Mari Pepin-Solis and Kenny Braasch from Bachelor In Paradise have already started planning their wedding. The couple got engaged on the season 7 finale after a whirlwind romance filled with intense drama and passion. When they first met, Kenny and Mari were immediately drawn to each other. Mari, however, got scared of her strong feelings and asked Kenny if they could see other people, prompting him to have a fling with Demi Burnett. He also went on a date with Tia Booth, but he always found himself being pulled back to Mari.
When Mari finally admitted her feelings for Kenny, they became inseparable. Although Kenny, 40, was concerned about their 15-year age difference, Mari, 25, assured him that she was ready for a commitment. Kenny proposed to Mari, and she happily accepted. In his proposal speech, Kenny said, "I literally, like, I can’t see my life without you. You’re such an amazing woman that you’ve changed my whole outlook on life." Kenny confessed earlier on the show that he never thought he would get married, but he can now see a future in which he is a husband and father with Mari by his side.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Kenny and Mari discussed their future plans. Mari, a marketing manager, said, "So we haven’t set, like, a wedding date or anything yet, but I am going to be moving to Chicago in the next few months. So that’s our first step." Chicago is Kenny's hometown, where he works as a talent buyer and creates and manages boy band cover bands. Mari also revealed that she and Kenny "did agree to get married in Puerto Rico, [which is] where I’m from. So there’s that." This compromise will allow both of them to have a piece of home in their relationship. Although Mari did not disclose any more of their plans, the fact that they chose a definite location for the wedding is promising.
A future together involves families as well, and Kenny and Mari discussed their families' reactions to their engagement. Mari revealed her parents cried and that they are "happy for me." Kenny said his "parents knew, kind of, when I got home what was going on. They were very shocked at that moment. But when we saw it back last night, we were all together. Her family came in and everybody was together, and it was great, to be honest. It was a pretty special night." Bringing their families together was an important next step for Kenny and Mari.
Kenny and Mari's wedding in Puerto Rico will be one of the most anticipated in Bachelor In Paradise history. They were able to overcome many obstacles in their relationship to find true love, and fans everywhere hope that it lasts forever.
Source: Us Weekly