For Bachelor viewers, Joey Graziadei's entire season has been an experience online and on screen. That said, if you've been keeping up with spoilers, you'll know that conflicting reports about the final rose recipient make Season 28 pretty compelling.
But before Joey and Kelsey publicly announced their engagement, they found some fun ways to deal with the noise, like crying to "This Is Us" ("He was like, 'It's okay, it's not true,'" Kay Elsie tells Bustle) and watch other people find love on Love Is Blind and The Love Spectrum .
“It’s definitely different watching a reality show after being on a reality show,” Joy said.
Of course, if the abundance of on-screen pairings that don't work out makes you lament the state of realistic romance, this season of Joey might be a salve for the genre. His proposal to Kelsey during the March 25 finale might go down as one of the sweetest moments on Bachelor Nation .
Below, the couple details their post-show plans, a conversation fans didn't see, and why Joey has no regrets about his unprecedented ending.
Kelsey, you made a TikTok about your lip tattoo. What's the story behind this? Was this something Joey came up with during filming?
Kelsey: I did tell Joey that. I actually got it in memory of a homeless man. Whenever my friends and I go downtown, he always sings "Happy Birthday" to us on the harmonica, so we always call him Happy. He was such a sweet guy and always so happy. It was a big part of my college experience.
Joy: This is a great introduction to her quirky side that I think only Kelsey could do.
You said you were a little hurt when the initial spoilers about your season said you weren't together. How did Joey reassure you in the months after production wrapped?
Kelsey: Joey really understands how I feel in all of this. Sometimes he'd say, 'Does this upset you?' are you sure? 'He made me really feel like this is me, it will always be me and it will always be me.
Joey: Yeah, that’s the hard part. I mean, spoilers happen - I don't know how many of them are actually wrong. I don't think either side really likes it, but we can't control it. She did a great job staying strong through it all.
As a viewer looking back on this season, are there any moments where you were like, wow, I can really see the connection ?
Joy: My family—obviously seeing this through the eyes of knowing we were together—the first night, they were like, “You look at her and you talk differently.” Because they know me so well. . So, yes, it's always been there.
Joey, you mentioned that as the season starts to wind down, you feel very certain about Kelce. During this process, have you ever thought that we can leave together now? Could we have ended this differently ?
Joey: That’s the hard part about the whole ending, because you want to stay open, you want to be respectful. I think everyone saw on that finale night how different I acted around Daisy [Kent]. I knew exactly what I was saying because I didn't want to lead her on. I look back with no regrets because they had such a special moment. I knew I was with the person I was supposed to be with. So while I can look back and say, maybe I could have done this or that , it really doesn't make sense because it got us to this point.
I love that you started couples counseling right away. Can you tell me about this decision?
Kelsey: It’s awesome that this show gives us that opportunity. We both wanted to start it so we could build that foundation, and we knew this show would probably be difficult for both of us. It really helps with the way we communicate and learn more about each other. When you're stuck in a rut, you don't need it. You should start when things are going well and be consistent.
Joy: The best advice we get from couples who have done it before is that they wish they had done it sooner. So we tried to do that immediately, which was very important to us.
You shared your plans to move to New York this summer. How did this come about?
Joey: She wants to go to New York! She mentioned it on the show and said, "I just feel like I need to own this part of my life." I want to support her and I'm excited about it. I think this will be a great place for us.
Kelsey: Yeah, I might hate it, but I need to experience it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
