However, Joan, 62, and Chock, 61, have an unconventional romance because they're still in a long-distance relationship over a year after getting engaged. Before The Golden Bachelorette season 1 even began filming, Joan made it clear that she'd never leave her family, including her four adult children and 92-year-old mother, so she decided to keep her home in Rockville, Maryland after her engagement.
In addition, Chock still has his home in Wichita, Kansas. Joan and Chock also planned to find a place together in New York City where they can go when they want to be alone. As Joan prepares for another wedding in her life, here are five questions we have about her relationship with Chock.
1What Has Joan Said About Getting Married?
Joan & Chock Aren't In A Rush To Walk Down The Aisle
Joan and Chock aren't planning their own wedding just yet, but, in an Instagram post, Joan shared a video in which she asked her followers to help her choose a dress for an upcoming summer beach wedding at a country club. She wore three different outfits and asked her fans to select the one that she should wear to the event.
Attending a wedding could surely make Joan think about her own wedding with Chock, which they've put on the backburner. Before Joan began filming The Golden Bachelorette, she stated that she didn't want to jump into marriage right after the show. She thought that it was important that she and her fiancé get to know each other in the real world before walking down the aisle.
In a March 2025 interview with Bachelor Nation, Joan shared that she and Chock are really loving their relationship as it is right now, and, if they put pressure on themselves to get married, then they won't enjoy the here and now. She repeated that there's no rush, especially because they don't have biological clocks, and they're not going to have children.
Joan concluded by saying that, when the time is right, they'll know it, and they'll get married. She said that what they're doing right now is perfect. Joan has also stated in other interviews that she thinks that the thought of planning a wedding sounds exhausting, and it will interfere with her and Chock's current lifestyle.
In addition, in an interview with CNN before The Golden Bachelorette began filming, Joan explained that The Golden Bachelor season 1 star Gerry Turner's divorce from Theresa Nist after the Golden Wedding played a role in her hesitance. Gerry and Theresa got engaged and married after just a few months of knowing each other, and then announced their divorce just three months after getting married.
Joan stated that she wouldn't rush into marriage right away, not only because of what happened with Gerry and Theresa, but also because she believes that it takes time to get to know somebody.
2Are Joan & Chock On The Same Page About Marriage?
Joan & Chock Have Both Been Married Before
Joan and Chock bonded during their first Golden Bachelorette date in Disneyland when they opened up to each other about losing the loves of their lives to cancer. Joan's husband of 32 years, John, passed away in 2021 due to pancreatic cancer, while Chock's fiancée of nine years, Kathy, passed away in 2022 due to brain cancer.
Also, before he met Kathy, Chock had been married to and divorced from another woman, Heather, with whom he shares his adult son and daughter. Joan has four adult children from her marriage to John. Although they acknowledged that they'll always love John and Kathy, Joan and Chock were ready to open their hearts to another person.
Joan and Chock are definitely on the same page about marriage. They're both content with taking their time before tying the knot. Joan and Chock will take the next step when they're ready, and it's wonderful that they haven't let the pressure from the outside world force them into walking down the aisle before they want to.
3Why Haven't Joan Vassos & Chock Chapple Set A Wedding Date?
Joan & Chock Don't Want To Steal Others' Thunder![The Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple Smiling Outside]()

After so much time in the spotlight during The Golden Bachelorette, Joan could certainly benefit from taking a step back. She doesn't want to steal her sons' thunder by overshadowing them with her own wedding plans with Chock. It's a true testament to how much Joan loves her children, and how she'll always put them first in her life, no matter what's going on in her own.
4Are Joan & Chock Living Together?
Joan & Chock Want To Move To New York City Together
During The Golden Bachelorette season 1 finale, Chock asked Joan if she'd like to move to New York City with him if they ended up together after the show. Joan said yes, and they've been searching for a place there ever since, where they can go when they want to be alone.
In a June 2025 interview with Swooon, Joan and Chock revealed that their goal is to live together in their forever home, but the New York City move hasn't happened yet because it's been more challenging logistically to make the change than they thought it would be.
Despite this, Joan stated that their plan is still to find a place in New York City where she and Chock can meet and spend time together away from their families. They plan to rent instead of buy, but it's been hard for them to sign a lease because places are taken off the market so quickly.
Joan and Chock also aren't sure exactly where in Manhattan they want to live. Chock shared that they recently stayed in Midtown South, and he really enjoyed it. Joan agreed and admitted that, while she always thought that she'd live in the SoHo or Greenwich Village areas because she's comfortable there, she's now open to other places as well.
5Is Joan Dropping Hints With This Wedding Prep Video?
Joan's Mention Of A Wedding Could Mean That She's Thinking About Marrying Chock
Joan seemed so excited about choosing a dress for the summer wedding that she's attending, so it's easy to imagine how she'll be when she plans her own wedding. Although it might seem as though she's dropping hints about her own wedding to Chock, a closer look reveals that Joan is content with her current situation.
Plus, Joan and Chock are secure enough with each other that they don't have to drop hints about their wedding. If they want to express their feelings about it, they have open communication, which is probably why their relationship has lasted over a year since they got engaged.
Joan might've been having fun getting ready for someone else's wedding, but she's definitely not ready to plan her own any time soon. Joan and Chock were smart not to jump into marriage, and to take a lot of time to get to know each other after the whirlwind of The Golden Bachelorette. Joan and Chock have made decisions with their heads as well as their hearts, which is why they continue to be one of Bachelor Nation's greatest love stories.