The Bachelorette alum Rodney Mathews won't have a need to look for love on Bachelor in Paradise again because he's now an engaged man.
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RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Rodney and Ari posted photos from their engagement on Tuesday, August 20 via Instagram, and Rodney captioned the carousel, "In this life and the next, I will always choose you.️ WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!!"
Both Rodney and Ari were matching in cream outfits, and the photos included a homemade newspaper featuring the headline of "Ari & Rodney Engaged."
The newspaper article revealed the two met had met in June 2023 at The Venice Whaler, where "Rodney gathered the courage to walk up to the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen."
Rodney later took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, August 21 and shared that Ari is the "funniest" person he knows as well as his "best friend."
Congratulatory comments poured in from Bachelor Nation.
Michael Allio commented, "Yes! So happy for you two!! Just the thing I need to begin the week! Love you guys."
Johnny DePhilipo quipped, "Excuse me fiance but I saw you from across the rooooom!!! Congrats brotha let's go."
Susie Evans gushed, "Absolutely adore you two!"
Serene Russell wrote, "My heart. The two best humans!! So so happy for yall."
And Jason Tartick wrote, "Let's go! Congrats my man, so happy for you!"
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWRodney went Instagram official with Ari in early September 2023.
"Quick life update: happiest I've ever been," Rodney captioned photos of the couple at the time.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
For Ari's part, she posted pictures with Rodney on her own Instagram account and wrote, "Made 4 me <3."
After Rodney failed to win Michelle's heart on The Bachelorette's eighteenth season in 2021, he looked for love on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season in 2022.
Rodney immediately had interest in Teddi Wright, but she chose to abruptly leave the resort in Mexico, which shocked all of her castmates.
"[I had] just a really quick thought of, like, 'Maybe I should go run after her. Maybe I'm the one guy who should chase after her and change her entire mind,'" Rodney admitted during an October 2022 episode of the "Talking It Out with Bachelor Nation" podcast.
"But then I was like, 'Hold up, I just met the girl and had a quick five-minute conversation with her.' It was an amazing conversation, but I didn't think it was appropriate for me to try to be that person, you know?"
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Since it was still very early in the process, Rodney decided to stay in Paradise and give it a real chance.
He then became romantically involved with Lace Morris.
But during Bachelor in Paradise's very first split twist, Rodney and Lace were separated for days as more men and women were welcomed into the picture.
Rodney then established a strong connection with Eliza Isichei, which resulted in the bachelor dumping Lace. Eliza, however, found herself torn between Rodney and Justin Glaze.
Although Eliza offered Rodney her rose at a Rose Ceremony, she ultimately decided that her heart belonged to Justin -- and so she left Mexico to chase him down.
But once Eliza and Justin reunited, Justin wasn't interested in sparking up a romance again. He wanted to be Eliza's first choice, and so all three of the cast members ended up single after Paradise.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
