Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist of “The Golden Bachelor” Are Married—Here's a Recap of Their Wedding, From the Sweet Vows to the Feisty Bouquet Toss

After looking for love on The Golden Bachelor, the popular ABC spinoff of The Bachelor, Gerry Turner tied the knot with Theresa Nist—nearly one month after the finale aired. Their wedding took place on January 4, 2024, at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs and was broadcast on live television, so fans could tune in to watch the event unfold. Their affair was filled with emotion and unforgettable moments.

Before the ceremony even began, Turner was already shedding tears. Once the groom saw Nist walking down the aisle, though, he was really overwhelmed with emotion. Even Susan Niles, a contestant on the show who officiated the ceremony, was choked up. “You weren’t kidding the way she looks at you,” she told Turner at the altar. 

The ceremony continued with speeches from the couple’s daughters, which again, was a tearjerking moment. One of the most emotional parts of the ceremony, however, was the vows. Both Turner and Nist cried throughout the exchange. Nist promised “to have fun for the rest of the days we have left on this Earth,” which she joked “could be another hour.” She concluded her portion by expressing, “I love you with all my heart, and I cannot wait to be your wife.”

Turner’s vows were equally sentimental. He told Nist that “the hand of God and the winds of fate have ordained this moment. From the first sip of chocolate shake to the last sip of Costa Rican coffee, I learned that you are the woman I can’t live without. It wasn’t my ear that you whispered in when you said that ‘I love you,’ but my very soul.” 

In the audience, there was a large turnout from the Bachelor Nation community. Not only did previous stars of the reality franchise, like Tayshia Adams, Charity Lawson, Mari Pepin, Kaitlyn Bristowe, attend, but so did many of the former contestants on Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor. Almost half of the women featured on the show were present, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Although most of the ceremony was picture-perfect, Nist had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction with her mermaid-style wedding dress featuring a plunging neckline from Badgley Mischka. Just before she shared her first kiss with Turner, one strap on her gown broke. The minor dilemma didn’t seem to rain on their parade, however.  

After they were pronounced husband and wife, the newlyweds celebrated with the rest of the crowd. One standout moment was the bouquet toss, a highly competitive affair among Nist's fellow The Golden Bachelor contestants. There ended up being three different winners: Joan Vassos, Anna Zalk, and Kathy Swarts each walked away with a handful of flowers.