Trista Sutter, Ryan Sutter's Relationship Timeline: Pics (2024)

Although many Bachelor Nation couples struggled after the show and have ultimately broken up, the original Bachelorette and her husband are still going strong. Trista Sutter (née Rehn) and Ryan Sutter met on night one of season 1 of The Bachelorette — and hit it off immediately.“I decided going in that I needed to give myself wholeheartedly to the experience in order for it to work,” she recalled to Us Weekly exclusively in 2020. “I still believe that for anybody who’s the lead, if a person is not willing to be vulnerable and willing to express themselves and be truly themselves without fear of criticism or skepticism or whatever, I don’t think it’ll work out. That’s just my experience.”The then-physical therapist and the firefighter were always true to themselves. On the finale of the show, they got engaged and one year later, got married in a TV special. They now share two children and live in Colorado."It’s just like your job. You have to put in the time and effort and energy that you do into everything else in your life, and I feel like [Ryan and I] do that,” she said on the Today show of their successful marriage in 2015. “We’ve had our bumps in the road, just like anyone else, but it’s really about staying focused on each other and dedicating time to each other.”Scroll through the gallery below for a full timeline of their love story:

After coming in second place on season 1 of The Bachelor, Trista was named the first Bachelorette. On night one, which aired in January 2003, she met Colorado firefighter Ryan. During week three of the show, he received the first one-on-one date.

On the season finale, Trista sent home runner-up Charlie Maher and chose Ryan. He proposed during the episode and she accepted.

On December 6, 2003, Ryan and Trista got married. The wedding was broadcast on ABC as a three-part special titled Trista & Ryan's Wedding. The couple were paid $1 million for the special, which filmed at The Lodge luxury resort in Rancho Mirage, California, and drew over 26 million viewers.

After struggling with infertility for nearly two years, the couple welcomed their first son. Maxwell Alston was born on July 27, 2007.

About two years later, they welcomed their second child — this time a little girl. Blakesley Grace was born on April 3, 2009.

On December 14, 2013, Trista and Ryan celebrated their 10-year anniversary by renewing their vows with their children by their sides. The cameras rolled on their intimate Colorado ceremony and aired the following month as part of ABC's The Bachelor: Bachelor Love Stories.

The pair decided to return to reality TV for season 3 of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars in 2014. “We’ve been asked a lot of times to do different shows and it just never felt right, but this one felt right," she told Parade at the time. "When they first contacted us, we were like, 'Oh, I don’t know, I don’t think so,’ but the more we talked to producers, the more we realized we wanted to be able to strengthen our marriage and to show people you don’t have to be unhappy to want to be happier, you can be in a really good place and want to be in a better place. I wanted to do that for us, but also show people that it’s not a bad thing to work on your marriage."

On the day after Thanksgiving in 2020, Trista revealed via Instagram that Ryan had been struggling for months with a mystery illness. While the doctors ruled out cancer, they are still trying to find a diagnosis. Ryan also shared via social media that he began feeling "flu-like" symptoms five months ago. "If anything, I feel worse," he said, noting that his symptoms include "almost paralyzing" fatigue, headaches, fevers, nausea, neck and throat swelling and more. “Most days I feel about 70 percent. Somedays I feel a bit better and somedays I can barely get out of bed,” he wrote via Instagram. “I don’t believe I have anything contagious as no one else in my family has been sick nor has anyone I have worked with or associated with been sick.”

Trista praised her husband's "bravery and resilience" as they celebrated their 17th anniversary amid his health battle. "More handsome today than he was on this day 17 years ago, but not only because I see him through the eyes of the mother of his children. Because he continually works to better himself...and us. Because he is the most humble, hard-working, generous, sincere, kind-hearted human with the biggest heart and even bigger muscles," the former Bachelorette star, 48, captioned a black-and-white photo of her husband on their wedding day. "Because his bravery and resilience is something I personally strive for. And that smile and those eyes. I mean...they pretty much slay me. Happy anniversary, Mr. Sutter and thank you for giving me the best years of my life.

In his own loving post, Ryan thanked his wife for being by his side, "Through good times and bad, sickness and health, blue skies and rain. You’ve stood by me through difficult times, supported me through change and sympathized with me through struggle. You’ve shown me grace and taught me gratitude. You challenge me and inspire me. You exemplify love and are a wonderful mother. You are my light, my reason and my hero. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me and the love of my life."

After battling a mystery illness for over a year, Ryan finally got a diagnosis. “My immune system was weakened through exposures to toxins and especially to mold,” he said during an episode of Trista's “Better Etc.” podcast. “I tested positive for Lyme disease. … It seems like something that I will always have. Now I know, and I can build back my immune system to fight it off.”

The reality star received additional diagnoses as well. “Epstein-Barr — I showed that virus, and this weakened immune system may have allowed that to come back in," he said. "On top of that, [coronavirus] … I tested positive for that. The major things now that we’re addressing are Lyme disease and mold toxicity.”

The original Bachelorette shared her support for her husband during the podcast, adding that listeners should consult their own doctors rather than take Ryan's diagnoses as medical advice. “It’s been hard," she said. "It’s a really difficult thing to see the person you love most in the world struggling. He’s a big, strong guy and to see him get emotional and feel hopeless — all I could really do is advocate for him, so that’s what I did.”

The pair marked their 20th wedding anniversary after moving to Denver, Colorado. "They never said it would be easy but this year was easily one of the craziest, most challenging, most unpredictable years of the 20 we’ve now spent together," Ryan penned via Instagram. "Big change and heartbreaking loss tested our resolve. We left a community and friends and a lifestyle - a safe harbor - for a new adventure and to make a new home. We struggled and we cried. We laughed and we loved. We did it all and we did it together, like we always have. You and me, hand in hand, heart to heart. It started in front of millions but today it’s just us. No wedding special, no fanfare, no red carpet. Just Love. That’s all we’ve ever needed. I love you @tristasutter Now and forever. Happy Anniversary!!! HIF ❤️."

Trista replied in the comments section, "From this words of affirmation girl, thank you babe for your words and most importantly, for your love. ❤️ You are my safe harbor, my happy place, and my absolute favorite love story. Here’s to living life and taking chances. 🥂."

Ryan sparked concern for Trista’s well-being when he posted a cryptic Mother’s Day tribute, hinting that his wife was away from home for a brief period. He later clarified that she was physically fine and soothed any breakup rumors. Trista reunited with Ryan and their kids on May 25.

“For those concerned, I’m safe and sound, happy and healthy, in love and grateful. 🥰. For those who’d rather focus on being critical and searching way too hard for darkness, good luck with that. 🙃,” Trista wrote via Instagram. “An opportunity for perspective and personal growth presented itself and with the unconditional support of my family and friends, I chose myself and betterment, knowing that my stay-at-home-mom job and my kids end-of-the-school-year needs were in the best, most capable hands.”

Upon their reunion, Trista and Ryan treated Max and Blakesley to a beach vacation.

“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. We found out it’s true. It also makes the heart more grateful, more sympathetic, more appreciative for what someone does for you, with you, alongside of you,” Ryan wrote in his own Instagram tribute. “It brings questions and wonder and worry and then answers and peace and celebration. It brought time for reflection, for projects, prayer and independence but mostly it brought joy at its conclusion. Real joy. And that’s really what it’s all about.”

In this article