Luke Pell and Hayley James. Courtesy of Hayley James/Instagram
Luke Pell, the charismatic reality TV star, didn’t meet his fiancée in person until February 2024. By July, they were engaged and ready to take their relationship to the next level.
Pell shared the extraordinary story of how he met Hayley James on the “Almost Famous” podcast with Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti. (Higgins and Pell previously appeared together on Bachelor Winter Games in 2018.)
It all started with a direct message (DM) slide after Pell stumbled upon a captivating photo of James on his Instagram explore page.
“I was like, ‘Wow, she’s stunning,’” Pell recalled. “We didn’t have many mutual friends, so I assume it was the Instagram algorithm that brought us together.”
Many stars are taking their relationships to the next level in 2024 by getting engaged. Less than one month after Bachelor in Paradise season 9 alum Brayden Bowers revealed that he was dating fellow Bachelor Nation personality Christina Mandrell, he proposed. “I just knew that there was something special, and there was something different, and […]
The two struck up a conversation and, long before they ever met in person, Pell knew it was a match made in heaven.
“She’s an incredible person, and we talked through DMs for a little bit before meeting in person in late February this year,” he said.
“So it’s been quite an expedited timeline,” he added, jokingly, “if you’re not on reality TV shows, it’s an expedited timeline.”
Since February, the two have spent Easter together, and Pell has met James’ family. On July 21, they announced their engagement in a joint post via Instagram.
“The easiest yes. I love you forever,” James commented.
While some roses stand the test of time, others wilt before the Neil Lane engagement ring can be resized. The Bachelor premiered on ABC in March 2002 with Alex Michel dubbed the world’s most eligible Bachelor. More than 20 women competed for his heart and one of the most successful reality TV franchises was born. […]
Followers took to the comments immediately to congratulate them, including a few other members of Bachelor Nation, begging the question: Will any familiar faces be invited to the wedding?
Pell addressed that directly on the podcast, naming Chase McNary and Chris Soules specifically.
McNary, who finished third on Pell’s season of The Bachelorette, recently got married himself.
“Chase McNary just got married in Colorado over the 4th of July weekend, and so I was a groomsman for that wedding, and we had a great time there,” Pell said.
Soules was the star of season 19 of The Bachelor and he and Pell grew close while Pell was living in Arizona.
“I lived in Scottsdale for a couple of years. He would come down in the winter and stay with me and golf and whatnot,” Pell explained.
Pell also teased that there may be more from Bachelor Nation at the wedding, though he didn’t name names, only adding, “there’s going to be several people from Bachelor Nation there, and obviously a few people from Nashville that were on the show as well.”
