Kathy Swarts might’ve had a bit of a feud simmering with Gerry Turner’s new wife, Theresa Nist, during the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor, but on Thursday night, she (respectfully) stole the show at their Golden Wedding.
We all remember the infamous “zip it” moment, when Kathy scolded Theresa for gushing about her relationship with Gerry even as Kathy dropped very loud hints with her facial expressions that she didn’t want to hear it. The final result? Typical Bachelor drama: Theresa told Gerry about the run-in and found a room to cry in, and while the two women appeared to patch things up for a brief moment, Kathy soon found herself annoyed again.
By the time we all got to the “Women Tell All” reunion, however, Kathy and Theresa had made amends for real—and thank the champagne-guzzling gods for that, because honestly? Kathy and her gold carpet commentary were the best part of the Golden Wedding.
Several Golden Bachelor alums were on deck for the nuptials, including finalist Leslie Fhima, who showed up even in spite of a recent health scare. Sandra Mason, Edith Aguirre, Joan Vassos, and Natascha Hardee all made memorable appearances as well. But it was Kathy, the “Zip-It Queen,” who served as a gold carpet correspondent alongside beloved former Bachelorette (and Dancing with the Stars finalist) Charity Lawson, who got the most screen time—and she made the absolute most of it.
“Charity, would you like to meet my date?” Kathy asked her co-anchor before revealing, “I don’t have one!”
As Kathy noted, she was the one who predicted that Gerry and Theresa were endgame after their first one-on-one date. “And here I am tonight standing with a microphone in hand,” she said at the wedding. “Who thought it was a good idea to put a microphone in my hand on live television?” Charity’s reply? “Definitely not me!”
Later on, when Charity and Kathy got a chance to speak with Gerry’s daughters, Kathy made sure to ask if they had an extra bridesmaid gown laying around. (“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride!”)
During a more sincere moment, Kathy asked her fellow Golden Bachelor contestant Leslie—who dressed Gerry down during the finale for their gut-wrenching break-up—how she was feeling before the ceremony. Leslie’s response was heartfelt: “At our age, we have to celebrate love,” she said, “and I was very good friends with Theresa. We supported each other throughout the whole time in the house and all the way through this journey, and I’m so happy for her and Gerry. I really am.”
Soon enough, however, it was back to the jokes as Kathy chatted with Joan—who left the season early to support her daughter as she gave birth. “What are you most looking forward tonight,” Kathy asked her, “besides hanging out with me at the bar?”
Later on, Kathy lamented that in spite of being in one of her favorite places (a bar) she still didn’t have a drink. Naturally, Bachelor franchise stalwart Wells Adams showed up with some bespoke cocktails—including one called “The Final Rose,” which Kathy immediately snatched. “I did not get a final rose,” she said, so “I’m taking this one!”
But the best zinger actually came before the wedding, when Kathy and other season alums accompanied Theresa to shop for a wedding dress. First, there was the moment when Kathy groaned and shook her head after being informed that all Theresa has to do to maintain her figure is run in place for five minutes a day. (Honestly, Kathy, I agree.) Theresa got the last laugh, however, when she tried on a prospective dress and deadpanned to Kathy, “I need a favor from you. I can’t zip it.”
“Today,” Kathy told producers, “it was my joy to zip it for Theresa.”
Back at the wedding, Kathy nearly started another Bachelor Nation feud when Charity’s fiancé, Dotun Olubeko, came over to greet them on the gold carpet. “You are a vision of a man,” Kathy told him before adding, “Let me just say, Charity, you need to drink up—take your time, because I’m taking your man.”
Naturally, Charity responded with only two words: “Zip it!”
And when it came time for the bouquet toss, you know Kathy was all-in. “I’m just gonna remind you,” she told Bachelor host Jesse Palmer, “I did win the pickleball tournament. I do push-ups. So, ladies, get out of my way—this bouquet is mine.”
Predictably, the bouquet toss became one of the Most Dramatic Moments of the wedding, with multiple bachelorettes (yes, Kathy included) managing to grab a fistful. Looks like we might have a few more Golden Weddings on our hands. Let’s just hope Kathy snags a mic for as many of them as possible.
