‘Golden Bachelor’ wedding features live proposal, lap dances and message of love: ‘Don’t stop believing’

“Golden Bachelor” stars Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist are officially married.

In a live ceremony on ABC Thursday night, the couple said their “I dos” in front of a mix of family, friends and “Bachelor” franchise alums. 

Nist wore a Badgley Mischka gown and carried a bouquet of white roses, accented with pale pink and yellow, and was walked down the aisle by her son, Tommy.

Her daughter, Jen, and Turner’s daughters, Jenny and Angie, all served as bridesmaids, while his son-in-law, Rob, was Turner’s best man. Nist’s son-in-law, Matt, was a groomsman.

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Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist were married live on TV during “The Golden Wedding” on ABC. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

As Turner told Fox News Digital ahead of the wedding in a joint interview with Nist, “We are going to have as many of the family members involved as we possibly can.”

Gerry Turner’s daughters, Jenny Young and Angie Warner and Theresa Nist’s daughter, Jen Woolston, served as bridesmaids. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

“Golden Bachelor” alum Susan Noles served as the officiant for the couple and delivered fun and heartfelt remarks before completing the ceremony.

“Golden Bachelor” alumna Susan Noles served as the officiant for “The Golden Wedding.” (Disney/Eric McCandless)

The couple also wrote their own vows, highlighting their first meeting and date on the show, before moving on to the official “I do” moment.

Nist’s grandson, Henry, was a ring bearer, and while he pulled off the delivery smoothly, the couple and officiant Noles struggled to remove the ribbons to get the rings ready to exchange.

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Theresa Nists’s grandson, Henry Woolston, was the ring bearer. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

One of the biggest surprises of the night was a seemingly impromptu proposal between “Bachelor in Paradise” stars Brayden Bowers and Christina Mandrell.

After the couple announced they were moving to Tennessee together, Bowers got down on one knee and proposed to Mandrell live on television.

Bryaden Bowers proposed to Christina Mandrell in the pre-ceremony cocktail hour during “The Golden Wedding.” (Disney/James Clark)

The moment sparked controversy online, with fans calling out the breach of etiquette.

“Honestly, it’s tacky IMO to do your proposal at someone else’s wedding,” wrote one fan.

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Online commentors called Bryaden Bowers and Christina Mandrell out for a seeming breach in wedding etqiuette, but according to host Jesse Palmer, Bowers had Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist’s permission to propose. (Disney/Eric McCandless)

“I cannot believe Bachelor Nation orchestrated a proposal during the Golden Wedding isn’t that like, a cardinal rule?,” asked another.

“Brayden LOOOVESSS to be the center of attention. although the proposal was a surprise, this behavior wasn’t,” said a third.

Following a commercial break, host Jesse Palmer noted that Bowers did get permission from the couple to make the proposal during the pre-ceremony festivities.

Another surprise was the attendance of Leslie Fhima, the woman Turner turned down for Nist.

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Leslie Fhima, the woman Gerry Turner turned down for Nist on “The Golden Bachelor,” attended “The Golden Wedding.” (Disney/James Clark)

In a pre-ceremony interview with fellow “Golden Bachelor” alum Kathy Swarts, Fhima said, “At our age we have to celebrate love. And I was very good friends with Theresa, we supported each other throughout our whole time in the house, and all the way through this journey. And I’m so, so happy for her and Gerry, I really am. And I’m here at the end of the day to support love in any way.”

Fhima had previously said she was blindsided by her breakup with Turner, telling the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast that during the Fantasy Suite episode ahead of the finale, she firmly believed, based on Turner’s words, that she would get the final rose.

“I don’t want to say everything he said, but it was 100% certainty that I woke up the next morning that I was going to be it,” she said.

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Prior to the big moment, the broadcast featured packages looking back at the couple’s courtship, their wedding planning and Nist’s bachelorette party.

During the party, Nist and several of the “Golden Bachelor” alums were visited by some Chippendales dancers, and one even joined Mason as her guest for the evening.

Sandra Mason brought one of the Chippendales dancers from Theresa Nist’s bachelorette party as her escort for “The Golden Wedding.” (Disney/Eric McCandless)

The bouquet toss following the ceremony also got a bit wild.

Nist threw the bouquet before the first official dance, and three of the women, Joan Cassos, Anna Zalk, and Swarts, all got handfuls of the roses.

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Gerry Turner told the attendees and the audience before the end of “The Golden Wedding” broadcast, “Don’t stop believing!” (Disney/John & Joseph Photography)

Turner left the attendees and audience with one last motivational message before the broadcast ended and the real party started.

“A year ago, I sat at home thinking, all of my highlights for the year, and my life were done. I have a whole new outlook on life because of this journey and because of this woman,” he said. “And I’d almost forgotten the really important advice. Don’t stop believing!”