While most Bachelor franchise couples opt to have longer engagements to get to know each other post-show, Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya are already hearing wedding bells.
“We’re thinking summertime,” Nayte spoke of their future nuptials to Us Weekly alongside his all-smiling fiancee. “In the near future, we’ll put it that way.
Michelle Young knew early on Nayte Olukoya was one of her strongest connections
Getting engaged on the latest season of The Bachelorette, fans watched Nayte get on one knee to propose to the Minnesota educator while on the sparkling beaches of Mexico.
Awarding the Austin native her first impression rose, Michelle explained that she knew early on that Nayte was one of her strongest connections, but the challenge was to “make sure she was open to everybody.”
“In a situation like The Bachelorette or The Bachelor, conversations can change a lot of different things because you know, you have this short snippet and it seems like a short conversation but you’re not talking small talk,” Michelle explained of the accelerated show process. “You’re not talking about favorite colors and favorite foods, like you really do dive deep.”
Nayte Olukoya admits the storyline that was told was a “little frustrating” at times
While Nayte admitted the edit he was given on the show was a “little frustrating” at times, at the end of the day, he had Michelle to talk and laugh it out with.
Also recognizing that watching the show back together wasn’t an “easy situation”, the newly engaged couple used communication to get through unique challenges that included Michelle declaring her love with two people.
“Now that this is done, we’re back in the real world. That’s something that’s behind us now,” Nayte said later in the interview. “It’s just her and I against the world. It can only bother you so much. I get to wake up next to Michelle for the rest of my life.”
In a sweet note on social media dedicated to his future bride, the sales executive poked fun at himself and signed it “Love Nayte, Your 6’8″, Costco Chris Brown, walking red flag.”
While fans have called out Nayte’s potential red flags over runner-up Brandon Jones all season, Nayte also used the post to thank Michelle for making him feel seen for him.
“Who would have ever thought that a reality TV show could actually work out as perfectly as it did for us. Regardless of the edit, we know our true story,” he wrote. “Thank you for seeing past what people have always seemed to get stuck on when it comes to me. My whole life people have taken one look at me and thought they had me all figured out.”
The Bachelorette is currently on hiatus on ABC.