Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos and Fiancé Chock Chapple Reunite in New York After Month Apart
Former Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos and fiancé Chock Chapple are enjoying precious moments together following a separation of over a month.
"We've returned to New York, our favorite destination for enjoyment," the 62-year-old Vassos announced on Instagram this past Saturday, October 4. "It's been more than a month since our last meeting. This marks the second time this summer we've had such a long separation. It's quite unsettling."
Vassos revealed that Chapple, also 62, proposed their New York getaway, during which they notably spotted a billboard featuring Mel Owens promoting the second season of The Golden Bachelor.
"Someone sitting nearby asked, 'Is that you?' I replied, 'No, no'," Chapple recounted.
Chock Chapple Provides Latest Information Regarding His and Joan Vassos’ Nuptial Plans
The couple, Vassos and Chapple, initially connected during the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette in 2024, culminating in her acceptance of his marriage proposal. Post-show, they shared with Us Weekly in an exclusive interview that they planned to divide their time between their residences in Maryland and Kansas, alongside searching for an apartment in New York City.
"In this initial year, we clearly need to establish our routines. Chock manages a business in Kansas, while my children and grandchildren reside in Maryland. I won't be departing Maryland, though he has commitments in Kansas," Vassos informed Us in November 2024. "We anticipate spending periods in both Maryland and Kansas, but we also have an exciting idea because we both have long harbored a desire — and are now at a unique point in life where this dream can materialize — to reside in a major metropolis, specifically New York. So, Chock surprised me by suggesting, 'I want us to go apartment hunting'."
The following year, Vassos communicated that she and Chapple feel no urgency to cohabit.
"It's been astonishingly busy. Entirely unforeseen. We both assumed after the show, we'd simply settle into life as a couple. We didn't anticipate the continuation of opportunities, which has been a tremendous gift," she conveyed to Us in April. "We've found ourselves leading somewhat of a 'jet-set' existence, meaning we don't always have to schedule our encounters. When we aren't obligated for television, radio, or podcast appearances, we do have to arrange when we'll meet. However, many such engagements involve him visiting Maryland or me traveling to Kansas, meaning we haven't spent as much time at each other's primary residences as we initially expected."
As the couple adapts to their life away from the spotlight, Vassos clarified that she and Chapple anticipate marrying eventually.
"Chock and I are fully immersed in this journey. Every moment has been wonderful, and it has perhaps deepened our bond, reinforcing that our leap of faith was entirely correct. We intend to marry, but we are not prepared to commence wedding arrangements," she informed Us. "I'm getting acquainted with his friends, and he's meeting mine. We're dedicating time to understanding each other on a deeper level. There's no pressure. I'm past the biological clock stage; I have four children. That definitely contributes to the overall situation. We're not eager to construct a house together; we both already own homes. These are not concerns for us. We're simply enjoying our time together. I want to convey, 'Just let us be together! Let's simply have fun dating!' We absolutely will marry, but the exact timing remains uncertain."
