'Bachelor' bachelorette Tenley Molzahn had feeling it wouldn't be her

Tenley Molzahn claims she knew she wouldn't be receiving a marriage proposal from Jake Pavelka during The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love's final Rose Ceremony from the "very first moment" she saw him that day.


"I kind of had this feeling that it wasn't me because of the way he greeted me," Molzahn told reporters during a Tuesday conference call. 

"It was just a different way of greeting than we usually had in - and he had a lot of concern on his face, and it kind of seemed very - it's just like he didn't know what he was doing."

The 25-year-old college admissions representative from Newberg, OR had the right feeling, as Pavelka instead presented his final rose and a marriage proposal to Vienna Girardi -- both of which she accepted -- during The Bachelor's finale broadcast on Monday night.

However Molzahn said knowing that she wasn't going to be picked by Pavelka actually helped her deal with his decision.


"I kind of had peace with knowing that if he was that concerned that, you know, then I was probably best to be going home.  It was just hard to take it by my friends that I really built a great relationship with," she explained. 

"And I think that the reason why I was able to handle it the way I did which it was still very emotional, but at the same time, I had so much peace because I really have been like just praying like I don't want to be in another relationship that's not going to be the one, you know, if I'm that far into it.  Let me go if this is the way I'm supposed to be.  So, I think it worked out for the best, since he seems to be very happy with Vienna."

Despite the way her journey ended, Molzahn also said that she has no regrets because she was herself the entire time.

"I wouldn't change a thing that I did.  I was being me.  And my goal to be me and let somebody fall in love for who I was, and to just know that I was putting myself out there and not portraying somebody else so that I wouldn't get stuck in a relationship that I had to conform for," she said. 

"So I don't regret anything.  I wouldn't take back anything, and I wouldn't try anything else.  My only strategy I guess was being myself, and I think it ended the way it was supposed to end... I think that Jake has a great idea of who I am but I think he missed out on some of the really goofy moments."


Molzahn added she still "really hopes" that she and Pavelka can be friends.

"It will be, you know, obviously, different.  I want to respect him and his engagement to Vienna because they are engaged and happy together.  I would never ever want to come in the way of that," she told reporters.

"So as long as Vienna is okay with it -- I actually never got to know Vienna because we really didn't interact much at all because she stayed on the other side of the mansion, and we were in different RVs on the road trips.  And the only time I really spent some time with her was in San Francisco, but we were all very busy.  So, I guess I wouldn't mind getting to know her."

Molzahn said her The Bachelor journey was "portrayed very, very real" and she did share some "very, very romantic moments" with Pavelka before adding that the two had "great chemistry."

"But he obviously had a different spark with Vienna," she said.


Similar to Girardi, Molzahn had also been married and gone through a divorce prior to her The Bachelor experience -- and because she discussed it repeatedly while on the show, it was shown on television.

"Honestly, I really wasn't thinking about how I was going to be talking about it on national television.  But it wasn't really hard; it was definitely something that I needed to overcome and deal through, some pain I guess that hadn't completely been dealt with.  So I'm thankful for that time that I had," she explained.

"Even though I didn't end up with Jake, I know that the right person is out there for me.  I haven't given up on love.  This heartbreak is not going to stop me.  The last one didn't, and I'm just going to keep going."

While she still believes in love, Molzahn said she's "really overwhelmed" with "this new dating scene" that the show has opened up for her.

"I haven't really been a part of a dating scene for a while besides with Jake.  So, I'm excited," she said. 


"I think I'm going to kind of take it very slow at first, and excited to see where it leads me.  Probably, I think I'm going to start out with mutual friends for dating right now."

Molzahn said she's also excited to have the chance to see Pavelka perform as a Dancing with the Stars tenth-season celebrity participant.

"He's probably so stoked because I know he's very passionate about dancing," said Molzhan before explaining she thinks he has a good shot at doing well.

"He has this advantage.  He was showing me all his Latin moves. I had no clue. I'm a dancer but not that kind of dancer.  You know, I'm not used to partner-dancing so I felt like I had two left feet with him.  But I think he'll be good, and I think that he's actually going to find out that he has a lot more to learn."

Molzahn -- who is trained in ballet and jazz -- added that she wouldn't mind making a surprise appearance on Dancing with the Stars if needed.


"If they ever need a backup, they can call me," she said. 

"I think it would be a great little surprise for the season if they did add me to it so I can see Jake's competition.  So, if you're up for that one, I totally am."

Molzahn also weighed in on ABC's Monday night announcement that Ali Fedotowsky will serve as the star of the sixth edition of The Bachelorette, which will premiere May 24.
 
"I'm so excited for Ali to be The Bachelorette.  I think she's going to be excellent at it.  And she's going to have a blast.  I think she's going to be a bit overwhelmed, but I think that she's going to have fun with that.  I wouldn't even mind her if she wants to call me and ask me for some advice," she told reporters.

"Maybe me and some of the other girls could even come and scope out some of those guys for her.  And maybe there's one of those guys, you know, won't be Ali's type or maybe my type.  Who knows?"

Since she won't be on The Bachelorette or Dancing with the Stars, Molzahn said she's back to living her normal life.
 
"I'm just back to work like normal at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, and I'm still happy there.  They're a great family to me.  They're so supportive of this whole journey," she told reporters. 

"This opportunity and this experience has definitely given me more of a voice than I've ever had before when nobody really knew who Tenley was. So, hopefully, I can use it for some great things, and there's actually an organization that I'm really excited to work with called Live Love.  It's just showing people how to, you know, love by action, so, the way we should all be living."






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio