The age of innocence is over! As the runner-up on season one of The Bachelor in 2002, and the star of the first-ever season of The Bachelorette in 2003, Trista Sutter has seen a lot of couples come and go. Some things about the franchise, like the rose ceremonies, have stayed the same in the decade-plus since the ABC shows premiered, but other things continue to evolve.
Sutter—now 41 and married to her chosen suitor, Ryan Sutter, with whom she has two sons—stopped by Us Weekly‘s New York City offices recently to reminisce and reflect on Bachelor Nation’s storied history. (The Bachelor wrapped season 18 earlier this year, and The Bachelorette is currently airing season 10; Sutter still watches both.)
One major change from then to now? “They get to go on much better trips!” the Off! spokesperson told Us, laughing. “I went to Seattle and Cabo and Sedona. And now [they’re] going to Marseilles and Paris and Venice…They travel the world.” (Indeed, other recent destinations include South Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Saint Lucia.)
“Can you tell that I’m just a little jealous?” Sutter quipped.
Another difference, she explained, is the amount of PDA on the show. “I kissed three guys,” she told Us of her stint on The Bachelorette. “And I think that the kisses are a little more plentiful [now]. It was a little more innocent when Ryan and I were on.”
Watch the video to see more from our chat with Trista, including her picks for current Bachelorette Andi Dorfman!