Bachelor in Paradise's Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin-Solis' Ups and Downs
Mari Pepin-Solis and Kenny Braasch were one of three couples who ended season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise with an engagement, but their road to happiness came with a few speed bumps.
When the season began in August 2021, the boy band manager was immediately attracted to the former beauty queen, who made her Bachelor Nation debut during Matt James‘ season of The Bachelor. At first, the duo seemed like one of the strongest couples on the beach, but things hit a snag when Mari told Kenny that she wanted to keep her options open.
“Initially, we had a conversation about not going on dates with other people [and] it wasn’t shown,” the Puerto Rico native recalled during a September episode of the “Click Bait” podcast. “And then after sleeping on it a little bit, after getting some opinions [and] advice — I talked to Wells [Adams] a little bit and I asked him, ‘When do couples usually start to become more exclusive?’ And he said not until, like, week three or four usually.”
At that point in the season, Mari thought she wasn’t ready to commit to Kenny, but she reconsidered when Demi Burnett arrived. The BiP season 6 alum set her sights on the Bachelorette season 16 veteran, eventually taking him to the boom-boom room, but their romance quickly fizzled.
Kenny then went on a date with late arrival Tia Booth, but he ultimately decided that Mari was the one for him. Though he worried that their 15-year age difference might pose a problem, the duo talked it over and realized they were both ready to tie the knot.
“At the end of the day, we did go through a lot of real-life relationship stuff, and we were tested like no other couple in Paradise, I think,” the Right Stuff Entertainment founder said while popping the question. “Mari, I am f—king so in love with you. And I literally, like, I can’t see my life without you. You’re such an amazing woman that you’ve changed my whole outlook on life.”
After the season finale aired in October 2021, the couple told Us Weekly they hadn’t started planning their wedding yet, but Mari said she’s planning a move to Kenny’s hometown of Chicago.
“So that’s our first step, and we did agree to get married in Puerto Rico, where I’m from,” the Towson University alum added. “So there’s that.”
Keep scrolling for a look back at Kenny and Mari’s relationship ups and downs:
Kenny and Mari hit it off right away on BiP, despite the fact that Kenny spent the whole first episode in the nude. They became one of the first couples of the season to share a kiss. ABC/Craig Sjodin
Things seemed to be going smoothly, but in week three, Mari told Kenny that she was interested in meeting other guys if more arrived. Unfortunately, that week only saw the arrival of more women — one of whom was Demi, who wasn't shy about her interest in Kenny. ABC/Craig Sjodin
After Mari told Demi that her relationship with Kenny was cooling off, Demi decided to go for it. When Mari saw her former beau making out with the Texas native, though, she was not happy. ABC/Craig Sjodin
To celebrate Kenny's 40th birthday during week three, Demi presented him with a cake (which Mari later said was her idea). Regardless of who thought of the cake, the dessert met an untimely end when Mari threw it in the fire. "I think that Mari had the idea to do a birthday celebration for Kenny and Demi beat her to it," bartender and guest host Wells said during a September 2021 episode of his podcast. "And I think that really kind of fueled the fire a little bit." ABC
After Kenny's date with Tia, Mari realized she missed him, but Kenny was initially worried that she might change her mind again. Later, with help from a spiritualist, they decided to pursue their relationship again. ABC/Craig Sjodin
In December 2021, the duo celebrated their first holiday season as fiancés. Mari shared a series of Instagram photos of the pair posing in front of a Christmas tree, including an outtake where Kenny had his eyes closed. "& to all a good night," she captioned the sweet snaps. Courtesy Mariela Pepin/Instagram
Kenny revealed in January 2022 that he and Mari were moving in together. “@Mari_Pepin and I have signed the lease on a new apartment here in Chicago,” he wrote via his Instagram Story. She reposted the announcement, adding, “I can’t wait to keep annoying you, and scaring you, and love you every day boo!” ABC/Craig Sjodin
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