By Staff
Northwest Asian Weekly
Lowe proposing to Giudicci during the finale. (Photo courtesy ABC)
Seattle native Filipino American Catherine Giudicci became the first Asian American participant to be chosen in The Bachelor after being proposed to during the finale of the show that aired Monday, March 11.
The 4.3 carat, $76,000 ring. (Photo courtesy ABC)
Her fiancé is Sean Lowe, a 29-year-old entrepreneur from Dallas, Texas. He was previously a contestant on The Bachelorette.“I knew from the beginning that you were someone I wanted to be around,” Lowe said during the finale, before he proposed with a 4.3 carat, $76,000 ring. “I just had no idea my feelings would turn into what they did. I think the world of you and I miss you every time we have to say goodbye. I miss you. I don’t want to say goodbye anymore.”
Though the finale was filmed four months ago, the couple has gotten closer since the show closed and plans to marry as early as this summer, according to a US Weekly interview with Chris Harrison, the host of the show. The couple plans to have their wedding televised by ABC.
“A marriage follows a proposal,” Lowe said during the after-show special. “We don’t have a date yet, but we decided that we think it would be cool, since our relationship started and it was developed and cultivated on a TV show — we’ll have our wedding on a TV show.”
“Soon,” Giudicci, who worked at Amazon before the filming, said when asked about the date. “I don’t see why there would be any waiting period. I want to be his wife.”
Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudicci kissing post proposal (Photo courtesy ABC)
Giudicci and Lowe were unable to be seen together in public during the four months between the end of filming and the airing of the finale, and thus had to conduct their relationship in secret. The pair flew from their homes in Dallas and Seattle to meet in various locations.
“She was living in Seattle and I was down in Dallas,” Lowe said in an interview with Kelly Ripa on her ABC program Live! With Kelly. “About every two weeks, we would get together, usually in LA, and basically we were just in the house.
Giudicci and Lowe riding off on an elephant. (Photo courtesy ABC)
He continued, “We would have someone, they would bring us groceries, movies, whatever we wanted. But we had to stay in the house.”
Cynthia Giudicci, mother of Catherine, was happy the couple was able to find time together.
“I was worried that they were in such a controlled environment,” she said in an interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly. “But I think they were able to relax, which is most important.”
Giudicci is looking forward to the wedding.
“I’m impressed with how well he speaks in front of the public,” she said. “It’s a real gift to be so calm and collected. People are going to make comments about how he teared up during the proposal, but I thought it was rather sweet of him.” (end)
Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.