The Bachelor’s Chloie Costello & Hutch Hershberger’s Engagement

This is a truly magnetic love story that traded reality television for real-life bliss! In this feature from The Wedding Reporter Podcast host Alyssa DiCicco sits down with the engaging duo, model and former Bachelor contestant Chloie Costello and youth camp director Hutch Hershberger. Their journey is filled with fate, romantic near-misses, and a breathtaking surprise proposal. Join us as they share the story of their authentic, off-screen connection, the sentimental family ring Chloie now wears, and their plans for an elegant, heartfelt wedding in Northern California this coming May.

For many, Chloie Costello is recognizable from her time on ABC’s The Bachelor. She shared with Alyssa that her journey on the show was a “total whirlwind,” an unexpected but “super fun” opportunity that came about very quickly. Today, Chloie is a successful model, known for her all-American, commercial work with brands like Hanes and Target.

Now, Chloie is focused on getting situated in Los Angeles and “leaning into a new market.” While her current slate is focused on wedding planning, she’s optimistic about establishing new clients and even looking into couples modeling with Hutch—a venture the host heartily endorsed, noting how well the two redheads look together!

Her now-fiancé, Hutch Hershberger, works in an entirely different, but equally inspiring, world. As a youth camp director near Yosemite, California, Hutch spends his time inspiring young leaders in the great outdoors. He’s currently focused on preparing for the next summer camp season.

So, how did a New York-based model and a future camp director connect? It was a classic “through mutual friends” story, but with an incredible series of near-misses that make it feel like fate!

Both were living in New York at the time, and their social circles organically merged. They were “friends for a couple of years before we transitioned,” but the timing was always a hurdle—especially when Hutch had to move back to California.

The most dramatic twist came just before Chloie left for The Bachelor. The night before her flight, Hutch confessed his feelings, encouraging her to “soak up this opportunity” but promising he’d be waiting if it didn’t work out. When Chloie eventually left the show, Hutch was her first call.

In a moment of high drama, Chloie forfeited her flight back to New York, choosing to stay in LA and wait for Hutch to return from a backpacking trip. Their reunion felt like destiny. “The second that we got back together,” Chloie said, “we were kind of like, this is it, we’re gonna do this.”

For the couple, this period of their relationship was full of alternatives—long distance, brief time together, and a reality TV stint. Now that they’ve moved in together, they are most excited about having a “normal life” and enjoying the simple sweetness of being in the same place.

After making their relationship official and celebrating a one-year anniversary, the couple got engaged at the 11-month mark. Determined to surprise Chloie, Hutch woke her up to a large breakfast and proposed in her parents’ backyard, a deeply sentimental choice.

Adding to the romance, Chloie wears her grandmother’s ring, a gorgeous family heirloom that made the decision easy.

Although the ring wasn’t what Chloie had originally envisioned for herself, once it became an option, it was a “done deal,” feeling completely “meant to be.” She even shared a story about going to a jewelry store where the salesperson—in a surprising display of honesty—told them not to buy anything from them because the family heirloom was too perfect to pass up!

With a May wedding planned in Carmel-by-the-Sea in Northern California, the couple is now deep in planning. They are aiming for an understated, elegant feel for their wedding, with a live band creating a classy, Frank Sinatra vibe.

Planning a wedding, they say, is an interesting “rite of passage” that tests a couple’s ability to communicate.

Both Chloie and Hutch agree that the key is keeping the ultimate focus on the marriage and recognizing that everything they are doing is simply for the purpose of spending their lives together.