You remember the "party bus" girl, right?
Christina Mandrell didn't just walk into Zach Shallcross’s season of The Bachelor; she rolled in on a literal bus, drinks in hand, and a vibe that was... well, a lot for a Tuesday night. She was the polarizing daughter of country royalty Irlene Mandrell, and for a hot minute, she was the undisputed "villain" of the season.
Then she vanished.
When fans talk about Christina from Bachelor in Paradise, there is usually a mix of confusion and "wait, was she even on the beach?" It’s a valid question. While her name is cemented in the franchise's lore, her path through the Paradise universe was anything but traditional.
The Bachelor in Paradise Twist Nobody Saw Coming
Most people expected Christina to be the main character of a Paradise season. She had all the ingredients: she was a young mom, she had a "big" personality that producers love to poke at, and she was freshly single.
But here’s the thing: she didn't actually compete on the show in the way you’d think.
During the Season 9 finale of Bachelor in Paradise in 2023, the show pulled a fast one. Instead of showing her dating around on the beach for six weeks, they used the finale to "hard launch" her relationship with Brayden Bowers.
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Brayden, the man famous for his dangling earrings and being the "villain" of Charity Lawson's season, had actually found love away from the cameras. He and Christina had been dating in secret while the show was airing. It was a bizarre meta-moment for the franchise—using the Paradise finale to showcase a couple that didn't even need the beach to find each other.
Why the "Villain" Edit Didn't Stick
We have to talk about the reputation. On Zach's season, Christina was the girl everyone loved to hate. She was loud. She was assertive. She got the first one-on-one date and then seemed to lose the room.
But in the real world? Fans saw a completely different side.
The relationship with Brayden changed the narrative. They weren't just two "drama magnets" hooking up; they were two people who felt misunderstood by the edit. Brayden famously said that Christina made him feel like he could be himself "unapologetically."
The Surprise "Golden" Proposal
If you thought the Paradise finale reveal was the peak, the show doubled down. In January 2024, during the live Golden Wedding special for Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, Brayden dropped to one knee.
He proposed to Christina right there on live TV.
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It was controversial, honestly. Some fans felt it "stole the spotlight" from the Golden Bachelor couple. But for those following Christina from Bachelor in Paradise, it was the ultimate payoff. She went from being sent home early in a storm of tears and house drama to being one half of a franchise power couple.
A Secret Wedding in Tennessee
While the proposal was as loud as possible, the actual wedding was the opposite. On December 12, 2024, Christina and Brayden eloped in a tiny gazebo in Tennessee.
No cameras. No Chris Harrison-style narration. Just them, an officiant, and Christina's daughter, Blakely.
They kept it a secret for over a month, finally dropping the news in early 2025. It signaled a major shift in how Christina wanted to live her life—moving away from the constant noise of reality TV and toward something more grounded.
The 2025 Sobriety Journey
Perhaps the most significant update for fans following Christina from Bachelor in Paradise is her health.
In 2025, Christina and Brayden both committed to a sober lifestyle. This was a huge pivot for someone whose intro on The Bachelor involved a party bus and plenty of cocktails. In October 2025, she celebrated one year of sobriety.
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She shared a photo of her sobriety chip with a tear on her cheek, admitting that it wasn't always easy. She talked about the struggle of going out to restaurants and seeing wine cellars or people "cheers-ing" next to her. It’s a side of reality stars we rarely see: the actual, difficult work of self-improvement after the cameras stop rolling.
Where is Christina Now?
As we move through 2026, Christina has settled into a life that looks very different from her Nashville "party girl" days.
- Living in Nashville: She and Brayden moved in together shortly after their relationship went public.
- The Family Dynamic: Brayden has taken on a significant role as a stepdad to Blakely, often appearing in goofy TikToks and family photos.
- Marriage Milestones: The couple recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary (December 2024 to December 2025), appearing more stable than 90% of the couples who actually get engaged on the Paradise beach.
The Misconception: Was it "Fake"?
Because they didn't meet on camera, there were plenty of rumors that the relationship was a PR stunt. "How did they find each other?" "Why the live TV proposal?"
The truth is pretty simple: she slid into his DMs. They bonded over a mutual love for the band Tenacious D. It’s a very 2020s love story that happened to get sucked into the Bachelor machine.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're still looking for Christina from Bachelor in Paradise on your TV screen, you might be waiting a while. She seems to have traded the beach for a much quieter life. Here is what you should know if you're trying to keep up:
- Check Instagram, Not ABC: Her real story is happening on social media now. She’s very open about motherhood, her marriage, and her sobriety.
- The "Villain" Label is Dead: If you still judge her based on Zach’s season, you're missing the growth. Most contestants from that season have since reconciled with her.
- Expect a "Golden" Influence: Their connection to the Golden Bachelor world remains strong. They are often the go-to "success story" for the franchise when they need to prove that the show (or its spin-offs) actually works.
Christina Mandrell’s journey proves that sometimes the best way to win Bachelor in Paradise is to not stay on the beach at all. She skipped the manufactured drama of the sand and built a marriage that survived the transition back to the real world.
Whether you loved her or hated her on the bus, you have to admit: she played the game differently, and she actually won.