The morning after Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple revealed their dreamy Bora Bora engagement during the finale of ABC’s Golden Bachelorette, America’s golden couple was eager to discuss their reality TV love story.
Despite celebrating their first night in public as a couple until midnight, they appeared bright, gracious, and enthusiastic.
Before recounting the finale’s dramatic details—where Vassos, 61, bid farewell to emergency room doctor Guy Gansert, 66, prompting Chapple, a 60-year-old insurance executive from Wichita, Kansas, to propose—a small jewelry matter surfaced.
“I’m getting rid of this other ring,” Vassos said, tucking away a more modest piece that might distract from the emerald-cut diamond platinum ring she joyfully accepted during Chapple’s beachside proposal.
Fear not, romantics—both the dazzling engagement ring and their newfound love remain firmly intact.
“This ring is staying on,” she declared, briefly letting go of Chapple’s hand to display the 4-carat sparkler. “We started in paradise, and we’ve only become more solid.”
Joan’s Journey to ‘Yes!’
The couple is now going through the first day of their public partnership, which began last summer when 24 senior bachelors competed for Vassos’ heart in the inaugural Golden Bachelorette season.
However, their private relationship dates back to August 1, when filming concluded with Vassos—a widow who lost her husband, John, to pancreatic cancer in 2021—and Chapple, whose fiancée, Kathy, passed away from cancer in 2022.
In addition to spending time in their respective homes—Vassos in Rockville, Maryland, and Chapple in Wichita—the couple also enjoyed secret getaways in six undisclosed locations. This seclusion proved valuable.
“Dating on reality TV is really strange. And this all happened really fast,” said Vassos, who appeared on Gerry Turner’s Golden Bachelor season last fall. “You focus on core values and envisioning the future. But you don’t actually cook together or share a home.”
Chapple, who jokingly admitted he doesn’t yet know Vassos’ middle name (it’s Yvonne), said the retreats deepened their bond.
He discovered her knack for crossword puzzles and her strong fashion opinions. “She’ll just say, ‘No, no,’ about my shoes. She did it this morning. It feels like we’ve been married for years.”
Though they watched most of the Golden Bachelorette episodes separately, the pair revisited their Episode 2 Disneyland date together. “That was really the start of this relationship,” Vassos reflected. “Everything felt natural right away.”
Chock’s Proposal and Challenges Along the Way
Chapple acknowledged it was difficult to watch Vassos kiss other suitors during the show, but he respected her journey. “My response is, I liked the guys,” he said. “You want them to have great lives, but I wanted Joan.”
However, Chapple avoided watching the Fantasy Suites episode, where Vassos was devastated by salon owner Pascal Ibgui’s decision to leave the show. “I haven’t, and I prefer not to watch that one,” he admitted. “Pascal and I are like brothers. I wish him the best.”
While the couple hasn’t yet watched the Bora Bora proposal episode, they’re thrilled with how it unfolded.
Chapple, unable to consult longtime Bachelor jeweler Neil Lane, still managed to choose a ring that delighted Vassos. “The important thing is that Joan is happy with it,” he said.
The couple is also unfazed by the 1,230-mile distance between their homes. They are considering a shared residence in New York City while continuing to travel between Maryland and Kansas.
“We don’t see it as a negative,” Vassos said. “We can experience each other’s lives in different states. I never thought I’d say, ‘I’m dying to go to Kansas,’ but I actually am.”
Taking It Slow Before Marriage
The inevitable wedding question didn’t come up during the finale’s After the Final Rose segment, perhaps due to the high-profile divorce of last year’s Golden Bachelor couple, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist. Vassos and Chapple are determined to avoid similar pitfalls.
“We’re in love and engaged, but we want to take time to make sure it’s absolutely right,” Chapple said. “The pressure I feel is just wanting this to work because I know I’ve found a great partner.”
Still, the couple is optimistic about tying the knot, possibly even on reality TV. “There will be a Chapter 2. We want to get married,” Vassos said.
“But for now, we’re enjoying the relationship stage—holding hands in public, going to dinner. We just want to live like normal people for a while.”
