Many of us who are single and dating know what it’s like to be overwhelmed by options, but Bachelor Nation’s dreamiest men have had so many women wanting them, it’s more than overwhelming – it’s educational. These men have learned a ton about themselves in the process of having the world (and plenty of the world’s women) at their fingertips, and they’ve realized what they truly look for in a partner. Millions of ladies who watch ABC’s The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise have fallen in love with the contestants, all of whom are the whole package and total catches, which is what sparked my idea for this exclusive story. I was able to get confessions and revelations from these men, in terms of what they look for in a woman and what it would take for them to give up all of their options for one woman.
These men have countless women vie for their attention in the real world, but The Bachelorette trained them on how to best pursue love, because it’s on the show that they truly got in touch with their innermost desires. The producers of The Bachelorette diligently prompted them to answer deep questions about what they want in love and in life, which resulted in a clarity and perspective on dating. And then, on Bachelor in Paradise, the men are encouraged to date multiple women before making a decisive choice and either choosing one of them, or staying unattached.
Having several incredible women to choose from (both on TV and in real life) forced them to take a long hard look at how they truly feel, and figure out what matters the most – which is why there’s noone better to get dating advice from. Since single ladies could always use some love advice, we asked 15 of your favorite Bachelor Nation babes to reveal how they decide if a woman is relationship-worthy, and what it would take to lock down the dream guy. Read on, because we’ve got 15 juicy answers from exclusive interviews with Luke Pell, Wells Adams, James Taylor, Eric Bigger, Ben Zorn, Chris Strandburg, Robby Hayes, Josh Murray, Jack Stone, Daniel Maguire, Diggy Moreland, Chase McNary, Kupah James, DeMario Jackson, and Bryan Abasolo. Check out their insightful answers below:
1. Luke Pell
Luke Pell is known for making it all the way to the final 4 on Jojo’s season of The Bachelorette, and for being one of the most charming, good-looking and gentlemanly contestants the series has ever seen. Pell is also set to appear on ABC’s Bachelor Winter Games which premiers February 13th.
He’s the whole package because he’s highly intelligent, ridiculously handsome, a talented singer/songwriter and a former US Army Captain. He was so loved by viewers that thousands of fans were advocating for him to become The Bachelor.
When I asked Pell to confess what it would take for him to progress a relationship into something committed and serious, and how he would know if a woman was relationship-material, this is what he had to say:
“The relationships that stand a better chance at progressing into something serious are the ones where you’re able to get into much deeper conversations. The ability to hold deep conversations about life, family, values and whatever is on their mind is hugely important, and is a must for things to progress into a more serious relationship. But, you also have to just know it’s right and feel it in your gut.
For example, you know it’s not casual anymore when she’s the last thing you think of when you fall asleep, and the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning.
I don’t believe in wasting anyone’s time, and dating just to date without it progressing or going anywhere often feels like a waste of time when you look back on it. That’s why as soon as I start dating someone, instead of just going through the motions, I pay attention to red flags and I put serious thought into whether or not I want to invest in the relationship, and whether or not it will work out.”
2. Wells Adams
Wells Adams calls himself a “Bachelorette loser” because he didn’t win Jojo’s season, but he quickly became a fan favorite due to his ability to serve up non-stop laughs with adorable charm (and those dimples!) He’s best known for being the hilarious bartender on Bachelor in Paradise complete with sub-roles that include offering sage dating advice to the show’s cast while they drink their troubles away, and brightening the mood with witty puppet recaps (which, by the way, are almost as funny as his ‘Drunk Snapchat Bachelor Recaps’ that you can’t miss on his Snapchat account wellsadams).
In the real world, Adams is an iHeart Radio DJ, a devoted dad to Carl the bloodhound, and he co-hosts Your Favorite Thing podcast with Brandi Cyrus. Adams is currently dating Modern Family actress Sarah Hyland, and if he landed Hyland, it’s safe to say that his dating advice should be listened to. When I asked how Adams knows when he meets someone he wants to be in a relationship with, he cleverly compared that feeling of ‘knowing’ he’s found her to that similar gut reaction when he hears a good song. Wells explained,
“What I love about working in the music industry is that good is good, and it’s just something inside of us that says ‘yep, this is a good song’. I’ve been in music meetings where a new song for radio airplay is played for us, and the hairs on my neck and arm will rise, I’ll get a chill and my knee will instinctively start bouncing.
We are pre-programmed as humans to know what we like, and our bodies, our minds, and our hearts react and tell us it is so. It’s the same with love. Sometimes something just feels very right, and when you know you know. I trust my gut. It’s always been right.”
3. James McCoy Taylor
James Taylor (who also goes by James McCoy) made it to the final 5 on Jojo’s season of The Bachelorette, and fans loved him because he’s a genuinely kind southern gentleman who is handsome and can sing. In the real world, Taylor is still a successful singer/songwriter and he recently came out with a catchy new single, “The Opposite” ft. Jemima June and Marcus Wissing.
Taylor has a B.A. in Public Relations from Harding University, but today he focuses most of his energy on his music, and travels the country to perform shows and meet fans.
“I’ve always felt that when I find a woman who is sweet, selfless and caring, and we have that unexplainable connection, I’ll know it’s time to go from casual to ‘I’m ready to exclusively and publicly commit to giving you all that I have to give'”
Taylor is currently dating the gorgeous Jordan Semmelmayer, and explains,
“To me, there is no in between or gray area. When you find her, you don’t hesitate, you just commit and take things to that next level. I also believe that the man should be the one to sit the woman down and initiate the ‘exclusivity’ conversation. If I really feel it with her, I’ll even ask to be exclusive on the first date. I’d rather clarify these things than assume she’s not seeing anyone else and find out the hard way, that she is.”
I have to say that I absolutely love his standpoint on this topic.
4. Eric Bigger
Eric Bigger made it all the way to the final 3 on Rachel’s season of The Bachelorette, and throughout the entire season, he remained a class-act who was always hilarious and positive.
Today, Bigger is a Certified Fitness Trainer and a talented public speaker. He is also set to appear on Bachelor Winter Games, premiering February 13.
When I asked Bigger what his stance is on knowing when to progress a relationship from casual to serious, he said:
“Making a decision to progress a relationship to the next level would be based on timing, intuition for sure, and if the other person completes you and is there unconditionally. Love and commitment is different for everybody, but I never sit on real feelings, so if I felt them then I would sit her down and have a conversation about exclusivity.”
5. Ben Zorn
Ben Zorn made it to the final 5 on Kaitlyn’s season of The Bachelorette, and he was also a fan favorite on season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise, ultimately leaving the show on his own accord because he didn’t have strong feelings for any of the women, and he missed his dog Zeus!
In the real world, Zorn is a Certified Personal Trainer, a dedicated Wellness Coach, and the founder of Zorn Fitness, which offers in-person and online education to help people incorporate fitness and healthy eating habits into their current lives. This good looking, smart and driven fitness pro is currently working on building a fitness platform for clients with specific goals they need to get in shape for, such as upcoming weddings, marathon training, and bikini/physique competitions.
Ben Zorn believes everything should be natural, effortless and easy if it’s meant to become a real relationship:
“I don’t believe there is a exact moment when you take your relationship to the next level. You kind of just know in your gut if it’s the right fit and that transition will happen naturally. The more time you spend with that person the more apparent it becomes that you either fit or you don’t.”
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6. Chris Strandburg
Dr. Chris Strandburg is a successful Cosmetic Dentist who was famously nicknamed ‘Cupcake’ because he introduced himself to Kaitlyn Bristowe in a cupcake costume on season 11 of The Bachelorette. Strandburg made it to the final 6 on Kaitlyn’s season, so the cupcake charm must have worked on her. This good-looking Dentist has a fun-loving personality and a ton of impressive career ambition. He has appeared on television shows such as The Doctors and Good Morning America.
When it comes to making the decision to progress a relationship from casual dating to something more serious, Strandburg said:
“Deciding to make the relationship ‘official’ is a big commitment. I need to feel like we have continued to grow closer together throughout the time we’ve been dating and not have stagnated. I have to miss her when I’m not with her. If she’s not on my mind, that’s a bad sign for the relationship. I also have to feel like being together adds value to both my life and hers. If we’re better together and we keep getting better, I want to keep this person close to me. However, I don’t usually put pressure on the woman. Even if I want to be exclusive, I’ll try to wait for her to bring it up.”
7. Robby Hayes
Robby Hayes is known for making it all the way to the final 2 on Jojo’s season of The Bachelorette, and for being a fan favorite on season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise, where he had better hair and more fashionable beachwear than half of the female cast members.
Hayes is the whole package, being smart, incredibly handsome, gentlemanly and classy AF. He has a Masters degree in Finance, is currently beginning his real estate career in California, and is the co-founder of LeisureLetics, an athleisure apparel company. To lock down a guy like Hayes, he just has to feel it in his gut:
“Every relationship arrives at a critical moment, a juncture, between moving forward and moving on. The ‘sooo . . .’ moment. ‘Soo what are we?’ ‘Soo where is this going?’
These questions are typically turning points in relationship,s and can decide the future path each significant other ends up on. In my eyes, if the woman is the right one for me, this moment may never even need to come about, because it’s obvious. But if it does come up, and you’re sure she’s the one, you’ll know exactly how to answer her questions.”
8. Josh Murray
To say that Josh Murray is busy would be quite an understatement! This sexy, former professional Major League Baseball player, is best known for making it to the end on season 10 of The Bachelorette and later appearing on Bachelor in Paradise, and he’s currently a full-time entrepreneur and TV personality.
Murray is not only sexy, but also incredibly driven and ambitious. He’s the majority owner and VP of Marketing of an investment company that manages multiple F45 Training studio franchises throughout the United States and currently expanding to the Bahamas. F45 Training is a 45 minute high-intensity, circuit training workout class. In addition to an extensive resume of television shows such as The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and Famously Single, Josh recently wrapped up MTV’s Champs vs. Stars where he competed in physical challenges to win prize money for Extra Special People, Inc. (ESP) – a non-profit Josh and his brother, former NFL player, Aaron Murray, hold dear to their heart.
As busy as Murray is, he’s not stopping his continued quest to find love. He explained to me that he needs to observe certain characteristics before he’ll decide if a woman is relationship-worthy, though:
For me to progress a relationship from being just a causal one to something serious and official, I need to see how she is around my friends and family. I want a woman who gets along with and is kind to others, so seeing her in these different environments is very important to me. There are a couple major qualities I look for in a woman. Again, I want to see if she’s family oriented, someone who loves family and treats her parents with love and respect. A second very important quality is selflessness. I don’t want a woman who all she does is take selfies and worry about posting on social media all the time. I want someone who focuses more on what’s in front of her, on the real people in life and not worrying about being some instagram star and how many likes and comments she gets on pictures. Focus on the people you’re with and make them a priority and to me, in this day and age of self-obsession, its a major turn-on!
9. Jack Stone
Jack Stone is the good-looking attorney from Rachel’s season of The Bachelorette who also appeared on Bachelor in Paradise. Other than having one of the most memorable names in Bachelor Nation, he’s known as the serial kisser of Paradise who always presented himself with the utmost class throughout the season and made us all laugh with his comedic one-liners.
In the real world, Jack Stone’s number one girl in his life is currently his dog Addie, and he’s a catch because he’s a quadruple threat: smart, handsome, funny and career driven. He’s shown ambition through pursuing various entrepreneurial endeavours, including a real estate venture, and a customizable meal subscription service called Balanced Bowls.
So, how does Jack Stone know when a relationship is worthy of commitment?
“I think we sometimes over-analyze relationships when it’s best to just let it happen organically. If it’s genuinely progressing, you’ll just know.
Personally, I know it’s progressing when I want to spend my free time with someone over anyone else.”
10. Daniel Maguire
You probably remember Daniel Maguire from Jojo’s season of The Bachelorette, but he is best known for being one of the funniest, wittiest and most entertaining cast member on Bachelor in Paradise for the past two seasons in a row.
Maguire is an entrepreneur, a Certified Personal Trainer, a male model, research consultant and a popular TV personality. It’s safe to say he’s the whole package, being career driven, hilarious and good looking. For Maguire to consider being in a serious relationship, a lot would have to add up, which is why he would know if he met the right girl:
“I can tell very quickly if I feel strongly about a girl or not, and I gravitate towards a confident woman who is laid back and knows how to have fun. I’m a very open and honest person, so if I really liked a girl, I’d tell her how I feel and I’d be honest about wanting to progress the relationship – and I’d tell her that I don’t want to see anyone else.”
11. Diggy Moreland
Diggy Moreland appeared on Rachel’s season of The Bachelorette, and went on to recently appear on season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise.
He prides himself on his impressive style and fashion sense. When he’s not filming TV segments, he keeps busy as a fashion stylist, and owns a fashion and lifestyle blog called ‘More Than a Tie’. Moreland is definitely open to the idea of being in a serious relationship if he meets the right woman:
“I think deciding to be exclusive has to be a mutual decision for sure, but it’s a conversation that’s had after several dates. I think I make the decision after careful consideration and feelings. If I can’t wait to see you, I don’t feel like anything is missing, or you just always challenge me to be better and I just downright have a great time with you, then I think it’s time to be exclusive. Let’s be real, that’s all I’m looking for in a relationship, so if I have it in one person, why look elsewhere? Exactly! Time to be exclusive.”
12. Chase McNary
Chase McNary made it all the way to the final 3 on Jojo’s season of The Bachelorette. She let him go right before fantasy suites, and when an unmarked white van pulled up to take him home, he got in and remarked “Oh, is this my fantasy suite?” That hilarious line just made fans love this dreamboat even more. That, and the fact that he’s proud to be a momma’s boy, because let’s face it – we can all appreciate a man who respects his mother.
Not only is he ridiculously handsome, McNary is also impressively career-oriented in the health and fitness industry. He is the owner of a life-changing organization, Left Side Lion Fitness, and a co-founder of LeisureLetics alongside Robby Hayes.
To consider progressing a relationship into ‘official couple’ status, McNary would have to have quite strong feelings:
“In order for me to progress a relationship from casual to more serious, I need to feel the full commitment is there. Not from just her, but from myself as well; it’s definitely mutual. When considering my history, the women that I have moved into more serious relationships with are the ones that kept my attention beyond the time we physically spent together.
The women that make me crave their presence and advice in everything that I have going on in my life are the types of women that make me want to progress in the relationship! The ones that I can’t wait to get done with my day and hear about hers!”
13. Kupah James
On Kaitlyn’s season of The Bachelorette, Kupah James was the physically perfect man with killer abs, and his physique has only gotten more impressive since the show aired. James had a memorable exit from The Bachelorette in that it was quite dramatic, but the real Kupah James is kind-hearted, selfless and caring.
Today, Kupah James is an ambitious personal trainer, fitness instructor and touring DJ who has performed for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and even former president Bill Clinton. James is clearly a catch, but what would it take to lock a guy like him down? James explains,
“Personal experience and Intuition are two things I explore when furthering a relationship. Does my intuition say and feel good about her when we are together, or even more so when we are apart? Additionally, using my experiences with failed relationships, assuming I am my best self, I would like to be my best self for her.”
14. DeMario Jackson
DeMario Jackson is best known for his dramatic exits on both Rachel’s season of The Bachelorette, as well as season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise. However, he’s memorable for redeeming himself, owning his mistakes, and showing extreme gratitude instead of hate when he was cleared of false allegations. His personal growth was extremely evident, and fans quickly realized he’s a great guy in real life.
Jackson is a very handsome and career driven individual with a positive and upbeat personality. He is a fashion designer with an online clothing store, a tech guru, and he co-hosts the NBA-dedicated Shoot or Pass Podcast. When it comes to locking a guy like DeMario down, know that he has standards, and he will not settle for less. DeMario explains,
“For me, the dating to ‘exclusive’ is a talk that we both have to have. We both have to be on the same page with what we want. I’m 31 and I’m no longer dating just to date. I know what I want and I will NOT settle for Michelle, and I love myself enough to be patient until Beyoncé comes.”
15. Bryan Abasolo
Bryan Abasolo is best known for his appearance on season 13 of The Bachelorette, on which he beat out all of the other men and won Rachel Lindsay’s heart.
In the real world, Dr. Bryan Abasolo is a licensed Chiropractor in Florida, California, and Texas, with approximately ten years of clinical experience. With Abasolo’s passion for a healthy lifestyle and a lean and toned physique, his trade name has become ‘Dr. Abs’, the Chiropractor and Wellness Coach, and he has appeared on talk shows such as The Doctors. Dr. Abs’ coaching focuses on lifestyle initiatives to educate customers on the benefit of chiropractic adjustments and treatment, combined with natural supplements, and core body training, as a pivotal part of maintaining an overall healthy body.
Bryan Abasolo is engaged to America’s current Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, and he’s therefore off the market, but he still shared his views on what it takes for a relationship to progress to a more serious stage:
Relationship chemistry can come on really fast and early or take more of a slow burn pace. Regardless of which one it is for you, eventually you get this feeling in your gut, as you get to truly know and spend more time with the person. They have to have all the qualities you look for in a significant other and you can envision a long term future with them.
[…] take to win the hearts of these highly sought-after babes, and I got inside their heads with some exclusive interviews. I asked 12 of your favorite Bachelor Nation men to reveal the qualities a woman must possess to […]