‘The Golden Bachelor’: Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist Could Earn Six Figures for Their Televised Wedding
Cha-ching! Wedding bells are ringing for The Golden Bachelor couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist – and a massive paycheck could be rolling in. The pair found love on the inaugural season of The Bachelor’s senior-focused spinoff. Now, they’re preparing to tie the knot in a televised ceremony on Jan. 4. In exchange for saying “I do” live on ABC, Gerry and Theresa could be paid upwards of six figures, based on what we know about how much past Bachelor couples have earned for their wedding specials.
How much will Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist get paid for ‘The Golden Wedding’?
Lavish wedding specials are nothing new for The Bachelor franchise. Back in 2003, ABC turned the first-ever Bachelorette couple’s wedding into a massive, three-episode TV event. Seventeen million people tuned in to watch Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter get married. The couple was paid $1 million in exchange for letting all of America witness their big day, Entertainment Weekly reported at the time.
Since then, several other Bachelor couples have participated in wedding specials. Though the payouts haven’t been as high as Trista and Ryan’s, they’re nothing to sneeze at. In 2012, The Bachelorette’s Ashely Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum were paid $250,000 for letting the network’s cameras document their ceremony in Pasadena, Calif., the New York Daily News reported. Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici also earned six figures for their 2014 wedding, per E! News. Carly Waddell Evan Bass from Bachelor in Paradise Season 3 each earned $25,000 for their wedding episode, she said during a 2023 appearance on Jason Tartrick’s Trading Secrets podcast.
Exactly how much Gerry and Theresa will be paid for their nuptials is a mystery. But The Golden Bachelor breathed new life into the venerable franchise. (The season finale was the franchise’s most-watched episode since 2021, according to Variety.) Anticipation is high for the couple’s big day, and ABC is likely compensating them accordingly. Based on what past couples have earned for their wedding specials, a six-figure fee seems likely.
‘The Golden Bachelor’ couple won’t have to pay for their wedding or honeymoon
A wedding day paycheck isn’t the only perk that Gerry and Theresa will receive for letting ABC air their ceremony. The network is presumably also footing the bill for the big day, which is rumored to be happening at the La Quinta Resort & Club near Palm Springs, Calif. Couples typically spend about $29,000 to hold their ceremony and reception at the venue, according to Wedding Wire. But Gerry and Theresa’s event will likely be orders of magnitude more expensive.
The event, which Gerry told People will be “very elegant but not stuffy,” will feature gorgeous pink and peach flowers, a four-piece string orchestra, and a large wedding party made up of members of the couple’s families. Theresa’s wedding day look hasn’t been unveiled, but she’ll wear an “incredibly gorgeous” gown from Badgley Mischka, she told the magazine. Dresses from the label’s wedding dress line retail for several thousand dollars.
Following the wedding, the newlyweds will honeymoon in Italy. ABC gifted the couple the trip to the romantic destination during The Golden Bachelor‘s “After the Final Rose” episode. Theresa also received a stunning 3.5-carat princess-cut diamond engagement ring courtesy of jeweler Neil Lane. The sparkler is likely worth about $40,000. The bottom line? Gerry and Theresa should walk away from their Golden Bachelor experience with a nice nest egg to start their new life together.
The Golden Wedding airs Thursday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The 2-hour special streams the next day on Hulu.
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, New York Daily News, E! News, Trading Secrets, Variety, Wedding Wire
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