Engaged Couple, Meredith Phillips & Ian McKee

Meredith Phillips, ABC-TV's Bachelorette from Portland, Oregon who has modeled for Molly Rahe's Elizabeth Jewelry, Nordstrom and Land's End got the ring she wanted on Thursday night from Bowdoin graduate ('98) and investment banker, Ian McKee.

Meredith Modeling Elizabeth Jewelry

Actually, the ring "fit for a Princess" was originally placed on her finger two months ago when the show was being taped. Last night during the live show of The Bachelorette: After The Final Rose Ian re-presented the ring he had picked out for her at Leons in Los Angeles.

Two months ago, he was not certain he would propose to her even if she selected him. In fact, he promised to his brother than he would not, "if it came to this." Then, Ian admitted afterwards that his emotions took over, he got caught up in the moment when all the walls came crumbling down despite the walls and rules he had created for himself. In the moment, he couldn't deny Meredith this opportunity.

Meredith with The Final Rose

The Final Rose Ceremony

On Wednesday night, after making his entrance, Ian was encouraged to relax.

Meredith began her announcement by saying, "I am very happy. And I am very happy that I met you," she said to Ian. "Everything that you give to me, I didn't think I would ever find. I don't want to be away from you, ever."

The camera pans to Ian who smiles.

Back to Meredith.

She continues: "Know that I will also take care of you." Ian nods. With the camera on their hands, she squeezes him and goes on, "And know that you will have nothing to worry about."

Both smile.

He's clearly into the moment. She leans to him and says "Stop, you're making me nervous." He leans toward her and tenderly responds, "No, no. It's o.k."

Meredith continues, "Ian, I want to be with you. And I don't ever see myself without you. And I am so absolutely so, so in love with you; it's crazy. And I have never felt this way before."

As she begins to get choked up, he wraps her in his arms, says "I'm so scared, baby" then kisses her.

Could the producers ever script this any better? A complete turn-of-events?

All of us watching thought that this time the producers had decided to mix it up by showing the winner first, just to throw us all for a loop. But no. After a heart-wrenching goodbye to Matthew, Meredith sweeps us in to her world with Ian.

And in Ian's response we get a glimpse of what he believes was simply meant to be. Ian says to Meredith, "That first day I walked out of the limo," he says with a twinkle in his eye, "when I saw you, I knew."

Meredith, with a look of shock, expresses with her eyes that she can't believe it's true.

He then goes on to say, "I just worry that everything has happened so fast."

Meredith agrees.

Ian says "I'm scared. But..." Meredith echoes, "but..."

Ian gathers himself and goes on, "I trust my instincts. And that's that you're my girl." They kiss. He goes onto ask, "Do you think we can make it?" She combs her fingers through his hair and shakes her head, yes.

Ian pulls away and says "Well, I have a little something something. A little present."

In elation and disbelief, she puts her hand over her face and says, "Oh, my God."

Ian Proposes to Meredith

Ian gets on his knee, and says "I can't believe I'm doing this." He looks up at her and asks "Will you?" She says, "Yes." He says, "You will?" She says, "Yes!"

He wraps his arms around her. They kiss tenderly, passionately. She promises him that it will be o.k. He tells her he wants to put the ring on her finger. They hug again, and we can't believe we are witnessing this.

Ian goes on to explain, "I knew that because I was here. This is so not what I expected. Not me. When I walked in, I knew it has to be." "Right?" he says. "It has to work. I know it does."

As they kiss again, the camera pans to the one remaining rose on the gold plate and we hear Meredith's voice say, "I'm so happy. Everything that I went through was all worth it for tonight. Ian made it all worth it."

As she pins the rose on his lapel, she says "You'll accept this, right?" He agrees to accept the rose. They laugh. He gives a little gesture like "Hey, that wasn't so tough." They hug again. She laughs her adorable laugh.

As we watch another moment of tenderness we hear Ian's voice say, "I am the happiest man. There is no question. I'm absolutely 100% sure that she is my soulmate. I believe that we are right together. I love her. And we have something we can take for the rest of our lives."

In Meredith's diary published on ABC's site, she said after the taping:

Tonight made everything that I went through in the past six weeks worth it. I know I've had hard times through this, but Ian pulled me through. I have been continuously tired, I've cried, I've worried; but it is all okay now. The fact that he is going to be in my life forever makes me happier than I can say. When I had to break up with Matthew today, Ian was the only thing I could think of that made it okay. I didn't know if Ian was going to propose or not, but I am so in love with him, that it didn't even matter. Ian could have given me a ring out of a gumball machine; that is how much I love him. It doesn't matter; all that matters is that we are together now. The night was so intense for us both, but I got my happy ending, and I got Ian as well.

At the tail end of the show, we loved Ian's shout of joy, relief, disbelief, happiness. We also loved the relaxed interaction between Ian, Meredith and the voice of the producer as the credits rolled. It was fun to see the two in the moment - after the formally taping was complete. The moment allowed us to see a side of Ian that made us love Meredith's choice all the more.

We learned that Ian did not know he would propose when he walked in. However, when he saw her he said, "It was done. I could never deny her this opportunity." Meredith chimes in "To be with you for the rest of our lives?"

Ian embraces Meredith and shakes his head, yes.

In their last moment on tape, Ian says in between kisses. "So." Kiss. "That's." Kiss. "The" Kiss. "End." The engaged couple looks at the camera. Ian's final word, "Ciao." Meredith smiles and say, "Done."

Done!

Well done!!

Then last night, the couple, who were apart for two months and were sworn to secrecy until two nights ago got re-engaged. Ian brought the ring with him onto the stage. In front of the live studio audience he said, "I'm here to finish my sentence. Meredith, will you marry me, baby?" Two months ago, she had heard his unspoken proposal. Tonight, he proposed again. And she said, "Yes!"

Host, Chris Harrison was the first to congratulate them and announce that it is official, "You are engaged!"

Ian went on to admit that the night he first walked out of the limo he was in trouble, and on "a road to win the heart of this girl."

We learned that never before in his life had Ian said that word, "L-O-V-E" to a woman. However, last night, he was happy to reiterate twice "I love this girl."

Phillips and McKee's love story began when Phillips signed up for The Bachelor in an attempt to find her soulmate when Bob Guiney was the Bachelor. When Bob did not choose her ABC-TV chose Meredith to become the next Bachelorette after Trista.

Thanks to Meredith's experience on The Bachelorette, she found her soulmate. Ultimately, she chose an adventuresome twenty-nine year-old investment banker originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil over Matthew Hickl, the sauve football stud from Friendswood, Texas.

For as different as these two men are personality-wise, they had two things in common:

1) They are both jocks. (Matt is a former football and track & field star who broke the NCAA record while competing for Texas A & M. Ian is a former lacrosse and soccer star who holds Bowdoin's record for most career assists.)

2) They both were (at least two months ago) in-love with Meredith Phillips.

On Thursday night, during Episode 7 of the second Bachelorette show, over fifteen (15) million people watched as Meredith shocked many by breaking up with Matthew, and presented her final rose to the New York investment banker.

On The Bachelorette, she described Ian as a great man, who is intriguing, intelligent, who has traveled, and who comes from a great family. She said, "I am very physically attracted to him. The way that he makes me feel is amazing."

On Thursday, she and her selected suitor appeared in a live broadcast of The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose.

About the man she has chosen:

McKee majored in Economics and minored in Spanish while studying at Bowdoin. He was also a sports enthusiast; he was co-captain of the men's soccer team in 1997 and even holds school records for most career assists as well as for the 1997 season (11 and 6 respectively). McKee was also a member of the men's lacrosse team.

He studied abroad in Santiago, Chile. McKee belonged to the International Club as an underclassman as well.

Lisa Peterson of The Bowdoin Orient wrote on February 4, 2004:

Currently, the 29-year-old Brazil native is taking time off from working in equity research sales in New York City to travel the world and learn to surf and play the guitar. He became involved in the show after co-workers sent in an application for him to be on The Bachelor. After ABC contacted him, he declined the offer.

However, a year later, a number of factors worked together to make him agree to go on The Bachelorette. However, McKee said, "I didn't believe I was doing it even when I was there."

He added that watching the show now is surreal. "I couldn't stop laughing," he said. "It's like you were in a dream watching yourself. You're seeing your own mannerisms."

McKee said that it was a challenge to constantly be in front of cameras, especially with no performance experience. "You're just sitting there and have to think of something smart to say," he said.

McKee described the living arrangement as "a frat situation the entire time." He stressed that there was no outside stimulation, like radio, TV, or newspapers. McKee said, "[Editing] can make us all look bad, but these guys were pretty cool. I really like them all. All the dramatic stuff you see is the most dramatic."

The Pacific Northwest's KATU 2 learned that Meredith is under contract with the show until next year, so that has meant putting her career as a model and makeup artist on hold.

"I'm definitely able to work, but I haven't had any time to work because I'm always doing interviews," she told KATU. Her interview with them, for instance, lasted seven hours. They started by hiking in the Hollywood Hills, then moved on to coffee, then to shopping and finally to a cooking lesson.

Even when she is not working, people on the street come up and want to talk to her.

Meredith continues to enjoy the luxury of limos when on location. However, other parts of her life are back to "normal." When she is not working for The Bachelorette she drives a 1994 Ford Explorer at home in Oregon.

Now that The Meredith and Ian Show moves to a private stage, they no longer have to live privately -- which sounds a bit ironic. We all heard how much they look forward to leading private lives together like going to dinner, to a movie, and just doing normal things.

Congratulations Meredith and Ian! We believe in love. And we believe in you.

Enjoy your all-expenses-paid trip to Brazil! What a class act on ABC's part!!

~Jennifer

Inspire & Be Inspired

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we're counting on the powers-that-be to convince Matthew Hickl to become ABC's next Bachelor. No doubt, the sales exec and part-time model with Neal Hamil Agency won over the hearts of many over the past few months.

Just as Meredith was selected to become the Bachelorette after not winning Bob Guiney's heart on The Bachelor, fifteen million or more who tune into this reality show would love to see Matthew Hickl find true love as the next Bachelor after Canadian, Jesse Palmer, the 25 year-old NFL Back-up Quarterback for the New York Giants, gets his chance this April.

If you know of anyone who would make a great Bachelor, Warner Brothers would like to hear from you. To nominate their sixth Bachelor to be aired on ABC, go to:

The Bachelor Casting