Here are the top moments from the season finale of The Bachelorette with gif reactions.
Meet the Parents
The episode began in Malibu where Kaitlyn was going to introduce her family to her potential temporary life partner. Let’s just pause right there. Malibu? The season finale is going to take place in Southern California? What did they do, borrow Chris Harrison’s boat and stay in his guest room? It turns out that you can rent the home Kaitlyn and her family used for $3,700 a night and it even includes those really low to the ground couches that make everyone look like they’re sitting on a kid’s toilet at the back of a kindergarten classroom; all knees and awkwardness.
Kaitlyn warned her family (both parents, step parents and her sister) that they would recognize one of the remaining men from a past season. Her mom and sister are both obvious fans of the show because you could see the wheels turning in their heads. Who could it be, Chris Bukowski back for fifths? Nope, it’s Nick. Her sister exclaimed, “Nick V.?!” and I was instantly reminded that the worst thing about being on The Bachelorette, aside from crushing embarrassment, is having an initial attached to your name forever like all of the Ashleys and Jessicas I grew up with. Kaitlyn’s mom said she couldn’t be unbiased about Nick, because she had a preexisting and unfavorable opinion of him and I was all, “preach!” Basically Kaitlyn’s mom and sister are invited to watch any and all seasons of The Bachelor with me.
Then Nick showed up and won them all over with his undeniable Nick charm. I’m convinced this man would have chemistry with a wall. Sometime between the awkward moment when Kaitlyn told her family she had slept with him and the embarrassing moment when he cried with her mom on the couch, he won them over. In the end Nick got Kaitlyn’s parent’s blessing to ask her to marry him despite wearing more wooden bracelets than a 14 year-old coming home from his first mission trip to Mexico. I wonder if they make noise every time he moves his hands to cover his mouth while speaking. It’s really commendable that they were willing to overlook them.
Next up in the rent-a-mansion was Shawn who upped the ante by bringing gifts for Kaitlyn’s sister’s kids. Well played, Shawn; aim straight for the ovaries. Shawn was his usual charming self and he quickly won over the family. Especially when he told the story of watching Kaitlyn on Chris’ season of The Bachelor. It turns out that Shawn sent a snapchat of Kaitlyn with a heart drawn around her and the words “Don’t worry Kaitlyn…I’m coming for you” to his buddies. Some might might see this as stalkerish, but Kaitlyn’s sister seems like the type that would have driven by her high school crushes house at night (I feel you, girl) so she’s firmly #TeamShawn.
Shawn also asked and received Kaitlyn’s parent’s blessing to propose which meant Kaitlyn left the meet the parent dates feeling more conflicted than ever. But hey, one more day spent with both of them should help her make the biggest decision of her life, right?
Last Dates
Kaitlyn and Nick met on a boat in Marina Del Rey for their last date. I’ll be honest, I when I saw Kaitlyn’s hair in a sloppy side braid I wasn’t feeling too confident for Mr. Nick and his mumbly mouth. I love to wear a side braid, crown braid, any braid, but I’m a mom of three and dry shampoo is my best friend. Kaitlyn doesn’t have the excuse of a 2 year-old interrupting her shower so there’s no reason for her hair to be in I-didn’t-have-time-to-wash-it mode unless she’s just not that into you. Nick clearly doesn’t pick up on hair cues though because, he continues to talk about how crazy he is about her. Well, I think that’s what he was saying. It’s kind of hard to tell because he barely opens his mouth when he speaks. A lip reader would have a hard time reading those frozen fish sticks on his face. Lucky for him, he doesn’t really need to talk when his hands find their way to their favorite place, her booty.
Their last date continued that night back at whatever motel in Marina Del Rey had a vacancy and a few potted plants to place around the set. Nick then uses the oldest line in the book and told Kaitlyn he had a gift for her “back in his hotel room.” Real smooth. That brought us to The Bachelorette’s Crafting Corner. Nick gave Kaitlyn a terrible poem about the “electricity in her heart” along with a picture from their first date in a frame he picked up at the local Bed Bath and Beyond. In true Kaitlyn/Nick fashion they made out on the bed but, for once in our lives, it faded to commercial before they rounded first base.
The next day Kaitlyn met Shawn at a winery in Malibu. Yes, they apparently have wineries in Malibu. I’m guessing their cabernet has a rich flavor with undertones of self tanner and Botox. This date was super awkward. Kaitlyn (with hair down and styled, sucks to be you, Nick) wanted to have serious conversations about where she and Shawn would be six years in the future. It was played off like she was having second thoughts and Shawn definitely read it that way, but I think she was recognizing how huge this last date was.
That evening they went back to Shawn’s place where they cut through the awkwardness in order for him to give her his gift. Unlike Nick, Shawn had clearly spent some time trolling Pinterest for ideas. He gave her a memory jar filled with mementos from their time together. Everyone loves a mason jar so this was a big hit.
Both men left their final dates feeling pretty confident which can only mean one thing, time for Neil Lane to show up with the box of my dreams. Shawn and Nick take their time picking out engagement rings and basically making me jealous. This is the point in the show when I start drooling. Forget shirtless Shawn, I’ll take a little black box from Neil Lane any day. Also, if you’re ever in a situation where you’re picking out a free ring for me I only have one qualification: Think big.
Meanwhile, Kaitlyn is back in the interview room crying about making the right decision. She knows that no matter which man she chooses one will be heartbroken. To which I say, welcome to The Bachelorette.
“Grand” Finale
In recent years the proposal and grand finale have been filmed in some beautiful location, but this is the year of budget Bachelorette so Kaitlyn arrives for the final rose ceremony at…the mansion?!? Seriously, poolside at the bachelor mansion is the best you could do? Kailtyn is going to get engaged in the same location “all horned up” Ryan skinny dipped on night one? Someone start a gofundme account because I can’t take another season of this. It looked like they slapped a borrowed parquet dance floor down, quickly raided a HomeGoods for oversized vases and then haphazardly arranged them around the pool before calling it good.
Kaitlyn arrived wearing a blush colored ice skating costume just in case we forgot she was Canadian. Canadians love their winter sports, am I right? Unfortunately, the bottom half of it was as destroyed as her dreams of a healthy adult relationship due to the requisite hosed down driveway. I like to think the wet driveway is a shout out to all the tears spilled along her journey, but really they just like how it looks on camera. It’s the contour and highlight of landscaping.
The Other Guy
Traditionally the first to arrive is the poor sucker being sent home so when the limo doors opened and Nick stepped out my husband started chanting, “Break his heart! Break his heart!” It’s a family affair, really.
The tension was thick and I was squirming with awkwardness as Nick went through his whole speech. Kaitlyn let him go so far as to pull out the ring box before she stopped him and said she is in love with someone else. He was obviously not happy to hear that he wasn’t her final choice. He took a physical step back and didn’t want to hear Kaitlyn say that she really did love him because if she love him he’d be proposing. He left her at the altar of his disgrace and entered the limo of rejection where he dramatically threw both the engagement ring and his claddagh ring. Be nice, Nick! What did Neil Lane ever do to you?
Once again Nick was rejected at the very last second by the bachelorette. I’d feel bad, but it was such good TV that I just can’t. I hope he adds “the other guy” to his resume.
He put a ring on it
I’m assuming Kaitlyn quickly dried her tears on one of the leaves from the fake trees they bused in, because she was soon ready for Shawn to cross over the hosed down threshold. She greeted him with a kiss so he had to be feeling pretty confident as he gave his speech about his love for her. Kaitlyn interrupted him to say that she is completely his. Obviously Shawn proposed, she accepted and now her dress choice makes sense because she is wearing a small ice skating rink in her ring finger.
There something poetic about the first impression rose recipient being the winner in the end. Shawn was a fan favorite from the beginning with his Ryan Gosling face and perfect hair so I think most people out there will be happy with the outcome of this season. Plus, Shawn is the crazy jealous type so their inevitable break up is going to be the stuff tabloid dreams are made of. I’m renewing my subscription now. I’m not saying he’ll go full Gone Girl, but one can hope.
After the final rose
The After the Final Rose special was pretty much evenly split between Shawn and Kaitlyn making googly eyes at one another and Nick trying not to look bitter. Neither one was especially successful. Shawn and Kaitlyn are still together and in love. Nick still wishes that Kaitlyn had sent him home earlier. While Shawn wishes Nick never existed or slept with his fiancé. You know, the usual. At one point Shawn bemoaned that the show should have “focused on the love story, because that’s what The Bachelorette is about.” Wrong. The Bachelorette is about shirtless Ben Z. and dudes fighting. Duh.
I will say that I’m majorly disappointed in Chris Harrison for not asking them about snapchat gate. As you all know, I avoid spoilers so I didn’t post about it at the time, but about halfway through the season Kaitlyn accidentally posted a snap story that included photos of her in bed with Shawn. Many fans, (including myself and the board of ABC) saw them and freaked out that she had spoiled the ending BECAUSE SHE DID! How did Chris not ask her about it?
Disappointingly, there wasn’t a bachelor casting announcement. I’m guessing they’re waiting until Bachelor in Paradise airs, but it has to be one of the two Bens, right? RIGHT?!?
Bachelor in Paradise
The show ended with an extended preview of Bachelor in Paradise which is set to air a two night premieres starting this coming Sunday 8/2. They also announced that they’re introducing a live after show this season. That means we have 5 hours of Bachelor in Paradise to look forward to in less than a week! If you’ve never seen Bachelor in Paradise I like to describe it as the tropical speed-dating show where dreams go to die. It’s glorious. I haven’t been this excited for 5 hours of television since the Obama inauguration.
I’ve had so much fun recapping The Bachelorette this season! Make sure to check out all of our coverage and follow me on Twitter for all your That’s Normal Bachelor updates.
Did Kaitlyn make the right choice? How long do you think their relationship will last? Who are you hoping to see on Bachelor in Paradise? Let me know in the comments!