Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner officially tied the knot with wife Theresa Nist at the 45-acre La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif in front of friends, family and millions of viewers at home who watched their televised ceremony on ABC Thursday night.
The reality TV couple, who got a second chance at love during the first season of The Golden Bachelor, said “I do” in a ceremony that aired live from the desert destination in the Coachella Valley.
Nist, 70, shared that her first wedding at age 18 was in her basement with two days’ notice. During Thursday’s broadcast, she was in awe of her opportunity to get married at La Quinta, telling soon-to-be-husband Turner, 72, as they pulled into the grounds, “Are you kidding me? This is like a dream, Gerry, this is crazy. I can’t believe it.”
The luxury property is often the setting for large parties and events like The Golden Wedding. Some may even say it was tailor-made for Hollywood. La Quinta has been featured in 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling and served as a shooting location for Bravo’s Top Chef. When it originally opened in 1926, it was a “luxury hideaway” for celebrities like Shirley Temple, Greta Garbo and Clark Cable, according to its website.
The Bachelor franchise has also made La Quinta its home in recent years, using it as the backdrop for dates and, in one instance, an entire season of The Bachelorette. Bachelor Nation is no stranger to La Quinta Resort & Club – and neither am I.
My experience at La Quinta
As a contestant on Season 16 of The Bachelorette, I left life behind as I knew it to pursue love in the height of the pandemic. In July 2020, I agreed to relinquish communication with the outside world and compete for Bachelorette Clare Crawley‘s heart. Instead of filming at the Bachelor mansion, this season of The Bachelorette would be filmed in one location, at the resort outside of Palm Springs, Calif.
Despite the show being filmed during a global pandemic, my family and friends were supportive as I embarked on this opportunity. As a Los Angeles resident, I didn’t have to travel by plane. Instead, a car service drove me to the filming location, roughly two hours away.
When I arrived, we were isolated in our hotel rooms for over a week. Before filming began, I stayed in a medium-size room with two beds and a bathroom. Once production began, I moved into another two-bedroom suite with a roommate and a larger bathroom. I enjoyed the Spanish-themed, cozy feel of the resort as well as the beautiful palm trees and views of the mountains. We also had a chance to enjoy a large pool directly outside our rooms.
Along with five golf courses, the property features 620 casitas and suites, 98 villas and various amenities, including tennis courts, fine dining restaurants and spas. It also boasts 41 swimming pools and 53 hot tubs.
Some fans judged the season because the Bachelorette and her contestants weren’t jet-setting around the world, having romantic dates and excursions in Europe, Australia or New Zealand. Instead, we were at the resort the entire time.
While I was sent home during the second rose ceremony, I enjoyed my stay at La Quinta. It will always be a memorable place for me.
