Former “Bachelor” star Jake Pavelka is officially engaged.
The 48-year-old pilot-turned-entrepreneur announced the news on Instagram, sharing a photo of himself and his fiancée, Aimee. “I’m engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world and my best friend,” he wrote in the caption. “Thank you @jennyquicksall for the amazing engagement photos.”
The engagement comes nearly 15 years after Pavelka’s televised proposal on season 14 of “The Bachelor.”
A Sweet and Intimate Proposal at Home
According to People, Pavelka proposed to Aimee on Nov. 22 at their high-rise home in Dallas, Texas. After going back and forth about planning something extravagant or keeping it simple, he chose a private, romantic setup.
Following dinner at Drake’s Hollywood, the couple returned to their apartment, where Pavelka had quickly arranged rose petals and candles before they left earlier that evening. Aimee was initially confused when they walked in and noticed the decorated table. When she turned around, Pavelka was down on one knee.
“She kind of gasped and then muttered yes,” he told People, describing the moment as “sweet and intimate.” Aimee later shared that it would have been perfect even if it had been “just him asking.”
Afterward, the couple called their parents and took time to decide how they wanted to share the news publicly. Their engagement photos were taken by photographer Jenny Quicksall.
From Reality TV to Real Life
Pavelka first entered Bachelor Nation as a contestant on Jillian Harris’ season of “The Bachelorette” in 2009 before becoming the lead of “The Bachelor” in 2010. He proposed to Vienna Girardi during the finale, but the pair split just three months later. He later appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” and made additional television appearances before stepping away from Hollywood.
He returned to Dallas, continued flying and eventually launched a waste management company, Rhino Removal, in 2017. The company was acquired in January 2024, a milestone he described as one of the most meaningful accomplishments of his life.
About a week after that acquisition, he matched with Aimee on Bumble while on a layover in Santa Barbara. She was living in Los Angeles at the time. The two met in Las Vegas for their first date at Zuma and talked over sushi for six hours, per People.
Back in October 2024, Pavelka hinted at how serious things were getting. Speaking on the “Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous” podcast, he said of Aimee, “This is probably the girl. She’s so wonderful,” per Us Weekly.
Now, more than a year later, he says the wait was worth it.
“Oh, completely.”
Was he the one who said to Vienna, “Stop interrupting me”, while pounding his hand on his knee? She left the set in tears.