Who is Mariela ‘Mari’ Pepin? Meet former Miss Maryland who stole ‘The Bachelor’ Matt James' breath away
Looking at the contestant line-up for 'The Bachelor' can be seriously intimidating. All the contestants are absolutely gorgeous and the Matt James season is no exception to this rule. While all the women are absolutely swooning over James, there happen to be some contestants who had him swooning instead, all within the first meeting. Wondering who swept James right off his feet? Enter Mariela 'Mari' Pepin, who had taken James' breath away almost instantly, seeing that the first thing he had to say about their encounter was: "Do you ever meet somebody, and you don’t know what to say? That was that moment. Trying to be smooth, but you can’t sometimes.”
Dare we say it was love at first sight? Curious to know what about Pepin had James smitten like a kitten? We have the details!
What does Mari do for a living?
Originally from Puerto Rico, but having moved to The USA as a teen, 24-year-old Mariela 'Mari' Pepin from Odenton, Maryland, is no stranger to a bit of competition. If anything, she finds that she often thrives in these situations. She recently won Miss Maryland USA 2019 and placed in the Top 10 at Miss USA. Clearly the ultimate combo of beauty and brains, she's now focusing all her energy in her career, although she also feels like she's ready to settle down, provided she finds the right man. As marketing director, she enjoys the work she does and her ABC bio states that it's important for her to have her own thing going. She definitely plans on being a working mom, seeing that her work lets her function remotely, she hopes to set an example for young women. If you want it all, you can have it all!
Does Mari have an Instagram account?
Pepin does have an Instagram account and by the look of it, she happens to be quite active too. You can follow her @mari_pepin. By the looks of it, she enjoys churning out the looks and spending time outdoors.
What kind of man is Mari looking for?
As per her bio, Pepin considers herself to be a nurturing and thoughtful partner. She's looking for a man who can bring that same energy to the table. She considers herself to be a romantic, and is big on small gestures, as a way to make her significant other happy.
After the January 4 premiere, 'The Bachelor' is broadcast every Monday at 8 pm ET (7 pm CT) on ABC and Hulu + Live.
