The Best First Kisses In Bachelor History
The Bachelor franchise has given its viewers some iconic moments, some cringe-worthy dates, and some life-long romances over its 18 year lifetime. Each season of the show, whether the lead is a dashing gentleman or a dynamic lady, provides the dedicated Bachelor audience with frontrunners to support, villains that they love to hate, and romance stories that they hope will last.
Despite the inevitable ups and downs that the on-screen relationships bring, there are some first kisses in Bachelor history that stand out from the others. Some have been so romantic, edited to have the classic "Bachelor music" playing in the background, that audiences have been left believing in true love. Others have been so steamy that viewers can't help but want to see more.
Not every Bachelor relationship has worked out — and many have ended in dramatic tears, bold exits, and choice words. However, some kisses have endured the test of time. Here are the best first kisses in Bachelor history.
Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter's first kiss still makes Bachelor fans swoon
Before dates on The Bachelorette consisted of naked bungee jumping excursions or expensive shopping sprees, a quick trip to swim with the dolphins was more than enough — or, at least, it was for first-ever Bachelorette Trista Rehn and contestant Ryan Sutter. Trista, a fan favorite from Bachelor Alex Michel's season, took the then shy and quirky firefighter to SeaWorld for their very first one-on-one date — and their first kiss over dinner did not disappoint. Trista pecked Ryan on the lips after he read her a heartfelt poem, seemingly to his surprise.
"I kind of realized she kissed me but it was almost such a surreal moment," Trista said in an on-camera interview as the date aired. "It's all kind of a blur for me right now." The couple's love grew throughout the season, leading to the first Bachelorette proposal.
They tied the knot during a televised wedding ceremony on December 6, 2003 in Palm Springs, California in front of 300 guests and 22 cameras. The Bachelor Nation favorites are still going strong today, and are parents to two children.
Hannah Brown's first kiss with controversial contestant Luke Parker made Bachelor history
Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette had many stand-out moments — from her ax throwing group date, to her romance with heartthrob contestant Tyler Cameron, and, finally, her break up with ex-fiancé Jed Wyatt. However, one man vying for Hannah's heart stood out from the rest: Luke Parker.
The handsome gym goer with a flare for temper quickly became the season's villain, but when Bachelor Nation met him on night one, his smooth moves quickly swept Hannah off her feet. Luke receive the coveted first impression rose, and his locked lips with Hannah quickly affirmed that the two had chemistry. Their first kiss was steamy and swoon worthy, and possibly made better given that Luke's true nature had not yet emerged.
Despite concerns from other contestants about his behavior, Luke made it all the way to Hannah's final four, but was sent home when he made judgmental comments about her intimate moments with the other men. "It was hard for me to understand at times," Hannah said about her relationship with Luke during the Men Tell All episode.
Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Dean Unglert hit it off immediately in Bachelor in Paradise
Bachelor Nation had seen Dean Unglert on their screens during Rachel Lindsay's season of The Bachelorette, as a contestant on Bachelor in Paradise, and as a romantic hopeful during The Bachelor Winter Games. Considering he could never seem to make an on-screen relationship stick, Unglert's return to Bachelor in Paradise in 2019 seemed like a last ditch effort. However, his date and first kiss with beauty queen Caelynn Miller-Keyes changed his Bachelor fate forever.
Dean and Caelynn were an odd pairing — after all, he was a self proclaimed unhygienic, van-living traveler, and she was a former beauty queen. Still, the two shared one of Bachelor in Paradise's most memorable first kisses while on a dinner date, with Caelynn wrapping her legs around Dean's torso as they floated around the pool.
Unfortunately, Dean broke up with Caelynn and opted to go home before the show ended, leaving her heartbroken on the beach. However, in a surprising twist, Dean returned shortly after and asked her to go back to Los Angeles with him as his girlfriend. The rest is Bachelor history!
Love was in the air when Shawn Booth first kissed Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe
Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of The Bachelorette started unlike any other lady's journey. Up against former Bachelor contestant Britt Nilsson for the title, Bristowe worked to make lasting impressions on the men that would decide her fate. However, contestant Shawn Booth came to The Bachelorette with eyes only for Bristowe — and the two immediately hit it off.
Kaitlyn beat Britt in the race to become the season's leading lady, giving her first impression rose to Shawn. And the couple's passionate first kiss solidified the contestant as a clear frontrunner. "Kissing Shawn is like having a first kiss," Kaitlyn said during a one-on-one interview. She continued, explaining, "I just have all of those same stupid little butterfly feelings." Shawn and Kaitlyn's romance only evolved from there, and Shawn popped the question at the end of the season, with Kaitlyn happily accepting.
Unfortunately, the couple broke up in 2018. "It's three and a half years of feeling shame and like I don't deserve love from him," Kaitlyn revealed while appearing on the podcast Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley and Tanya Rad.
"Never Been Kissed" Heather Martin had the first kiss of a lifetime with Bachelor Colton Underwood
When Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants are introduced to viewers, their on-screen interviews and first appearances are usually accompanied by a graphic including their name, age, hometown, and occupation. But that wasn't the case for Heather Martin, one of the ladies chasing after Colton Underwood's heart. Her listed occupation was "Never Been Kissed," as the blonde haired beauty had yet to have her first kiss.
That said, Heather's first kiss with Colton was one for the Bachelor history books. During the couple's one-on-one date in Thailand, Heather and Colton shared a passionate kiss under a sky of fireworks. "I had hoped there would be butterflies, and excitement, and fireworks," Heather said during an on-camera interview. She continued, saying, "And there were literally fireworks."
Despite their storybook first kiss, Heather and Colton's relationship began to fall behind others, and the contestant eventually opted to leave the show. Colton's season ended when he and contestant Cassie Randolph left as boyfriend and girlfriend, but the two split up in a public, messy breakup in May 2020.
Bachelorette Becca Kufrin and contestant Garrett Yrigoyen were smitten with each other from the start
Bachelor fan favorite Becca Kufrin was instantly a frontrunner while vying for Arie Luyendyk's heart during his season of The Bachelor. So, when Becca then became The Bachelorette's leading lady, Bachelor Nation was rooting for her success. After meeting her season's crop of guys, Becca gave the first impression rose and a super romantic kiss to contestant Garrett Yrigoyen.
"That kiss felt good ... I just wanted to hold onto her for the rest of the night," Garrett said in an interview. He continued, telling Bachelorette cameras, "I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now."
Becca was clearly onto something, as Garrett made it all the way to the finale and to the season's proposal. Becca said yes and the two were engaged from 2018 until September 2020 — eventually calling off their engagement after two years together. Becca confirmed their breakup on her podcast, Bachelor Happy Hour, saying, "Garrett and I came to this decision after many conversations." Added the former Bachelorette, "It wasn't just something we just arrived at one night."
Bachelor Nation's Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici had sparks flying during their first secret kiss
The Bachelor's golden boy, Sean Lowe, was an instant hit among fans of the show — and his journey to find love was a successful one.
Sean and contestant Catherine Giudici immediately hit it off on his season of The Bachelor, and the two found a private spot away from the other women during a group date to share their first kiss. In the shadows of the Bachelor mansion, Sean finally laid one on Catherine after waiting for exactly the right moment to kiss the contestant. "It was short and sweet and left both of us wanting more," Catherine said to the Bachelor cameras. She continued, gushing, "I'm over the moon."
Sean proposed to Catherine during his season's romantic finale, and the two were married during a live, televised ceremony in January 2014. As of this writing, Sean and Catherine are still together – making Sean the only leading man in Bachelor history to marry the woman he proposed to on the show.
Bachelor in Paradise brought Derek Peth and Taylor Nolan together
Sparks flew during Bachelor in Paradise Season 4 when Derek Peth and Taylor Nolan met on the beach in Mexico.
Derek, a contestant from JoJo Fletcher's season of The Bachelorette, and Taylor — who fans knew from Nick Viall's season of The Bachelor – found themselves quickly intertwined as a fan favorite Paradise couple. Their first date was one for the romance history books, showcasing the couple's natural chemistry and featuring their passionate first kiss.
"All I've wanted to do is kiss you for the past three weeks," Derek told Taylor. He later went on to say that every time he was with Taylor, he felt "happy and giggly." Derek and Taylor quickly became one of Paradise's committed couples, leading to Derek's marriage proposal during the season's final episode. However, Derek and Taylor eventually called off their engagement, telling Us Weekly they had "put everything [they] could into [their] relationship," and were "heartbroken to go forward separately." Derek returned to the Bachelor in Paradise beach the following year, while Taylor has not returned to the franchise.
John Paul Jones only ever had eyes for Tayshia Adams on Bachelor in Paradise
A Bachelor Nation fan favorite, John Paul Jones won viewers' hearts while pursuing love with Hannah Brown during her season of The Bachelorette.
While the popular contestant didn't win Hannah's heart, he later appeared on Bachelor in Paradise Season 6, only to develop the biggest heart eyes for Tayshia Adams — one of Bachelor Colton Underwood's final three ladies. John Paul Jones' first kiss with Tayshia in one of Paradise's bungalows was one for the books, making it clear that the two had instant chemistry. "Tayshia is the most incredible woman I've met in my life," he said during an on-camera interview.
However, despite the butterflies and instantaneous connection, Tayshia split up with John Paul Jones as Paradise came to an end. Though the two reconciled during the show's season finale, they eventually called off their romance for good in October 2019, according to Us Weekly.
Despite a Bachelor in Paradise love triangle, Hannah Godwin and Dylan Barbour's first kiss was one for the books
Bachelor in Paradise contestant Dylan Barbour made it clear early on in the sixth season that Hannah Godwin was the only woman he wanted to pursue during his time in Mexico. However, Hannah was not quite as convinced, and the two soon found themselves in a love triangle with Blake Hortsmann.
Despite the rocky waters, Dylan and Hannah shared a passionate first kiss while Blake was out on a date with another contestant — much to Dylan's delight. "Tonight couldn't have gotten any better," Dylan gushed. He continued, saying, "Quite literally, this is the best night of my life."
Hannah eventually chose Dylan over Blake, and the two became engaged at the end of the season. One year later, the couple was still going strong, telling Us Weekly that they were house hunting and not putting too much pressure on getting hitched. "With the unknown state of everything, we're putting things on pause and just enjoying being engaged," Hannah told the publication during the July 2020 interview.
Becca Kufrin and Arie Luyendyk Jr. set a high bar with their first Bachelor kiss
Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. and contestant Becca Kufrin had instant chemistry on Season 22 of the show, with their first date consisting of a motorcycle ride, a shopping spree, and lots of bubbly. Of course, the date also featured the couple's first kiss, shared after Arie gently placed an earring on Becca that he had picked out for her during their date. "The world could end today and I would die a happy girl," Becca said.
Arie and Becca's first outing together ended with dinner — as well as another steamy kiss. "It felt comfortable, but it felt right in a sense," Becca said of their kiss, with Arie saying it was the "perfect first date."
The pair continued to hit it off, and Arie eventually proposed to Becca, ending the season with an engagement. However, the fairytale was short lived, as the Bachelor quickly broke things off with Becca to pursue his season's runner up, Lauren Burnham.
Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher gave heartthrob Jordan Rodgers the first impression rose ... and a kiss to remember
JoJo Fletcher's journey on The Bachelorette confirmed a widely believed fan theory about the female-led seasons: The man who gets the First Impression Rose is pretty much set to be the season's winner.
Not only was contestant (and First Impression Rose recipient) Jordan Rodgers the last man standing on JoJo's season — the pair's first kiss was a perfect sign that they were built to last. Having "missed the moment" while the two had their first conversation, Jordan pulled JoJo aside on night one and kissed her in the mansion gardens. "Now that is a kiss," JoJo said in a post-smooch interview. She continued, saying, "I didn't think I was going to kiss anyone [tonight], but kissing Jordan feels perfect and right and it just feels good."
After a season's worth of dates, drama, and heartache, Jordan proposed to JoJo and the became engaged. As of this writing, the lovebirds are still going strong — and it all started with a kiss to remember.
Rachel Lindsay was convinced she wouldn't kiss anyone on her first night as Bachelorette ... until she met Bryan Abasolo
Bachelor Nation favorite Rachel Lindsay made history as the first Black leading lady on The Bachelorette – and her season certainly came with its drama, romances, and passion.
Convinced that she wouldn't be locking lips with any contestants on night one, Rachel was proven wrong by contestant Bryan Abasolo — the charming chiropractic physician with a handsome smile and smooth moves who passionately kissed Rachel while teaching her to say a phrase in Spanish. "He just took it upon himself to take me in his arms and kiss me and I was not ready for it," Rachel revealed in an interview. She continued, saying, "But boy, did I love it."
Rachel and Bryan's chemistry only grew, and the couple eventually became engaged at the end of the season. The two were married in August 2019, hosting the ceremony at the Royalton Suites Cancun in Mexico. "Rachel was the epitome of elegance and grace as she walked down the aisle towards Bryan," wedding planner Michael Russo told People Magazine. "The ceremony was filled with so much joy, love and laughter."
Bachelor Peter Weber and contestant Hannah Ann Sluss had a steamy first kiss at the mansion
When Bachelor contestant Hannah Ann Sluss emerged from the limousine on the first night of Peter Weber's season, it was clear that she had caught the pilot's eye. After a night of introductions and conversations, Peter gave Hannah Ann the first impression rose, as well as a steamy kiss in front of the mansion's outdoor fireplace. "I knew when I met him there was an instant connection," Hannah Ann said in a one-on-one interview about the kiss.
Hannah Ann was one of the season's frontrunners, and was definitely the favorite of the Bachelor's mother, Barbara Weber. Peter followed his family's advice and proposed to Hannah Ann in the season finale, but — similarly to some of the male leads who came before him — he ultimately called off his engagement and went after his season's runner-up, Madison Prewett.
However, Peter's reconciliation with Madison was also short-lived, and the former Bachelor eventually started a post-show romance with Kelley Flanagan – a contestant he'd sent home during the seventh week of his season.