Bachelor Nation has witnessed the challenges that come with building a relationship outside the fairytale mansion walls. Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, The Golden Bachelor’s first couple, showed us how real-world decisions – like where to live and how to share a life – can become deal-breakers. Now, The Golden Bachelorette’s Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple are taking a different approach to ensure they don’t fall into the same traps.
For Turner and Nist, more than just distance became an issue. While shortly after their wedding, Turner revealed his diagnosis with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, a slow-growing bone marrow cancer, Nist made it clear that the breakup wasn’t tied to his health. Instead, it was about location- and conflicting visions for their shared future.
The pair initially planned to relocate to South Carolina. But once reality hit, Turner had second thoughts. “After he got back home, he kind of changed his mind,” Nist shared. “He said, ‘No, let’s do it six weeks here and six weeks there.’ And I didn’t want to do that. I really wanted a home together… I was looking forward to that so much.”
That disagreement proved to be the breaking point. While Nist acknowledged that distance played a role in their split, it wasn’t the only factor. “That’s really all I will say,” she added, leaving fans wondering what else drove them apart.
Now, Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple are proactively tackling these very challenges. Instead of rushing down the aisle, the pair is focused on ensuring practicality doesn’t derail their romance. Differences in location? They’ve got a plan for that.
“Joan wants to stay in Maryland and has said that from the get-go, while Chock is in Kansas. They’re shopping for an apartment in NYC, which will be their rendezvous point,” a source told Life & Style. “They think it’ll be romantic. They want to try this out and want their respective families to get to know each other before they take the next step.”
It’s a grounded, deliberate strategy – one that directly addresses the pitfalls Turner and Nist encountered. Finding a new, shared space in a neutral location allows them to build their relationship at a pace that works for both, without sacrificing their personal roots.
While Bachelor Nation remains curious about whether Vassos and Chapple will move toward marriage, their focus on harmony and compromise already sets them apart. Whether it’s city apartments or wedding bells, one thing’s for sure – they’re determined to get it right.
