Ben Higgins could have given his closing rose to Lauren Bushnell, however he discovered lasting love with Jessica Clarke.
Bachelor Nation first met Higgins when he competed for Kaitlyn Bristowe’s heart on season 11 of The Bachelorette. After ending in third place, ABC named the Colorado native the season 20 Bachelor.
Higgins subsequently got down on one knee and proposed to Bushnell during the March 2016 finale. The duo, who landed their very own spinoff, Ben and Lauren: Fortunately Ever After?, called it quits in Might 2017.
“I might say the enjoyment that we felt towards our relationship in the beginning was — for some motive — slipping away,” Higgins revealed on his “Almost Famous” podcast at the time. “And we have been each working very arduous to deliver that pleasure again. And it simply by no means appeared to get there. So it was a very long time coming nevertheless it wasn’t essentially like we dragged it out. … It’s arduous to say goodbye to someone that you just spent a lot time with and it’s arduous to say goodbye to someone that you just actually did imagine was The One.”
Whereas Higgins returned to actuality TV to compete on The Bachelor: Winter Games in 2018, he give up the spinoff with no love connection. By the top of that 12 months, nonetheless, Higgins met Clarke through Instagram.
“She’s a really sort, pure, emphatic and supportive particular person typically. And he or she’s not solely like that to me. I’m a part of that, however she’s like that to everyone round her,” Higgins gushed to Us in April 2019. “She challenges me to be extra empathetic, extra loving, extra caring, extra sort as properly. So I’m very glad.”
The pair’s relationship bought critical fast.
“We’re nice. It’s enjoyable. It’s simply wholesome … I feel she would say the identical. Our relationship is wholesome,” Higgins informed Us in January 2020. “I’m a greater model of myself, a extra free model of myself than I’ve been shortly.”
Higgins proposed to Clarke in March 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee.
“From my first date in life to the moments in between all of them led me to getting down on one knee in entrance of you @jessclarke_,” he wrote on the time by way of Instagram. “This weekend I requested Jessica to provide me the glory of being her accomplice for all times. She stated YES! I now formally have probably the most stunning, kind-hearted, supportive, well-intentioned particular person to spend life with! Our adventurous experience by way of life collectively is simply beginning.”
Earlier than they said “I do” in November 2021, Higgins detailed what was in retailer for his and Clarke’s marriage ceremony exclusively with Us. “We would like it to be a celebration as quickly as you stroll by way of the door. We’re not having a sit-down dinner,” he shared, including that they’d have loads of “COVID-19 pleasant” meals stations, together with pizza, wraps, nachos and extra.
He continued: “We’ll do our conventional dances, however we needed individuals simply shifting and grooving for the reception and one of many massive catalysts to that was I imagine that we’ve the best wedding band on the earth — Taylor Tempo Orchestra.”
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Scroll by way of for Higgins and Clarke’s relationship timeline.