Leslie Fhima was "uncomfortable" during Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist's wedding ceremony

Leslie Fhima has admitted it was "uncomfortable" to listen to comments about Costa Rica during Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist's The Golden Wedding ceremony.


"It was a little uncomfortable during the ceremony when they were talking about Costa Rica, because I was there too," Leslie, 65, shared during the January 6 episode of the "Ben and Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast," which was released two days after ABC's The Golden Wedding special.

"But it came in [one ear] and then it went out [the other]. It was probably the only time it was really uncomfortable for me."

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Gerry eliminated Leslie in second place in her hotel room in Costa Rica after she and Gerry had enjoyed an overnight Fantasy Suite and she also met his family.


But The Golden Wedding officiant Susan Noles -- who had also competed against Leslie and Theresa to win Gerry's heart on The Golden Bachelor -- mentioned how Gerry and Theresa had a "deepening" of their love in Costa Rica.

And, during his personal vows, Gerry also recalled having "the last taste of Costa Rican coffee" with Theresa during the morning after their Fantasy Suite together.

But Leslie told Ben Higgins and his guest podcast co-host Trista Rehn, "Seeing Theresa so happy really, kind of, just took that [feeling of being uncomfortable] away."

In fact, Leslie insisted, "The anticipation of [the January 4 wedding] was a lot harder than it was in reality, to be honest."

Many The Bachelor franchise fans were surprised to find out that Leslie would be attending Gerry and Theresa's wedding to begin with.


But The Golden Wedding allowed Leslie to reunite with fellow The Golden Bachelor contestants -- including Susan, Ellen Goltzer, Kathy Swarts, Sandra Mason, and even Gerry's third-place finisher Faith Martin.

Leslie explained how she had bonded with many of the women on The Golden Bachelor and was tired of missing out on gatherings and events because she was mending her broken heart from her split with Gerry.

"I wasn't jealous, I wasn't envious. I just felt left out because we had such a great time and we had had such a good time together, and they're doing this and that, and I'm like, 'Hey, don't leave me out in the cold!'" Leslie explained.

"So I really, you know, I was given the choice to come. No one made me come."

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Leslie revealed that Theresa was actually the one who had invited her to her wedding. 

"I really thought, at the end of the day, we're all here for one reason: to find love... and Theresa and I were really good friends in the house. We spent a lot of time together and had a lot of talks, and we really supported each other and we laughed," Leslie said.

"And so, as soon as -- well, I shouldn't say 'soon.' But I had to process my heartbreak, and it took a while. But after that, I realized that, 'You know what? They're probably perfect for each other and I'm so happy that she found love,' because that's what we came for."

And Leslie pointed out that, at their age, it was a goal to show the world how it's never too late to find love and a person shouldn't give up just because they reach their sixties or seventies.

Based on what was shown of The Golden Wedding, Leslie was mostly smiles the entire time, and she noted how spending time with the other The Golden Bachelor ladies was "amazing."


Leslie added, "These women, we have a bond that no one else can understand, and so we're always going to have that. It's a special bond."

Leslie also hit the dance floor with Ben, which apparently wasn't a spontaneous moment at the reception.

"[When] the reception started, [producers] asked us to start the dance party," Ben revealed on the podcast episode.

"That was something they wanted us to do, and we both agreed to do it. And so, we get out there and they're like, 'Okay, get people on the dance floor.' We're like, 'Great.' We start doing it and then there's no music."

Leslie laughed and shared, "I came out there on the dance floor and he goes, 'Thank you!' And I'm like, 'Is this a warm-up? Is he practicing his moves, or are we doing this now?'"


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Ben -- whose wife Jessica Clarke couldn't attend the wedding with him -- joked about how he was committed to the dancing, even though the moment was a little "weird."

Leslie was among about 50 Bachelor Nation alums at Gerry and Theresa's live televised wedding. Guests included Kaitlyn Bristowe, Tayshia Adams, Jason Mesnick, Wells Adams and many more.

Gerry and Theresa got engaged on The Golden Bachelor finale, which aired in late November.

On The Golden Bachelor, Leslie claimed Gerry had totally convinced her in the Fantasy Suite that she was The One for him and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together

Leslie therefore let it be known during the After the Final Rose special that Gerry had totally blindsided and devastated her with their breakup. She even questioned Gerry's integrity and declined to publicly accept his apology.


Leslie talked about potentially getting back into the dating scene during a late December appearance on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, which is co-hosted by Bachelor in Paradise couple Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt.

"I have not thought about [dating again]. It hasn't worked out in the past. I don't know if it's the town I live in, I don't know what it is," shared the 65-year-old fitness instructor from Minneapolis, MN.

"I'm really focused on my work and my kids and my grandkids, so sometimes, if I go on a date, I'm sitting there thinking, 'I'd rather be with my kids... and my grandkids.' I have to maybe get out of that mode."

As for what she's looking for in her future boyfriend or husband, Leslie insisted she's never going to settle.

"I'm not going to lower my standards, but I'm also not going to be so picky," Leslie said.

"I snowboard, I surf, I do all these things. I don't need to find someone who does all those things with me. I love Broadway shows, but I don't need someone to go to Broadway shows with me because I have my girlfriends."


Leslie therefore concluded that she just wants to find a good man with whom to spend her time.

"I just really want, at this stage of my life... I really just want someone to grow old with and that keeps active and can do things with me," Leslie explained.

"But [I just want] to be still together, and... I want someone that makes me laugh and that loves life and someone that has a family, where we can mesh our families together and they really click, and that loves dogs. That's really all I want; I want a companion."

When asked if she respects Gerry now that their relationship is over and done with, Leslie replied, "I mean, Gerry did what he did, it's his journey. Do I respect him? I just wish he would've done it different."

Leslie admitted of their brutal breakup, "I don't respect what he did... I feel like he just used, 'I love you,' too much. I want to say I do [respect him], but it's hard. Yeah, he hurt me."

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski