Becca Kufrin’s season finale of The Bachelorette was dramatic, sure, but it was a cake walk compared to what Rachel Lindsay went through last year. If you forget, one of Lindsay’s suitors, Peter Kraus, was such a fan favorite that it seemed like her actual love story with the winner, Bryan Abasolo, was pushed to the wayside. She constantly had to defend her choice and punt allegations that she was “settling” by picking Abasolo. At one point during the season, Kraus told Lindsay to find someone to have a “mediocre life” with. When the finale aired, the blink-and-you-missed-it proposal at the end of Lindsay’s season was overlooked by viewers. It was like her love life and happiness played second fiddle to the drama—and this was her season of The Bachelorette.
So it’s understandable why Lindsay’s a little bit salty about the fairytale treatment Kufrin received for her season finale, which aired last night (August 6). The controversy surrounding her winner, Garrett Yrigoyen, aside, what ABC viewers saw last night was pure, blissful romance—the polar opposite of Lindsay’s tearful (and windy) finale.
“Do you ever recall seeing Bryan profess how excited he was to propose to me? Do you recall seeing me cry about how I was so excited to say yes to Bryan and get my fairytale ending? The answer would be ‘no’ to both of those questions,” Lindsay wrote in her Bachelorette recap for Us Weekly. “And it is a shame because both of those things actually happened. You just did not see them. See, you know more about the journey of my breakup than the journey to my proposal acceptance. I think it is fair to say that I was denied my on-camera happy ending.”
She continued, “Do I sound a little pissed off? Well that is because I am. Take a trip down memory lane to exactly, oh let’s say one year ago. Becca did not sit on stage for three hours and watch the finale for the first time in front of a live audience. Becca did not have to deal with someone telling her she would live a mediocre life. Becca did not have to deal with being baited with real time questions about her emotions watching certain scenes. Nope, that was me.”
Don’t get it twisted: Lindsay is happy for Kufrin—and she’s happy in real life, too. She’s just upset her Bachelorette finale was edited to appear more tumultuous than romantic. “I was placed on display for three hours and labeled an angry black female,” Lindsay continued. “And there will always be that stigma attached to my finale because it has been said that when truth is blurred by misinformation, perception becomes reality and all is lost.”
What Lindsay wanted was to have her love story documented, and that’s not an unreasonable request. So how can the network pay her back? A televised wedding wouldn’t hurt, though Lindsay isn’t sure she’s down for that. “I have no idea,” she said. “But they damn sure owe us one.”
If you’ve followed along with The Bachelorette‘s 14th season, you were likely unsurprised by the outcome: Becca Kufrin is engaged. After a very public breakup with fiancé Arie Luyendyk Jr. on season 22 of The Bachelor, she ended her Bachelorette season ready to head down the aisle with Garrett Yrigoyen, Instagram controversy and all.
Even though Becca’s heart was clearly with one man in the finale, both Yrigoyen and his opponent, Blake Horstmann, planned to propose, meeting with franchise-favorite designer Neil Lane and showing off their engagement ring picks. Naturally, they were as different as Becca’s two romantic prospects.
Here, we break down everything you need to know about the two (!) engagement rings picked out for Becca—and the one she ultimately chose. (Spoiler alert: It’s a big ring.)
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1. Neil Lane wanted Becca’s engagement ring to be extra-special this season.
After her engagement to Bachelor Arie ended, Becca had to give her Neil Lane ring back. That difficult history played into the options the jeweler presented to contestants Blake and Garrett for Becca’s ring. “I wanted to make a ring that was totally different than anything I had done for the show before,” Lane told People. “I wanted to create something very special for Becca, especially considering everything that happened with Arie.”
2.Garrett opted for extravagance.
When it came time for Garrett to inspect his options, he didn’t go for subtlety: The Neil Lane ring he chose features an 18-carat gold band and almost four carats of diamonds—three large diamonds are set in the center, and 84 smaller diamonds line the band. “I wanted it to be elegant and to look effortless,” Lane told People about the design.
3. Blake had a traditional, platinum style in mind.
Blake didn’t win Becca in the end, but he was ready to pop the question—and he had picked out a cushion-cut ring with a platinum band to do so. Our Bachelorette didn’t end up seeing it, though: Becca told Blake that she was choosing Garrett before he had a chance to propose.
4. Garrett’s ring had a hidden meaning.
Back to the winning band: Lane explained to People that the three center diamonds on Garrett’s engagement ring were symbolic: “[I]t has three oval stones, which helps celebrate both of them as a couple and the third diamond represents their future together,” he said. “[Garrett] took the process of picking out the ring so, so seriously and seemed to enjoy it. He really studied them thoroughly and had a grin on his face, from ear to ear, the whole time.”
5. Becca was thrilled with her decision (and her four carats of diamonds).
When Garrett got down on one knee, Becca was overjoyed with the elaborate ring Garrett chose: “I think my jaw hit the sand,” Becca said of her ring.
6. Bachelor Nation has a lot of thoughts about Becca’s engagement ring.
Becca may have been pleased with her choice, but Bachelor Nation was divided. When it came to the ring that ultimately landed on the Bachelorette‘s finger, social media reacted—mainly to the bright gold band on Garrett’s pick.
After a journey that began on the last season of The Bachelor, Becca Kufrin will hand out her final rose on Monday night, as season 14 of The Bachelorette comes to a close. So many of our Monday nights were spent finding doppelgängers for the contestants, wondering which of our faves would end up in Paradise (or even as the next Bachelor), and ogling at Becca’s many elaborate outfits.
There are a few labels that come up repeatedly throughout the season and the franchise. One of those is Randi Rahm, a New York-based evening wear designer known for her bridal collections. (Fitting!) This season, she was responsible for two of the most important gowns of the series: the one she wore to meet all of her prospective suitors on the first night, and the one she’ll wear to pick the big winner on Monday night.
The relationship between Rahm and the show stems from her longstanding friendship with Cary Fetman, the show’s stylist. The process goes like this: “I typically have multiple conversations with Cary before filming begins, where we discuss our thoughts and ideas… [He] usually tells me about the personality and characteristics of the current bachelorette—I don’t meet them in advance, so I don’t learn about their individual style and shape the way I normally do when clients come into my atelier here in New York City—[and] I decide which dresses I think would fit his descriptions and which pieces would be appropriate for the show.”
PHOTO: Courtesy of Randi Rahm/Janine Ajamian Photo/SPA Digital
All of the Randi Rahm gowns worn by Becca Kufrin on season 14 of The Bachelorette.
Most of the time, Rahm says Fetman will pull looks from her existing collections to dress the women of the Bachelor universe, but there have been a few memorable custom pieces, like the Flame Rose Dress that Rachel Lindsay wore on the promotional posters for her season of The Bachelorette. Rahm hasn’t worked with Becca directly (yet), but thinks “the pieces [she] and Cary chose together are all very elegant and romantic.”
They were also, for the most part, quite sparkly: From Randi Rahm’s delightfully embellished gowns to the slinky, sequined dresses Fetman picked out for the Vegas leg of Becca’s “journey,” we remember so many of the season’s best dates based on the statement pieces our Bachelorette pulled out for the occasion. With the highly-anticipated final rose ceremony looming, we’re looking back at some of her best looks from the past few weeks.
Tom Ford showstopper
PHOTO: Craig Sjodin
Hey, if your fiancé breaks up with you in front of a camera crew and you’re about to embark on another season of reality television to try to find love once again, wouldn’t you want to do so in a Tom Ford gown? Becca had the right idea for The Bachelorette season 14 promotional images.
Randi Rahm premiere pearls
PHOTO: Paul Hebert
Becca’s first official gown of the season, to meet all the eligible contestants at the Bachelor mansion, was plucked from Randi Rahm’s bridal collection. “Many of my wedding gowns are extremely versatile and transitional—they can just as easily be worn to walk down the aisle on your special day as they can be worn to a fabulous event or party,” says Rahm. “Every inch of the gown was covered in pearls, which took over three months to hand-sew.” Though she doesn’t like to pick favorites from her designs—”I always say they’re like my children!”—Rahm concedes that the premiere look would rank highly. “My teamand I spent a tremendous amount of time on it, over 600 hours to be exact,” she tells us.
Rachel Zoe bridal
PHOTO: Paul Hebert
Becca really leaned into the bridal theme in those early episodes: For her first daytime date, she opted for a white Rachel Zoe gown from the designer’s Wedding Edit.
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Red-hot Randi Rahm
This is one of two Randi Rahm jumpsuits Becca would wear on her early dates. “The delicate but plunging lace bodice of the red Christina jumpsuit is juxtaposed by the tailored, slightly flared bottom,” notes the designer.
Sherri Hill sequins
New levels of sparkle unlocked with this sequined Sherri Hill number.
__Sheer Randi Rahm __
The entirely-sheer bodice of this Randi Rahm jumspuit made primetime-friendly by the 3D embellishments.
Michelle Mason blazer-dress hybrid
Becca’s velvet Michelle Mason blazer dress felt like a pretty realistic date-night outfit, actually. (No shade to the daytime gowns, buuut…)
Strapless Randi Rahm
According to Fetman’s Instagram, red is Becca’s favorite color—something viewers can infer from her on-screen wardrobe.
Becca’s iridescent slip really stole the show from the contestants attempting to serenade her. (Sorry, y’all.)
Randi Rahm fit-and-flare
Randi Rahm’s so-called Barbie gown was “Cary’s favorite,” according to the designer. It’s a black fit-and-flare style that brings red-carpet flair (pun intended) to a rose ceremony.
For just $184, you, too, can channel the Bachelorette while on vacation! A group of men vying for your attention, though, doesn’t come with the purchase.
Off-the-shoulder Cushnie et Ochs
PHOTO: Paul Hebert
It wouldn’t be a Bachelor show if there wasn’t a good off-the-shoulder moment!
Manning Cartell bodycon
PHOTO: Paul Hebert
What to wear when you’re walking into a room filled with all your exes, and it’ll all be televised? Lace bodycon will do. Becca opted for a formfitting, sheer-lace midi dress by Manning Cartell for the Men Tell All special.
Randi Rahm finale
PHOTO: Paul Hebert
That plunging white dress Becca slips on in the Maldives for her final rose ceremony? Yup, that’s a Randi Rahm original.
If anyone deserves to find love in Bachelor Nation, it’s Becca Kufrin. The 28-year-old publicist from Minnesota went through a very public, very brutal breakup with Arie Luyendyk Jr. and had to deal with a loser ex on national TV. That’s why we’re all rooting for her to do the damn thing and be front and center when The Bachelorette returns on May 28. In fact, we’re so invested we’re going to help Becca out: The profiles of all the Bachelorette contestants were just made available on ABC.com, and we noticed a few red flags worth mentioning. See ’em all, below.
