Spoiler alert! The following article discusses rumors about which couples make it to the end of Bachelor in Paradise Season 7. Consider yourself warned.
Paradise is here! It’s finally time to join our favorite Bachelor franchise veterans on the beach for drama, romance and more guest hosts than you can shake a stick at (but why would you want to?). While the drama may just be beginning for us viewers, filming for Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 actually wrapped in late June, which means couples have been formed. The truth is allegedly out there, and we’re here to talk about it.
According to professional Bachelor spoiler Reality Steve, three ladies leave Paradise with men on their arms and rings on their fingers. For those viewers out there who like to read the last page of the book first to see where the story is headed, this is just like that — knowing who possibly ends up together shouldn't ruin this journey, since we don’t come to Paradise for the endgame. Nah, we’re for here for the drama! And the villains! And the beach hijinks! And the pitch-perfect editing! So with that in mind, here are the three couples that reportedly get engaged during Bachelor in Paradise Season 7.
Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt
Joe Amabile, 34, became a quick fan favorite of Bachelor Nation during Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette, despite getting sent home on Night 1. This will be Grocery Joe’s second trip to Paradise, as the Dancing With the Stars alum was also part of the Season 5 cast, where he and Kendall Long began a relationship. The couple broke up while still in Paradise but rekindled their romance after the cameras stopped rolling. Permanent romance still wasn’t in the cards for them, though, as they announced their split in January 2020. Long is rumored to make an appearance this season, so it’ll be interesting (and awkward) to watch Amabile form such a strong connection with another woman in front of his ex.
Serena Pitt, 23, was a front-runner on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor, with former host Chris Harrison even remarking on their chemistry, but after her family expressed doubts on their Hometown date, Pitt told James she couldn’t see herself as his wife. Pitt decided to leave, shocking James with her early exit. Is it true that she’ll find “her person” on the beach in Grocery Joe? Pitt always spoke her mind and kept it real on The Bachelor, so I can’t wait to see how she handles Kendall Long’s presence in Paradise as the sparks start flying.
Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin
At 40, Kenny Braasch is one of the older members of this season’s Bachelor in Paradise cast, and many remember him for baring it all (with a notable lack of tan lines) during Season 16 of The Bachelorette. The boy band manager was also pretty vocal with Clare Crawley about his concerns that the Bachelorette was not giving attention to anyone but Dale Moss, whom Crawley eventually left the show for. Braasch did not form a strong connection with Tayshia Adams after she replaced Crawley as Season 16’s Bachelorette, however, and he was eliminated in Week 7.
Mari Pepin appeared on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor, and her run was cut pretty short, with Pepin getting eliminated in Week 4 amidst all the bullying drama. But it looks like fans will get to see a lot more of the former pageant queen in Paradise. Pepin and Braasch reportedly get involved in a love triangle with Demi Burnett, with Braasch reportedly going back and forth between the two women during the season. I’m definitely interested to see how that situation turns into an engagement!
Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn
Riley Christian, a contestant from Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, was not among the original 23 cast members ABC announced for Bachelor in Paradise’s seventh season, but it's reported that Christian is one of almost 40 alumni set to make an appearance on the beach. And it apparently worked out pretty well for him! Christian’s emotional elimination from The Bachelorette prior to Adams’ Hometown dates left Bachelor Nation wanting to see more from the 31-year-old attorney, so it would indeed be great to see his journey end on a happier note this time around.
Fans also weren’t happy when Peter Weber sent Maurissa Gunn home on Week 1 of The Bachelor Season 24. Much like Grocery Joe Amabile, Gunn made a strong impression on audiences despite her lack of screen time. (She may have received just as much attention when she was rumored to be dating Bachelor Nation’s Mike Johnson post-Bachelor breakup.) Gunn opened up about the struggles she’d endured with her weight after joining the pageant circuit, with the former Miss Teen Montana saying she gained 80 pounds before losing it in an unhealthy way. Fans were inspired by the 25-year-old’s story, as she now says she’s found a healthier balance, so hopefully that boost in confidence helps her find love on the island.
With Bachelor in Paradise's filming having wrapping back in June, that leaves a lot of time for relationships to have changed between that point and when the finale airs on ABC. In Season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise, for instance, multiple couples who called it quits on the beach rekindled their relationships ahead of the TV finale, so it’s definitely possible something like that will happen again. Of course, the opposite could also be true: sometimes the couples who get engaged on the beach aren’t able to maintain their connection once they’re thrown back into their real lives.
Tune in to see if this is how everyone's relationships shake out in Paradise, and to see if these three couples are indeed the ones who remain together after all is said and done. Bachelor in Paradise premieres at 8 p.m. ET August 16 on ABC and will begin airing on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET starting August 23 and 24. Stay up to date on all your favorite shows’ premiere dates with our 2021 Fall TV schedule, including Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette!
