Ashley Iaconetti said that Bachelor Nation was invested in what would go down between exes Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick during Chris Harrison and Lauren Zima’s wedding weekend.
“We were all really curious to see what would happen,” Ashley, 35, shared during the Wednesday, November 8, episode of her “The Ben & Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast.” Ben, 34, admitted the reunion was full of “intrigue and interest” for him.
“There was a lot of buildup behind the scenes. I can’t say that anyone fully knew the dynamics of their relationship,” Ben continued during Wednesday’s episode. “We all know though, any time you see an ex — even if the breakup is mutual and amicable and very sweet and nice — the dynamics can be awkward. They are, because you’ve broken up for a reason.”
Ashley and Ben were among the Bachelor Nation members to attend Chris and Lauren’s wedding reception, which took place in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, November 4. The celebration marked the first reunion for Kaitlyn, 38, and Jason, 35, who called off their engagement three months ago.
According to Ashley, the former flames came face to face for the first time on Friday, November 3. The Bachelor in Paradise alum revealed that she, Kaitlyn, Jade Roper and Trista Sutter had gone out for drinks Friday night when they ran into Jason at the same bar.
“It had been a while since she’s seen him,” Ashley revealed. “Sorry to disappoint for those who want drama, but they were so totally normal all weekend long once the initial hi was done.”
While Ashley hoped for a “rekindling of a flame” between them, nothing went down. Ben, however, noted he was “really proud” of Kaitlyn and Jason for navigating a potentially awkward situation with such grace.
Kaitlyn and Jason started dating in January 2019 and announced their engagement in May 2021. The former couple announced their split this past August.
“After sharing the news with family and close friends first, and taking the time to properly process it ourselves, we are saddened with heavy hearts to share that we have decided to end our engagement,” Kaitlyn and Jason wrote at the time in a joint statement shared via social media. “We are thankful for all of you who gave us the time and space to process this life-altering decision as there are many emotions and changes to navigate.”
They added, “Continuing our friendship is incredibly important to both of us. We feel grateful to be ending our engagement with love and respect for each other. It’s heartbreaking and sad to say goodbye, but our care and admiration for one another will never die.”
This past weekend, the exes proved that their foundation of friendship is still going strong. After Kaitlyn shared an Instagram post on Monday, November 6, celebrating Chris and Lauren’s wedding, Jason left a sweet comment on the upload that referenced the reunion.
“It was great seeing you KB,” he wrote. Kaitlyn replied, “@jason_tartick great seeing you too JT. Rip to the dance floor cuz we all killed it.”
