Earlier this year, millions of Bachelor fans watched Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell fall in love the ABC reality TV series. Now, the couple is happily engaged and ready to share their new life together on Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After? on Freeform, premiering on Tuesday night. If you're wondering is Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After? scripted, Freeform has confirmed to Bustle that the series is unscripted. The duo met on the ABC reality series and now they are keeping it real on the spin-off as well.
Ben and Lauren said on Good Morning America recently that the series will showcase the couple in different situations, including a camping trip with the infamous Chad Johnson — and a stint in couples counseling. Yup, you read that right — the happy couple sought some help and they aren't ashamed about it at all. "I think one of the coolest parts about having the platform that we now have from the show is that we can stand up for things that we believe are right," Ben said on Good Morning America. "And I think counseling is something that was taboo to most couples and most people in general." He continued: "We wanted to go to counseling before we had the issues ... to really be able talk out and communicate."
It doesn't get more real than that, which is so refreshing to see. Couples — and even those not in a relationship — should not be ashamed to seek counseling or therapy to work out any issues and here, Ben and Lauren are setting a great example that even a Happily Ever After couple needs to work hard on that first word: Happily.
As for the big day itself, E! News reported that plans for a future wedding on TV aren't decided quite yet, but the pair did throw a Bachelor/Bachelorette party in Las Vegas last weekend. Traditionally, those two parties are thrown on dates close to the nuptials themselves — but, then again, Ben and Lauren didn't meet in the most traditional way, either.
Bachelor and Bachelorette alums like Tanner Tolbert, Jared Haibon, JJ Lane, Ashley Iaconetti, Amanda Stanton, Haley Ferguson and Emily Ferguson were along for the celebrations and posted on social media about them, hashtag #byebyebushnell. It was pretty much one big Bachelor Nation reunion.
There hasn't been any word, though, if these parties will be seen on Ben and Lauren or if a wedding is imminent, but fans can hope, right? Last month, the couple celebrated their one-year first-meeting anniversary, according to a sweet post on Lauren's Instagram account. "One year ago today my life completely changed; so incredibly blessed to have met this amazing human," she wrote in the caption.
Can you believe it's been year since they first met on camera? So crazy how time flies. And, next up, they'll be preparing to take the big leap into marriage, unscripted — all while on camera as well on Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?
