
Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin-Solis
Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin-Solis hit things off early on the beach, but ran into some obstacles when they started exploring their options with other people.
"The way everything panned out, it actually just put me and her in the place that we are now," Braasch said of their hardships on the show. "It's paradise, so obviously things happen. I have no regrets with that."
It's safe to say that they ended the show stronger than ever, as Pepin-Solis already found a job in Chicago and is planning to move in with Braasch early next year.
"We haven't solidified a date for our wedding yet, but in the next couple of years, and then down the line a couple of kids," Pepin-Solis said of their future plans.
"Since leaving paradise we've had zero conflicts, zero arguments," Pepin-Solis added.
Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn
Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn were the steamiest couple on the beach, having notable scenes involving whipped cream. Not only was their love strong, but the pair had fun watching their escapades as the season aired.
"We are just a testament to what paradise is really all about," Christian said. "We continue to get to know each other every single day...and I love her that much more."
"I'm so excited. First, I want to come to New York -- get myself here because I'm still in Atlanta. And then hopefully plan a wedding and babies," Gunn said.
Special Mentions
After breaking up during the finale, two couples rekindled their relationships after the show finished filming: Former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs, as well as Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb.
"I think they're going to work. Both couples are really strong, so I'm happy," Amabile said.
In a hilarious turn of events, James Bonsall and Aaron Clancy chose bromance over romance. They quickly ended things with Anna Redman and Tia Booth, respectively, and hopped in a van to leave the show. The men are now roommates and living in San Diego -- another lasting partnership for the show!
