The Untold Truth Of The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier may be a beauty queen, but she's no Hannah Brown. The Iowa native made that clear when she introduced herself to pilot Peter Weber in the premiere episode of ABC's The Bachelor on Jan. 6, 2020. "I just want to say I think Hannah made a mistake by letting you go, and I'm really excited to be here and get to know you more," Weier told a smitten Weber, who had been publicly dumped by Brown on her season of The Bachelorette.
Weier may not have been the only beauty queen in a sea of 30 sequin-clad women vying for Weber's heart, but she quickly became a frontrunner, charming Weber — despite unintentionally starting drama over a stolen champagne bottle dubbed "champagne-gate." Their relationship grew in front of the cameras as they went on fun dates and had deep conversations. Weier even told Weber she was falling in love with him. But who is this beauty queen from Iowa? Does she like champagne all that much? And will family drama get in the way of her and Weber's relationship? Here's the untold truth of The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier was Miss Iowa USA
Before Bachelor fame, Kelsey Weier was accustomed to wearing evening dresses; however, it wasn't a rose she was hoping for then, but rather a tiara and sash. She got what she worked for when she was crowned Miss Iowa, which landed her a coveted spot in 2017's Miss USA competition.
Prior to taking on the national stage, Weier shared in a TV interview with Today in Iowa that her little sister, Kalason Weier, was the reason she joined the pageant world. Kalason was already a beauty queen, despite being born with an arm disability, Weier said, and "for her to go out on stage with the confidence she did and not care about her disability or what people thought, was really inspiring to me." So inspiring that Weier said she decided to give it a try and "instantly fell in love" with pageantry.
Also during the interview, Weier unknowingly foreshadowed her own experience with The Bachelor when talking about Miss USA. She said that while her and her fellow contestants are in "competition mode" it's just as important to "have fun" and "enjoy the process." Sound familiar?
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is a hair and fashion pro
Kelsey Weier's cosmetology background is probably why her hair and makeup is always camera-ready on The Bachelor.
According to her Miss USA profile, Weier graduated from The Salon Professional Academy in Iowa in 2013. She worked as a colorist for Rick Mosley Hair before making the short leap over to fashion. According to her LinkedIn profile, Weier is currently a professional clothier for Tom James Company, a custom clothing retailer and manufacturer. As noted on Tom James' website, a clothier basically serves as a wardrobe consultant that determines a client's style "from the fit, to the fabric, to the details."
Whatever she does, The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier said she always makes sure she gives it her all. "Success to me is not being scared to go after my dreams. Success comes in many forms. Although my dreams may not always come true, as long as I know I tried and gave it my all that's what matters to me," Weier said in one Miss USA interview that's since been removed from the Miss USA website.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier learned about the value of family in this role
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier took a couple of years off before cosmetology school to nanny four little boys, and she learned valuable life lessons in the process. According to a Miss USA article, which asked 2017 contestants who they admired the most, Weier chose Sonja Heying, who was the mom to the boys she nannied.
"My nanny experience was different than most because the mom was home with me. Sonja needed all the help she could get since she had four boys!" Weier said, adding, "The reason I look up to Sonja is because of who she is as a person, a mother, and a wife. In the two years that I nannied for Sonja, she taught me so much about life, family, and myself." Weier went on to say that she admired the mom of four for the "amount of time" and love she puts into her family, explaining, "She is not only one of the best moms I know but also one of the best people I have ever met. I can only hope to be half the mom she is someday!"
How The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier responded to her viral moment
Kelsey Weier set the tone early on for Peter Weber's season of Bachelor drama, unintentionally starting the now-infamous "champagne-gate." In one episode of The Bachelor, Weier was shown arguing with fellow contestant Mykenna Dorn at the mansion over her time spent with Weber. Later in the episode, Weier appeared to have changed her tune when she was spotted talking excitedly with some of the other ladies about a champagne bottle she brought from home to open with Weber that night. The camera cut to a beautiful bottle display near a fireplace just a short walk away. "Anyone can just bring a champagne bottle and toast, but this is something that I've been saving for a little over a year," Weier said.
But then Weber and contestant Hannah Ann Sluss happened to come across the romantic display and pop the cork on Weier's special surprise. Weier, visibly upset, confronted Sluss, who claimed she didn't know the champagne was hers. Later that night, The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier got a chance to enjoy champagne (a different bottle) with Weber, but, when she decided to drink straight from the just-opened bottle, it exploded all over her face. Poor girl.
Following the airing of the episode, Weier poked fun at herself, posting a photo of herself on Instagram with a glass of champagne in hand. In the caption, she wrote, "Note to future self: Never drink cheap champagne straight from the bottle."
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is not afraid to cry in front of the cameras
A lot of tears have been shed on The Bachelor, and Kelsey Weier might have cried a river's worth.
Following the tear-filled, champagne-gate controversy, it seemed her crying days might've been behind her. Weier scored a one-on-one date with Peter Weber in romantic Cleveland — yes, in Ohio, as noted by Des Moines Register. They danced to Polka music in the street and ended the night with a romantic dinner on a boat, sharing a big kiss as fireworks danced across the sky.
But afterwards Weier happened to get involved in more house drama, this time with fellow contestant Tammy Ly while filming in Costa Rica. Weier started tearing up as she defended herself in a one-on-one with Ly, who was telling the rest of the girls that Weier had a drinking problem and was "emotionally unstable." Weier decided to sneak out of the hotel to see Weber, who quickly put an end to any of her doubts and shared his strong feelings for her. "I don't care what any of the girls say. I care about this and this connection that we have," Weber told her.
Fortunately, Weier doesn't seem bothered by crying, as she's used the hashtag "#cryingiscool" is a few of her social media posts.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier was roasted by Ellen Degeneres
Kelsey Weier's champagne-gate controversy was so big it even garnered the attention of comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
In an episode of her daytime TV show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the comedian rehashed the Bachelor drama, explaining how Weier brought a champagne bottle to share with Bachelor Peter Weber, but then it was allegedly stolen by fellow contestant Hannah Ann Sluss. DeGeneres told the audience she didn't understand why it was such a "big deal," considering the bottle "was sitting there for someone to open." She then played a clip of the episode that showed The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier setting up the romantic champagne display by the fireplace and saying in a voice-over she'd been waiting for a special occasion to drink the bottle. But when Weier investigated what had happened, Ellen viewers were treated to DeGeneres sitting beside Weber rather than Sluss (thanks to Hollywood magic), all dressed up and happily sipping on some bubbly with Weber.
Still, being teased by DeGeneres is some kind of win, right?
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is one of the older contestants on Peter Weber's season
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is one of the older contestants on Peter Weber's season. Though the oldest contestant in the season was 31-year-old Natasha Parker, Weier is 28, according to her Bachelor bio. While that's young, that still makes her as much as six years older than some of the other Bachelor contestants. She's the oldest in the top four, which includes Madison Prewett and Hannah Ann Sluss, who are both 23, and Victoria Fuller, 26. The Bachelor's Weber is 28.
ABC exec Rob Mills told Entertainment Tonight that, while he thinks the ladies on Weber's season are "sincere," there's been talk that maybe the contestants are too young. "I think that's something we'd probably look at and say, 'Does it need to be aged up? Are these girls ready?'" Mill explained. "This is a show about hopefully finding a life mate, and that has happened on this show. I think just making sure everybody's ready, and you can't ignore the fact that, not even for the right reasons anymore, but are you there to be an influencer? Are you there for Peter? Looking at all that."
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier and Peter Weber developed a strong connection
Despite Bachelor mansion drama and a lot of "she said, she said," Kelsey Weier and Peter Weber's relationship only grew stronger over the course of the season. In their first one-on-one date in Cleveland, Weier addressed the past "champagne-gate" debacle and thanked Weber on-camera for "accepting me for who I am and not running away" after that "embarrassing" situation. Weber admitted to her then that, while they did not have as many one-on-one interactions early on in the season, "her heart came through" in those times they did speak, which is why he made sure she stuck around.
The more fun side of their relationship was put on display when the two shared another one-on-one date later in the season in Peru, as reported by Good Morning America. The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier and Weber went ATVing around the Peruvian countryside and then proceeded to run up the side of a mountain where they took a break to presumably make out. The two shared a heart-to-heart conversation during the date's traditional dinner portion, where Weber gave Weier the rose, which signaled she'd be moving on to hometown dates, and Weber was going to Iowa.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier has spoken candidly about her strained relationship with father
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier showed a deeper, more vulnerable side to her during her one-on-one dates in Cleveland and Peru with Peter Weber. Weier opened up about her parent's bitter divorce and her estranged relationship with her father.
During one date, Weier told Weber that her parents divorced when she was in seventh grade. The kicker was that she found out about the divorce before her mom did. "I came home from basketball practice and there was a letter written on the counter with my dad's wedding ring," said Weier, who added that she didn't see her dad again until about 12 years later.
Weier opened up even more during the dinner date, knowing that if she got the rose Weber would be meeting her family. She told Weber that for years she's had an on-and-off relationship with her dad, but had started communicating with him after he texted her about a year earlier. She's even visited her dad, and, while her sisters know and chose not to accompany her, her mom had no idea she'd been in contact with him.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is close to her mom and sisters, one of which is her twin
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier is close to her mom and two sisters, youngest sibling Kalason and fraternal twin Kayla. Weier was born only three minutes before her twin sister, according to the Des Moines Register.
Weier said she grew up with a lot of love, despite her father not being present in her life, and she credits her mom for making her the woman she is today. "My mom had to raise three girls by herself, and I don't know how she did it," Weier said in a Miss USA video. She continued, "She has taught me how to be strong and an independent woman, and I would not be the woman I am without her today."
Clearly, Weier is very much a family woman. Her Instagram page is full of family photos, many with her sisters, sharing in some of the most important moments of her life, including when she was crowned Miss Iowa.
The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier struggled with self-confidence growing up
Despite her years of pageantry, The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier admits to struggling with self-confidence, a battle she's fought since she was young. Growing up a twin apparently didn't help.
Weier told Miss USA that she was constantly compared to her twin sister, Kayla. "As a young girl this was a difficult battle that I had to learn to overcome. As I grew older I realized that no matter how different my sister and I were people were always going to compare us," she said.
It wasn't until she got older that she started focusing on the things that made her unique, but she admitted it's still a struggle sometimes. "When I start to compare myself to others I quickly remind myself of the positives in my life, and what makes me special," Weier shared. "Do I have a lot of room to grow? Yes! But I'm proud of the strides I have taken to get to where I am today."
Could The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier be the next Bachelorette?
There's always a chance one of The Bachelor's top contestants finds love as the Bachelorette, but there's no telling as of this writing just which lady from Peter Weber's season will be crowned as the next Bachelorette. Since The Bachelor's Kelsey Weier was eliminated after hometown dates, as Reality Steve had predicted, she may be in the running to be the next Bachelorette.
But it seems Bachelor Peter Weber has already placed his vote for the next Bachelorette, and that's former contestant and fan favorite Kelley Flanagan. According to an Entertainment Tonight interview, Weber said Flanagan would "kill it" in the lead role, adding, "I think she can absolutely make an amazing [Bachelorette]." And if Hannah Ann Sluss, Madison Prewett, and Victoria Fuller don't end up with Weber, they could be in the running too.
While only time will tell, it's probably safe to say that if Weier does become the next Bachelorette, she'd officially ban champagne from the Bachelor mansion.