'The Bachelor' Franchise Couples Now: Where are they now? Who's still together? (PHOTOS)
PHOTO GALLERY
Riley Christian and Maurissa Gunn
Met on: Bachelor in Paradise, Season 7
Current status: No longer together
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Riley Christian, an attorney from Long Island City, NY, caught Maurissa Gunn's eye in Paradise, but she was already romantically involved with Connor Brennan.
However, Riley asked the patient care coordinator from Atlanta, GA, out on a date -- Maurissa's first real date ever -- and it ended with the pair memorably spending a night in "The Boom Boom Room."
Riley and Maurissa never strayed from their relationship from that point on, and Riley told People it "was never a thought" to leave the resort alone and single after Fantasy Suites.
"[I thought to myself], 'This is everything that you've ever wanted -- having a fiancee and being able to start a family.' I knew where I was already leaning towards," Riley explained to the magazine.
"It's just like, 'This is a big decision, take some time to think about it. Okay, you thought about it.' It didn't take that long. 'And now, go propose and get your lady.'"
Maurissa told Riley at the Final Rose Ceremony how he was her "dream" and fairy tale, and they were both convinced they had found true love in each other.
Riley and Maurissa were one of three couples to get engaged on Bachelor in Paradise's seventh-season finale that aired in Summer 2021, and once Maurissa accepted a pear-shaped diamond ring, the pair became the franchise's first-ever Black couple to get engaged.
At the end of the finale broadcast, Bachelor in Paradise provided an update on the couple and revealed they're still "madly in love" to this day.
After a whirlwind romance on the show, the couple told People they planned to meet each other's family and then Maurissa would be moving to New York to be with her fiance.
"Then, of course, wedding and then some babies," Maurissa gushed.
Riley and then Maurissa spent Thanksgiving 2021 and Christmas 2021 together.
However in January 2022 speculation that Riley and Maurissa had split up began circulating after fans noticed Maurissa had deleted nearly all her photos of Riley from her Instagram account.
"We have decided to go our separate ways. Never did we imagine this, but we've come to a point where we both need to work on ourselves," the former couple told People in a joint statement.
"We've appreciated everyone's love and support so far throughout our journey and we just ask that you please respect our privacy as we navigate through this."
