It’s official. Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos is engaged to Chock Chapple.
For weeks, it’s been clear to fans Joan’s final pick would be Chock. But it wasn’t so obvious to one person: Guy Gansert, who Joan sent home prematurely during the final episode in light of a “connection” with Chock.
“I felt so good today,” Guy said through tears after Joan revealed she had selected the only other remaining man, Chock. “I fell in love with you. I was ready to let it all out. … This is not what I was expecting at all.”
Months after their breakup, Guy spoke with “Bachelor” host Jesse Palmer and Joan in a live interview shown during the final episode of the reality series.
“The emotions I was feeling were sincere,” the ER doctor said. “I didn’t expect it, I thought I was the guy. I was convinced.”
Joan explained the demise of their relationship came “down to kind of a time thing.” She added, “in any other situation I would have been with you, because we would have had more time.”
“I had to make a decision,” Joan said, and in reference to Chock, “my heart belonged to someone else already.”
Are Joan and Chock still together?
Joan and Chock appeared as a couple on the final episode of “The Golden Bachelorette” on Wednesday.
But some fans of the “Golden” franchise anticipate another “Bachelor” breakup.
“This Chock and Joan is not going to last!” one fan tweeted after the finale.
“It won’t last and that’s just the truth,” another wrote about the couple.
Three months after their televised happily-ever-after, “Golden Bachelor” couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced plans to divorce. If Joan and Chock stay together, they will be breaking away from the “Bachelor” norm.
Less than a dozen couples formed on the “Bachelor” franchise are still together, and the first “Golden” couple didn’t set a positive precedent.
But in spite of doubts from some fans, Chock and Joan are already planning their future together — and a “bigger than most” wedding, Chock told Us Weekly.
When are Chock and Joan getting married?
The couple haven’t set a wedding date, but still plan on getting married after sinking into normalcy for a bit.
Their first venture? Find a place to live in New York City.
“This first year, obviously, we have to kind of figure out life. Chock has a business in Kansas. I have kids and grandkids and Maryland. I’m not leaving Maryland, but he does have obligations in Kansas,” Joan told Us Weekly.
“We know that we’re gonna spend time in Maryland and in Kansas, but then we have this really fun plan because both of us have always dreamed — and we’re finally at this weird stage in life for making this dream come true — that we live in a big city, and, specifically, we’ve always wanted to live in New York. So Chock surprised me and said, ‘I want us to go find a place.’”
During the final episode of “The Golden Bachelorette” Chock surprised Joan with a key, symbolizing his intention to buy her a place in New York City.
“We both love the energy in the city and love that there’s always something to do,” Joan added, per Us. “We just wanna go out and walk and experience life — go to fun restaurants and [experience the] culture. We both have friends there. We’re gonna be there during the holidays, which is the best time ever in New York City. I think it’s just a really different life than either one of us have ever lived.”
The decision to relocate to the East Coast was an easy one — Chock has two kids in the area and Joan’s family lives in Maryland. Before they resettle in New York, the couple plans to split time in each other’s hometowns.
“We’re gonna navigate it. We’re willing to spend time at each person’s hometown. We’re gonna spend a lot of time in New York City,” Chock told Us. “We’re gonna get on with our lives.”
Chock and Joan have not announced any official wedding plans, it is not known if they will follow in Gerry and Theresa’s footsteps and have a televised wedding ceremony. But according to Chock, their celebrations will be big.
“It’s gonna be bigger than most weddings,” Chock said. “We’ve got friends coming in from around the country, and it’s kind of our coming-out party as a couple. We’re extremely excited about that.”
Will there be Season 2 of ‘Golden Bachelor’?
ABC has not officially announced a season 2 of “Golden Bachelor” or “Golden Bachelorette.” If the “Golden” franchise is renewed for a sophomore season, it will premiere in fall 2025.