Who Won Joey's Season of The Bachelor? Inside the Shocking Finale

It was a dramatic conclusion, indeed.

Photo: Disney | John Fleenor

Updated Mar 25, 2024

Joey Graziadei's season of The Bachelor gets *our* final rose for the best finale in, well, a long time. Not only was Bachelor Nation united in their love for the 28-year-old tennis pro, plenty of new fan favorites emerged from the memorable cast of women. (Maria stans, pls rise.) But who got Joey's final rose? Since its premiere earlier this year, host Jesse Palmer has consistently teed up this conclusion as the most dramatic yet…and he really wasn't exaggerating. So, who won Joey's season of The Bachelor? We break down all the deets here. (Be warned, spoilers lie ahead!)

Who Does Joey Graziadei End Up With?

Joey proposing to Kelsey on The Bachelor

Kelsey Anderson won Joey Graziadei's Bachelor season. The couple got engaged on the season finale, which aired on March 25, 2024. During the engagement, Graziadei finally opened up about his feelings for Anderson, saying, "I knew early on there was something different about you. And I just wanted to learn more. Everything we do, we just enjoy each other. I can't wait another minute to tell you I love you."

As is custom in Bach Nation, Joey Graziadei proposed to Kelsey Anderson with a Neil Lane engagement ring. He selected a dazzling emerald-cut diamond on a platinum band.

The Knot caught up with Joey ahead of his season premiere when we attended Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist's Golden Bachelor wedding in Palm Springs on January 4. Although he kept a tight lip about his relationship status at the time, we asked him to sum up his Bachelor season in one word—and his pick was nothing short of swoon-worthy. "I would say [this season] is romantic," he told us. "We had a really great group of girls. I was lucky enough to connect with a lot of them and I think it's going to be a beautiful season."

Beautiful, indeed. Here's everything you need to know about Joey Graziadei's winner, Kelsey Anderson, and their journey on the 28th season of The Bachelor.

In this article:

Who is Kelsey Anderson, Joey Graziadei's Fiancée?
Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson's Engagement
All About The Bachelor Joey Graziadei
Highlights From Joey Graziadei's Season of The Bachelor

Who is Kelsey Anderson, Joey Graziadei's Fiancée?

Joey Graziadei and fiancée Kelsey Anderson

Joey Graziadei's wife-to-be is Kelsey Anderson, a 25-year-old Junior Project Manager from New Orleans, Louisiana. She grew up in Germany on a U.S. military base where she lived with her family, who played an integral role in her journey throughout the season. Anderson made a strong first impression on the show, thanks in part to her memorable arrival on night one. Upon stepping out of the limo, Anderson presented the Bachelor with a voodoo doll as a nod to her NOLA roots.

Kelsey and Joey had their first one-on-one date during week five in Spain, where she opened up about losing her mother to breast cancer in 2018. During the emotional conversation, Anderson revealed that she associates her mom's presence with butterflies—and that she began to see them more often leading up to her time on the show.

Joey and Kelsey's second one-on-one date came during the seventh week when the group traveled to Canada. After taking part in a frigid polar plunge with a group of locals, Graziadei admitted in a confessional that he was falling in love with Anderson.

Their connection grew deeper during their hometown date when Graziadei traveled to Louisana to meet his girlfriend's father and siblings. The tennis pro received a seal of approval from Anderson's dad, Mark, who told his daughter, "I see the way that he is towards you. It's very reassuring." It was during this week that Anderson admitted she was falling in love with Graziadei. The following week, during their overnight Fantasy Suite date, the Bachelor confirmed that he shared the same feelings.

Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson's Engagement

Joey Graziadei and fiancée Kelsey Anderson engagement photo

During the season finale, Joey Graziadei proposed to Kelsey Anderson with an emerald-cut diamond ring from Neil Lane. The engagement took place overlooking the ocean at Secrets Tulum Resort & Beach Club in Tulum, Mexico.

Before dropping to one knee, Graziadei finally told Anderson he was in love—a confession he admitted that he wanted to save until the last day. "I knew early on there was something different about you. And I just wanted to learn more," he told Anderson. "Everything we do, we just enjoy each other. I can't wait another minute to tell you I love you. I have known for a while that I wanted a beautiful life, but I didn't know how beautiful it could be until I met you."

All About The Bachelor Joey Graziadei

Fans first met Joey Graziadei when he joined Bachelor Nation in 2023. Here's everything you need to know about Joey the Bachelor.

He Appeared on Charity Lawson's Bachelorette Season

Joey Graziadei was an instant front-runner when he appeared as a contestant on Charity Lawson's Bachelorette season, notably because of his authenticity and vulnerability. After breaking the record for "Longest Bachelor Kiss" on a date, Joey used his one-on-one time with Charity to open up about his father, who came out as gay after getting divorced from his mom.

"I had to think through when I wanted to bring up my parents' divorce and my dad coming out. It's serious and it's important," he said to Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast. "I had a conversation with my dad before going on the show and I wanted to make sure he was okay with me sharing his story. It's something that's affected me, but it's really his life. I had that conversation with him, and he was comfortable and trusted me on how I would talk about it and it would be shared in the right light."

Following this emotional moment, Joey and Charity's connection was evident throughout the remainder of the season—but it wasn't strong enough. Joey finished as the runner-up, and Charity got engaged to Dotun Olubeko in the finale. During the live After the Finale Rose special on August 21, 2023, it was announced that Joey would lead The Bachelor Season 28.

He's From a Philadelphia Suburb

The Bachelor Joey Graziadei was born in Royersford, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb, on May 24, 1995. The 28-year-old has two sisters, Carly and Ellie, and maintains a close relationship with his family. He attended college at West Chester University and played on the tennis team. He graduated in 2017 with a degree in communication and media studies.

He's a Tennis Player & Teacher

After college, Joey went on to play and teach tennis professionally. Before joining the Bachelor franchise, Joey was living in Koloa, Hawaii, where he taught tennis at The Club at Kukuiʻula. He also flexed his skills on the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor, where he taught a few moves to some of Gerry's contestants during a group pickleball date.

He's Outdoorsy

Per his *official* ABC bio, we know that Joey the Bachelor is outdoorsy—and his ideal soulmate is someone who shares his passion for getting active. He loves "hiking, surfing, and ending his days watching the sunset."

Highlights From Joey Graziadei's Season of The Bachelor

Throughout the 28th season of The Bachelor, fans were united in their love for Joey Graziadei, with many calling him the best Bachelor in recent history. Here's a peek at some of the top highlights from Joey's season of The Bachelor.

Lea Received a "Steal a 1-on-1" Card from Producers

In a franchise first, Lea Cayanan—who met Joey before his season premiere on Charity Lawson's After the Final Rose episode—received a special envelope from producers that she was instructed to bring with her on night one. Upon opening it, the note revealed that Lea was granted the opportunity to steal a 1-on-1 date from another contestant at any point during the season.

Overcome with emotion over the potential of taking someone else's date, a teary-eyed Lea threw the note in the fireplace before the night was over, saying she wouldn't feel right taking the opportunity from someone else. The display of maturity ultimately landed Lea the first impression rose that night, though she was sent home after advancing to the top 10.

The Women Competed in Another Wedding Dress Group Date

Joey's wedding group date on The Bachelor

Fact: It doesn't matter how many times we see a wedding dress date—we'll always appreciate seeing the ladies try on gowns. As the very first group date of the season, the experience featured a handful of wedding-related challenges that allowed the women to duke it out to see who could win the "first dance" with Joey. Rachel won the big prize, securing a spin on the dance floor to "When a Man Loves a Woman" performed live by Michael Bolton.

Maria Became a Fan-Favorite

Bach Nation instantly took a liking to Maria Georgas for her no-nonsense attitude, which was on full display when she ended up in a drama triangle with Sydney and Jess. After surviving a 2-on-1 date with Sydney, Maria's chemistry with Joey was undeniable. She also nabbed the highly-anticipated shopping date, which helped her advance to Hometowns.

The Finale Actually Was Unprecedented

For weeks, Jesse Palmer promised that Joey's Bachelor finale would be the most dramatic yet…and he wasn't wrong! In an unprecedented move, runner-up Daisy Kent spoke to Kelsey Anderson before the proposal. During the emotional conversation, Kent opened up about her concerns that she wouldn't be Graziadei's final pick.

Then, in a franchise first, both Kent and Anderson arrived to the final rose ceremony…together. Kent walked down to the proposal spot first, and shockingly self-eliminated before Graziadei had the chance to end their relationship. After the two women hugged each other, Anderson met Graziadei by the ocean, where he proposed—which Anderson happily accepted.