There’s something innately comforting about a former Bachelor star finding love in the real world. Sure, watching a contestant pop the question with a jaw-dropping Neil Lane ring at the end of a reality TV competition is exciting, but those televised happily-ever-afters don’t work out for everyone. That’s the case for Ben Higgins — but fortunately, he eventually found "The One" on social media of all places. Ben Higgins & Jessica Clarke's relationship timeline may not be a Bachelor love story, it’s definitely a relatable one.
Before we get into their digital meet-cute, however, let’s take a trip down memory lane. In case you need a refresher, Higgins proposed to Lauren Bushnell on the 20th season of The Bachelor, but the couple ended their engagement in May of 2017 (and Bushnell has since married country star Chris Lane). Higgins didn’t share another serious relationship with the public for over a year. So, when he announced on Instagram in 2019 that there was a new leading lady in his life (and that — *gasp* — she had no affiliation whatsoever with The Bachelor alumni) fans were shook. In fact, Jessica Clarke, a Nashville resident and University of Mississippi graduate, had never even seen Higgins’ season of the show when they met. However, the duo shared a couple of other key things in common: a love of sports, and a serious humanitarian streak.
While there may not be a fantasy suite or a final rose involved in Higgins and Clarke's timeline, theirs is one that's packed with real-life, long-distance romance. Follow along to learn about (*Chris Harrison voice*) the most chill finale in Bachelor history.
It's no secret that Higgins and Clarke share a passion for philanthropy, which is why their appearance at the Carousel Ball — which supports the Children’s Diabetes Foundation — marks such a key milestone in their relationship.
In an Oct. 23 IG post, Clarke shared some heartwarming behind-the-scenes details from that weekend:
"In between that and dragging Ben to workouts for @sweatnetdenver, we were actually able to stay in and cook dinner/watch a movie on the couch. Those nights are few and far between when you’re in a distance relationship with busy schedules! But man, I’ll never get sick of some QT with my cutie."
Almost exactly a year after Higgins slid into Clarke's DMs, he gave a strong indication that he might be popping the question very soon. In fact, he told former Bachelorette and Extra correspondent Rachel Lindsay: "I don’t want to say when it could happen, but if you come to these live shows, it could possibly happen live on stage.”
Seeing as he was about to kick off The Bachelor Live On Stage which he was co-hosting with Becca Kufrin, many fans assumed that he might be referring to a possible proposal on that tour.
Higgins and Clarke didn't meet in person until December of 2018. They must have made things official pretty quickly, though, because an IG post from Higgins revealed that they celebrated their first anniversary on Dec. 15. In the Instagram sharing their one-year celebration, Higgins included a photo of him and Clarke at a Denver Nuggets NBA basketball game.
"Thanks for celebrating a year with me," he wrote underneath. "It’s been a ball! You’re my best friend."
When Clarke wrote in an IG post that she has a "big family" — she wasn't kidding. The photo of her countless relatives seated around a long dinner table is kind of legendary. Fortunately, Higgins got to meet her many loved ones in Connecticut during the holiday season of 2019. In her Instagram sharing pics from the festivities, she admitted that her fam has lots of traditions, and her favorites involve Christmas.
"This was our first year without Papa, and while it felt strange, we were lucky to have some fun, new additions," she wrote. "I think it’s ok and natural for traditions to evolve."
Hey, remember when Higgins dropped a major clue that he might be proposing to Clarke on stage? Well, those plans kind of got foiled once the coronavirus outbreak happened — because he originally hoped to pop the question in Central Park in early March, when he was supposed to be in NYC for The Bachelor Live on Stage tour. That said, he was able to adjust his plans and pull off an equally — if not more — romantic proposal near her parents' home in Franklin, Tennessee.
Higgins and Clarke had been quarantining with Higgins’ parents, when he decided to take a little road trip with Clarke, and surprise her by getting down on one knee in front of their families.
"This is exactly how I would have wanted it to be," Clarke told ET Online. "Central Park would have been magical and special in its own way. But it's really cool that we just got to be together last night and not really have to talk to anyone else but my family."
As for the ring, it's a custom-made, three-stone sparkler featuring an oval-shaped center diamond on a yellow gold band. Higgins spent several months working on the design with Denver-based Gnat Jewelers, and the effort definitely paid off.
Higgins posted a heartwarming series of photos from the proposal to announce their big news on IG, and in the caption, he wrote:
"I now officially have the most beautiful, kind hearted, supportive, well intentioned person to spend life with!"
In her corresponding Instagram post, Clarke gushed:
"I don’t remember everything you said, but I know that I said yes. I woke up in a dream today and I get to live in this dream every day from now on (eeeep)."
Here's hoping this next chapter is filled with many more exciting adventures for these lovebirds.
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