Fans of Brandon Jones and Serene Russell will be happy to know that the couple is still going strong following their engagement on the season finale of Bachelor in Paradise.
“Every day has been a journey, like something new every day,” Serene told People. Even though her fiancé jokingly shot back, “I’m so sick of that word, ‘journey!'” Brandon admitted to enjoying his life with Serene. “No, every day, it’s been great,” he stated.
The Portland native says that he and Serene are experiencing “a whole new learning experience,” through which they are “growing closer.”
Arguably BIP Season 8’s cutest and most drama-free couple, Serene and Brandon are relishing being able to go out in public together and no longer having to keep their relationship a secret.
Serene admitted to having difficulty with the secrecy while the show was still airing. “We just moved in together in San Diego and so, you know, we were like under wraps,” she said. “I was just like getting the apartment ready and like trying to sneak around so no one would see me.”
Brandon added, “We were wearing wigs and everything like that, trying to sneak out to dinner and stuff. So it’s been fun, it’s been exciting.”
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Even though it was exciting at the time, Brandon was relieved to be done with the hiding and sneaking around. He compared being a public couple to the feeling of being able to loosen your belt after Thanksgiving dinner. “And you’re like, ‘Ahhh,'” Brandon said. “We can finally relax and be ourselves. Yeah, so it’s been good.”
The new couple are also enjoying time with their families during the holidays. They had a “wonderful” Thanksgiving in Oklahoma with Serene‘s family, and will soon travel to Oregon for a Jones family Christmas.
Serene also shared that no serious wedding planning has begun. “We’re enjoying the engagement right now,” Brandon said.
Serene previously told People, “We’ve landed on 2024, and we’re starting to think what time of year we want to get married in, what kind of wedding we like, do we want it more in the day or at night?” She added, “We’re starting to have these fun little conversations.”
As one of the calmest, most stable couples to come out of BIP 2022, I’m really happy to hear that Brandon and Serene are making plans together, enjoying each other’s company and just doing “normal” couple things. I wish them nothing but happiness in their life together.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK BRANDON AND SERENE ARE A GOOD COUPLE? DO YOU SEE THEM STAYING TOGETHER FOR LONG-TERM? OR DO YOU SEE THEM EVENTUALLY GOING THEIR OWN WAYS?
[Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images]
