Ben Higgins is engaged. Nearly five years after he was cast as ABC’s leading man on The Bachelor, the franchise alum popped the question to his longtime love , Jessica Clarke, over the weekend.
In photos posted to the Clarke’s Instagram, Higgins, 31, is seen down on one knee in an outdoor setting as he places an engagement ring on Clarke’s finger. Other photos show the lovebirds embracing and kissing.
The bride-to-be captioned the post by writing that she feels like it’s all a “dream.” It’s no surprise that in comments to the pics, members of Bachelor Nation reached out to offer the couple congratulations.
“So flipping happy for you two and can’t wait to celebrate with so much champagne!” wrote former Bachelorette star Becca Kufrin. “Your love, support, and respect for one another is beautiful, and I can’t wait to see where this life will take you together!”
“I’m soooo happy for you guys!!!” added Bachelor veteran Ashley Iaconetti. “Your love is so beautiful! I’m so glad you found each other! Look at what Instagram did!!”
“Oh my heart is MELTING!!! I am sooo happy for you guys,” added Bachelor alum Raven Gates.
“Do you have a sister? Asking for a friend,” wrote still-single Bachelor alum Nick Viall.
Other Bachelor Nation stars, including Wells Adams, Caelynn-Miller Keyes, Becca Tilley, Kristina Schulman, Jason Tartick, Cassie Randolph, Blake Horstmann, and more, posted messages to the happy couple.
Groom-to-be Higgins even chimed in to write that the “dude” in the photos is “so lucky.”
Higgins had originally intended to propose to Clarke in Central Park earlier this month during a previously planned trip to New York, but he scrapped the idea due to the coronavirus health pandemic. The Bachelor star ultimately revised his proposal plan and got down on one knee in Franklin, Tennessee, in the backyard of Clarke’s family home.
Higgins told Entertainment Tonight that he set the scene around a pond behind Jessica’s house where he placed sunflowers by a bench. Both the Higgins and Clarke families watched the backyard proposal from a distance. Higgins presented Clarke with a custom ring from Gnat Jewelers in Denver.
Higgins famously ended his Bachelor season with an engagement to Lauren Bushnell. The two split the following year, and Bushnell married country singer Chris Lane last fall
The Bachelor star made his relationship with Clarke Instagram official in February of 2019 after revealing that he actually met her through the social media platform, according to People . In a photo taken in Honduras, Higgins revealed that he “successfully slid” into Clarke’s DMs a few months prior.
“I took a risk and I am glad I did,” The Bachelor alum wrote at the time.
