Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson have found their perfect match!
The smitten “Bachelor in Paradise” couple chatted exclusively with Access about finding true love in each other just days after their engagement was revealed on Tuesday night’s Season 5 finale.
“With Krystal, it’s her soul—her beautiful soul that she has on the inside,” Chris gushed. “I literally fell in love with who she is as a woman and who she represents. She’s very driven, very goal-oriented, ambitious, loving, caring and nurturing. She’s even a pain in my ass and I like that!”
The 30-year-old fitness coach also shared her admiration for her new fiancé.
“He just knows how to take care of a woman and make me feel loved, supported and cared for,” she said. “At the same time, he has that strong, masculine side where I feel protected. It’s so beautiful to have that balance in a relationship.”
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the lovebirds. Both Krystal and Chris were labeled the “villains” during their respective seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” However, it was their rocky roads that ultimately brought them closer together in the end.
“I know for me personally there were moments where I could have been classified as the villain and it’s OK because it’s from the eye of the viewer. I was disappointed with my own actions as well,” Chris admitted. “When you go through this journey—it’s something Krystal taught me in Paradise—you’re in control of your own destiny. If you lose sight of that or you lose control, it becomes a downward spiral.”
He continued, “I’m truly blessed because it’s not how you start your Bachelor career, it’s how you finish it. It started off on a rough note, but I’m thankful to have someone who opened my eyes and helped me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It ended up being a beautiful love story and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
“I think it was hard for both of us to go through those journeys individually,” Krystal agreed. “However, it’s what brought us together and it made us appreciate what we do have. Now to feel the love and support for our relationship from Bachelor Nation, it just feels incredible because we had the hard road. We stayed true to who we were and we grew from it. We found our potential after finding each other. We really just are better together.”
Although the couple’s relationship seems to only be getting stronger, they aren’t rushing to the altar any time soon.
“We’re not really sure on the date yet,” Krystal said. “I think our big focus is just that next step of moving in together and getting our place. Then if it feels natural to have that discussion and set a date, then we will when it feels right. But we’re not in a rush for anything. We’re just allowing things to unfold effortlessly.”
Chris added, “But we have talked about things that we want in a wedding. We both want sand, we both want beach, we both want good wine and good food, so we’re taking the right steps. I’m sure when the time comes it’s going to be a beautiful, amazing wedding and I’ll be more than happy to have her by my side.”
But would they ever return to “Bachelor in Paradise” and get married on television? “That’s a good question,” Chris admitted. “That would be a talk that we would have and if it felt right, it would be something that we would consider.”
However, when it comes to children, the duo already has their hands full with Krystal’s two beloved pups, Wayne and Chucky!
“I’ve been taking care of them lately,” Chris said, laughing. “It’s like having a few children, so two fur babies is more than enough for the time being!”
WATCH: Chris Randone Reveals Fiancée Krystal Nielson’s Most Annoying Habit
— Gabi Duncan
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