Every rose has its thorn...
Thurston and Moynes officially called off their engagement on Oct. 25, only three months after their proposal aired on TV. But even before they split, their relationship had its highs and lows. From an abbreviated time on the show to dating long-distance, they were constantly facing challenges together — and, now, apart.
Even by Bachelor Nation standards, Thurston and Moynes had a pretty rushed engagement. Because Moynes didn’t arrive until Episode 4, the couple didn’t have very much time to date.
Though they had obvious chemistry together, their fast-paced relationship raised a few red flags for some (like Aunt Lindsey).
Thurston and Blake might have seemed outwardly thrilled during this moment. But even their proposal body language was “conflicted,” per Traci Brown, body language expert. She added, “I'm not getting the full connection I'd like to from them.”
Though Thurston chose Moynes as her fiancé, not everyone was convinced they were meant to be (which probably had a lot to do with production, but I digress).
And Thurston’s heated confrontation with Greg Grippo at “After the Final Rose” caused some to think she still had feelings for him — not a great sign when you’re engaged to someone else.
Thurston and Moynes planned to stay long-distance, at least in part due to visa issues. (Moynes lives in Ontario, Canada, and Thurston recently moved from Seattle to San Diego.)
When a fan asked Thurston about their future move-in plans, her response was non-committal. “We are experiencing both home countries together before we plant roots anywhere officially," she wrote back, per People.
While Moynes was in Africa for work, Thurston seemed to be missing him. On Oct 11, after going on IG Live, Thurston thanked her followers for tuning in and opened up about feeling “lonely.” She wrote, “It can feel lonely moving to a new state... I’m still trying to navigate this new life and city while seeking normalcy.”
When a fan noticed that Thurston and Moynes were not liking all of each other's posts, they got worried. “Imagine your fiancé has been on his [Instagram] stories for weeks in Kenya working his a** off and yet this is what some people notice,” Thurston responded to the fan concerns on Oct. 18. At the time, she confirmed that they were still together.
During a Sept. 29 episode of Whitney Cumming’s podcast, Good For You, Thurston spoke about her and Moynes’ problem areas, specifically mentioning how his “lack of affection” led to some disagreements.
She explained a recent issue: “Oh my god, he didn’t even check on me during my two and a half-hour drive.” Yet she said she was still trying to focus on the ways he did show affection.
Taking to Instagram on Oct. 16, Thurston posted a photo with Casandra Suarez, who left night one of Matt James’ Bachelor season. Although that’s not exactly shocking, Thurston’s caption raised some eyebrows.
“Instead of leaving with the guy, we left with our friendships. 🥂,” she wrote. Later, she clarified that she was referring to her run on James’ season, but still. In hindsight, it sounds like she was hinting at some trouble in paradise.
In an IG post on Oct. 20, Thurston wasn’t wearing her engagement ring. Although her caption hinted at her happy relationship with Moynes, reading, “With him, she was a vibrant butterfly,” the lack of ring was a clue that something may have been amiss.
On Oct. 23, Thurston again hinted at a potential breakup with Moynes. Speaking to Us Weekly, Thurston said, “We’re figuring it out. We don’t know. This is very new to us still. I’m just focusing on myself, he’s focusing on him, and if we work doing that, great.”
Cue the breakup speculation.
But Thurston and Moynes did not leave fans guessing for long. They shared mutual statements to their Instagrams on Oct. 25, writing, “It is with mutual love and respect that we have decided to go our separate ways... It is the most caring choice for both of us to move forward independently.”
I can’t say I didn’t see this one coming, but I’m sad for them all the same. Here’s hoping their decision ends up being what’s best for both of them!