The Bachelor couple Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar have revealed behind-the-scenes details about Zach's romantic marriage proposal in Thailand that aired on the show's Season 27 finale.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I remember standing on the podium and seeing Kaity walked towards me and my knees were shaking, my heart was in my throat," Zach told People in a joint interview with his new fiancee.
"I was the happiest I could have been just seeing her there and getting down on the one knee. It was a really unreal moment and I often replay it in my mind."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
But Zach admitted to Becca Kufrin during a recent episode of her "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast that he was feeling nervous and anxious before popping the question to Kaity.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The night before, I wanted to have something prepared because I really wanted her to know how much she means to me and how much I love her," Zach recalled.
Zach therefore wrote out a speech for the Final Rose Ceremony, explaining, "I wanted it to be beautifully written, if I could, but I just wanted it to be really special for her. So I started writing the night before and then I continued it [the next] morning."
But Zach said his plans pretty much went out the window when he saw Kaity approach him at the Final Rose Ceremony in her white dress.
"My knees were trembling. My voice was already starting to crack, and I couldn't contain my smiling," Zach said.
"I was like, 'Oh sh-t, this whole script I had in my head of what I wanted to say to her before I get on one knee, I'm going to try to remember it.' But I remember just going on and I was getting emotional."
ADVERTISEMENT
Zach gushed about how he was just "so happy" in that moment and so he just poured his heart out.
"I was just looking into her eyes and falling more and more in love. I remember her saying, 'Just kiss me already,' and I wanted something prepared, but once I was up there I spoke from the heart."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
Kaity agreed that she could tell Zach's words weren't rehearsed and he was telling her exactly what was in his heart.
"You could tell [he spoke from the heart]," Kaity shared with Becca. "And I wrote out a speech and I was trying to memorize it and I was like, 'I'm going to fumble the bag.' I thought my words were going to get all jumbled up or whatever."
ADVERTISEMENT
But Zach assured Kaity that she "killed it."
Kaity and Zach are now happily engaged and intend to move in together in Austin, TX, this summer. They've already discussed having a 2025 wedding, although no plans are in place yet.
When looking back on his journey as a whole as The Bachelor star, Zach told BachelorNation.com, "There were several occasions where I think I could've handled things differently or better, but would I trade and risk the beautiful outcome I have now with Kaity? No, I wouldn't."
Zach, for instance, received backlash for how he had handled his Fantasy Suite dates with Kaity, Gabi Elnicki and Ariel Frenkel.
Zach had made a no-sex rule for himself going into the overnight dates but he broke the rule with only Gabi and then told Kaity about it afterward, which crushed Kaity and left Gabi feeling "blindsided" and "violated."
ADVERTISEMENT
But Zach is so pleased with the outcome of his season that he said, "I love [Kaity] to death, and it was messy at times to get to this point. It wasn't pretty or perfect all the time, but I wouldn't trade her for the world, so I stand by that."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
Zach also shared how the past few months with Kaity, when they had to keep their relationship and engagement a secret, was an "incredible" time.
"It's going to be a whole new, exciting life after this, and we can't wait to spend more time together and just start having real-life experiences in a city we both love so much!" Zach said.
Zach apparently had a feeling from the start of The Bachelor process that Kaity could be The One for him.
"She, from the very beginning, was someone that just exuded everything I was looking for -- that kindness, that loving, funny, sweet, independent, beautiful person," Zach said.
"I always felt so pulled and attracted to her, and she was someone that throughout the entire process, it was becoming so easy in my mind that this person is my future and I want to do life with her."
"I just absolutely fell in love with her," he added, "and I was like, 'I can't lose her. She's mine.'"
And Kaity, in turn, gushed to People about how Zach is far from "boring," as many fans of Bachelor Nation have labeled him.
"He's so goofy, so fun. He's got -- holy moly -- amazing amount of qualities to him," Kaity insisted.
"Every day I am like, 'Wow, I didn't know I could fall even more in love with you.' But I do, every single day... You don't have to like him. I love him."
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!