Bachelor Brad Womack Picks Emily Maynard!
Credit: Mark Wessels/ABC
Sorry, Chantal O'Brien: Brad Womack says his heart belongs to Emily Maynard!
He rejected finalists DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft on the finale of his first Bachelor stint in 2007, but the two-time Bachelor, 38, finally got down on bended knee to propose to single mom Maynard on Monday's finale.
PHOTOS: Look back at Brad's sexiest dates with Emily and Chantal
"I've gone through so much to get to where I am today. I've made so many mistakes and had so many ups and downs. I always believed that when the time was right, I'd find the woman that I've been looking for for my entire life. I knew it would take opening up in ways I wasn't used to….All it took was coming here and finding you," a cool and collected Womack told Maynard, 24, as he presented her with a stunning Neil Lane sparkler in a garden outside the Ernie Els Wine Estate in Cape Town, South Africa.
"You're so much more to me than a leap of faith. You're the one. You're my once in a lifetime. I'm asking you to give me your forever. Please let me be your best friend, let me protect you and your beautiful daughter and please give me the opportunity to love you for the rest of your life," he continued as a tearful Maynard accepted his proposal.
VIDEO: Watch Brad's touching proposal
"I'm confident that I chose the right woman," Womack says of his bride-to-be, who beat out O'Brien for the final rose. "I'm even more confident in our love and that it's very real. I mean it."
For Womack's final date with Maynard, the pair traveled via helicopter to South Africa's Cape Point. "There was lots of smiling and laughing when they got out," an insider tells UsMagazine.com. The pair then climbed a ridge to a secluded spot and sat for the next 90 minutes intimately talking and holding hands. Continues the insider, "They ended it with a kiss."
PHOTOS: Where are your favorite Bachelor stars today?
Prior to his jubilant proposal, Womack had to let fan favorite O'Brien down gently. "I don't know how else to say except I have strong feelings for someone else," Womack said as O'Brien burst into tears. "You're an amazing person, and Emily's very lucky. It just sucks because I felt so strongly," O'Brien replied.
VIDEO: Revisit Chantal and Brad's shocking first meeting
Now that Womack and his fiancee -- who have been squeezing in secret quality time in a show-supervised house in Agora Hills, Calif., -- can finally go public, a Womack source anticipates a long engagement. "She'll have to relocate and they'll merge lives," the source tells Us of Maynard, who currently raises 5-year-old daughter, Ricki, in Charlotte, N.C. For now, says another pal, "they are very happy."
VIDEO: Brad meets Emily's daughter for the first time
As for the big day, Womack hasn't ruled out a TV wedding. "It's a sacred day. I leave it up to her," he tells Us. "I've learned to never say never."
Tell Us: Are you happy Brad chose Emily?
By Allison Corneau for UsMagazine.com. For more Channel Surfing, click here.
Tell Us What You Think
54people crack me up saying oh he shouldve picked chantal.. or chantal was the right choice for him... etc. well isnt that a matter of opinion? and im pretty sure brads opinion is the important one in the situation. i mean, why would you pick a woman if you care for or love someone else more? regardless of how much she loved him or how good she was, if he didnt feel it as much on his end, why should he pick her? it was about who BRAD wanted to be with, he was the bachelor. obviously he didnt feel for chantal the same, or he wouldnt have been able to let her go and wouldve picked her... he didnt
I think Brad and Emily make a wonderful couple, their personalities suit each other! She came off kind of mad on the Final Rose show.. but it was only because she had been watching the show aired and she was pissed! I mean wouldn't you be? watching all those girls kiss the one she loves now, and making her look boring as she even said.
Check out the post finale interview with Brad's ex of 8 years Laurel Kagay on the blog Dumbdumberanddior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievably happy 4 them!
I thought Emily was was a "southern belle" and really looking for love for her and her daughter...she came off totally opposite on the After The Rose show. Brad seemed sincere, all I can say is Brad you should have held on to that ring because that girl is all about herself.
I don't know anything about Brad or Emily personally other than the tv show. However, I doubt they will ever marry. I think Emily is fake and all she wants in fortune and fame. She seems to be a gold digger. This was like a contest to her and she won. But she don't seem too happy about it. Brad was not my favorite batchelor, but I do think he is sincerely in love with Emily. I think his heart is going to get broken just like he broke Deanna's and Ginny's in his other batchelor series. Rolo
Emily is definately the wrong choice. I don't think they will make it to the alter. Big mistake!!
Emily, I understand where you come from. I've struggled for seven years of my marriage with walls, and the fear of being left or abandoned. My husband is stubborn enough that he wouldn't let me push him away though I tried and tried. Now I can say, that after seven years of his unconditional love for me, I have managed to tear down my walls (through counseling and much soul-searching). And it is SO worth it!! I had no idea how deep my issues ran. But am SO grateful for my man who stands by my side no matter what I dish out. You guys can do it! No relationship that is worth it is easy to keep going. There will be down times, where doubts and trials seem too much to bear. Push through them with faith that all that you had is real and will return. Once you learn to ride the waves of life, your hard work will pay off and your love and loyalty to each other will be sealed. It is work. It takes faith. But nothing in this life is as powerful. I believe in you.
Did not like Emily in the After the Final Rose at all. I think her true colors came out. I think he should have picked Chantel cause you could tell that she loved him. Emily did not appear that sweet anymore
Emily is a feak..............brad chose her.............tho I though he made the wrong choice.........!
I don't care what they say, I like Brad. I give him credit for not chosing someone the first time just to pick a girl! I hope Emily realizes what she has.
No offense to Emily but I think Brad should have chosen Chantelle. Emily has too many insecurity issues. Doing what is best for her daughter is great but when a man tells you that he wants to be there for both of them and bascially getting shut down is crap. Yes, he's going to have to get used to the idea that he no longer has just himself to think about instead of grilling him she should've just seen the sincerity in Brad. After watching the "After the Rose" show Emily still seemed like she had issues. She and Brad both admitted that they got tempers and had it out a few times and even broke up once. Brad had no complaints or issues with Chantelle. Brad's family chose Emily, I think because of her tragic story, which was very tragic, don't get me wrong. Even Brad's sisters-in-law said that Emily would be a better fit because she was already a mother and could relate to them and that Chantelle wouldn't really mesh cause she couldn't relate. That gets me! Best of luck to both though!
Cindy---Brad doesn't just work in a bar, he owns multiple bars in Austin. So, its not like he can just up and leave. And I know he is there because I have some friends that have seen him. Obviously its what he loves to do. I'm sure Emly can pack up and move, but that would mean she would have to commit and it seems to me that she has issues doing that.
Emily has money and so do her parents she met Ricky Hendrick at thier second home in Florida. As far as little Ricky her grandparents are more than well off, maybe people she is just looking for love and they found it. Wow what a bad concept...??? I dont feel sorry for Brad I feel sorry for your better halves that have to listen to you.... What a downer!
no innocent girl gets pregnant out of wedlock at 18, she is after Money. Poor Brad!
wrong choice... too much baggage she just won't let go of. She should have stepped aside and let one of the many other women there have a chance at sowmthing they REALLY wanted. What a waste.
Emily is not going to move cause Brad doesn't have the kind of money that Ricky grandpa can give her. Give me a break.
why she Emily mve to Aston let Brad move to NC. Emily has a career thwere and as far as I know the only ties Brad has to Texas is his family and he works in a bar that is not a career! Sorry Brad if Emily truely mades you happy pack your bags!!!
Emily will be missed in Charlotte anyone who has had a child in the hospital in Charlotte knows what Emily is about and Brad is a very lucky man! Best wishes to the three of them they will make it and be just fine!
It's over before it's even began. They are not suited for each other and Brad courtesy of his ex said that he did not want children and kept proposing to her and then goes on the show. I seriously feel Brad needs an evaluation mentally because he pretty well treated most of the women the same and led then on. Emily is not really into him and never will be. Sorry Brad, I have to say good-bye.