Arie Luyendyk Jr and Lauren Burnham: A love story that started with a dramatic no and ended with a yes for life
They met on 'The Bachelor' Season 22 and didn't have a great start but Arie Luyendyk Jr and Lauren Burnham have proved that what matters the most in a relationship is following one's heart.
The couple faced a lot of backlash after Luyendyk had proposed to Becca Kufrin, sending Burnham home. Over the next two months, Luyendyk realized that he may have erred while choosing his partner and this change of heart resulted in him breaking up with Kufrin on camera. He later went back to Burnham to pursue her, calling it "the best decision" of his life and the couple is now married with a child.
The couple is still together more than two years after their run on 'The Bachelor'. They constantly update their fans about their relationship and their family on Instagram and YouTube. They have kept in regular touch with 'The Bachelor' team and are returning to the show's spinoff series 'Listen to Your Heart' as guest judges.
Before they do, here's a look at their relationship that started off as twisted and tumultuous.
THE FIRST SPARK
September 2017 - The two meet at the 'Bachelor' mansion. A source had confirmed that the two had had a picture taken when they first met earlier that summer at a race in Dallas. Not a lot of footage of this exchange made it on the show because show-makers didn't know that she would be the winner just yet. According to Jacqueline Trumbull, who appeared on the Huffington Post podcast 'Here to Make Friends', Burnham presented the photo taken at the event to Luyendyk during her Bachelor entrance. Luyendyk presumably starts falling in love with Burnham after seeing the photograph.
THE HEARTBREAK
November 2017 - After a lot of consideration, Luyendyk shocked Burnham after he proposed to Kufrin on the show, despite telling Burnham he loved her.
WHERE THE HEART FOLLOWS
December 2017 - Luyendyk manages to raise eyebrows after he likes an old photo of Burnham on her Instagram page. He didn't follow her on Instagram but still chose to like the photo and people knew that he was surfing her page.
ANOTHER HEARTBREAK
January 2018 - It was a much-publicized refusal. The cameras were all trained on the former couple as Arie officially called off his and Kufrin's engagement during one of their "Happy Couple" getaways. Bachelor Nation was obviously riled up by the spectacle and Arie received a lot of hate for filming this.
BACK TO HIS HEART
Mid-January 2018 - Luyendyk makes his way to Virginia to reconcile with Burnham
CLOSURE
In March, Arie and Becca meet at the After the Final Rose special. She tells him he "robbed" her of first proposal but said "I do want you to be happy. I hope that Lauren is your one and that you have found that happiness with her. I just want you to be honest with her and hold her heart high, have the most respect for her, be committed to her."
THE BEST DECISION
March 2018 - They both get engaged on 'After the Final Rose' special episode on their season. "I've made some bad decisions, but the best decision was running back to you," Luyendyk tells Burnham while getting down on one knee.
STARTING A FAMILY
November 2019 - They announce the arrival of their child and wedding plans.
January 2019 - The couple gets married in Hawaii. The host of 'The Bachelor', Chris Harrison, officiated their ceremony.
BACHELOR BABY
May 2019 - The couple announced the arrival of their daughter, Alessi Ren Luyendyk, on Instagram.
September 2019 - Burnham and Luyendyk, joined by their daughter, get married once again in A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. "We got married again in the back of a pink caddy," wrote Luyendyk on Instagram.