The Ultimatum has been delivered and the result is revealed in the Netflix reality show's season 1 finale and cast reunion special.
The series, which comes from the team behind Love is Blind, starts with six couples on the verge of an engagement. One person in each couple is fully ready to tie the knot; the other person has cold feet. After the ultimatum is issued, all of the cast members mingle and get to know each other. Then, in a process overseen by hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey, each gets the chance to choose a new partner from the cast and live together in a trial marriage.
After three weeks, they move in with their original partners to make a decision: get engaged or break up. And if it's the latter, do they leave alone or pursue a relationship with their trial marriage partner?
Season 1 ended up following just four couples, since two decided to get engaged before the trial marriage stage. But 12 cast members moved forward with swapping partners. In the finale, the original couples made their decisions. The reunion special revealed what happened afterward.
Here's a rundown of where The Ultimatum season 1 cast members are now.
April and Jake
April Marie, 23, is a tech recruiter and influencer who wants to get married and start having babies ASAP. She issued an ultimatum to boyfriend Jake Cunningham, 26, who recently left the Marine Corps and wants to travel and be financially stable before an engagement.
For their trial marriages, Jake chose Rae after they immediately hit it off during the get-to-know-you phase. April wound up with Colby when neither found compatible new partners.
In the finale, April and Jake split up. She reenforced her desire to marry and have children. Jake replied, "I tried to push every little bit of me to get to that point. I’m just not ready for it myself."
After they parted, Jake met up with Rae — despite telling April he has no intention of running off with her. He presented Rae with two tickets to anywhere in the world and she agreed to travel with him.
At the reunion, the April/Jake/Rae saga turns out to be more complicated than that. April confessed she stayed with Jake for months. Jake and Rae admitted they never went on their big trip.
Now, April has a new, serious boyfriend and they live together. "This is someone who wakes up every single day with me and says, ‘I love you, I can’t wait to marry you,'" she says.
Rae and Zay
Rae Williams, 24, and Zay Wilson, 25, are college sweethearts. Rae was ready to take the next step in their relationship. As she put it, "College, then proposal, then babies, then honeymoon in Cancun?" But Zay wasn't sure they're ready.
As noted above, Rae picks Jake for the trial marriage, while Zay goes with Shanique. When they reunite and move in together, Rae and Zay constantly argue. After he stayed out all night without any contact, they got into it again and she hits him off-camera.
They broke up in episode 8 and don't meet in the finale. Rae showed up to comfort Jake after his split and they left holding hands.
During the reunion, Rae not only said that she and Jake never traveled together, but that she and Zay tried to "fix things." However, "ultimately, that didn't work out. But we did give it a shot."
Zay is not currently dating, focusing on himself instead. Rae revealed she had a brief romantic connection with a woman. "I'm kind of figuring out myself and my sexuality because I was very uncomfortable with being bi for a very long time," she explains.
Madlyn and Colby
Colby Kissinger, 25, knew Madlyn Ballatori, 24, was "the one" as soon as they met at a bar in college. However, Madlyn wasn't as sure, so he issued the ultimatum.
As they got to know the other cast members, Madlyn has instant chemistry with Randall and selected him for the trial marriage. Meanwhile, Colby first picks Lauren but has to scramble when she accepts Nate's proposal. Colby winds up with April in a platonic arrangement.
In the finale, Madlyn seemed on the precipice of breaking up with Colby. She was very unhappy that Colby spent most of the experiment talking to a woman he met at a club. He even told the woman that he was in an open relationship.
Madlyn didn't think she could respect herself if she stays with Colby. Yet, when he got down on one knee and proposed to her, Madlyn said yes! Not only that, they get married just moments later!
And it gets wilder: The couple shows up to the reunion with Madlyn seven months pregnant with a baby girl.
Shanique and Randall
Shanique Imari, 24, wanted to get married, but boyfriend Randall Griffin, 26, needed more time to prepare emotionally and financially.
After issuing the ultimatum, Shanique decided to go with Zay, while Randall lived with Madlyn. After seeing how much he was enjoying his trial marriage, Shanique struggled with the experiment and even expressed regret about going on the show.
In the finale, however, the ultimatum paid off — Randall proposes. "I wanted you to be my wife since the day I laid eyes on you, and I just didn’t know how to show it,” he said. “This experience has taught me that, ’cause I was just scared that I was going to lose you.”
Shanique accepted and the blissful couple headed off into the sunset. However, the reunion reveals they actually broke up for six months after their engagement.
“We were completely broken up and that was the hardest time in my life," Shanique explained. However, the two are back together, though not engaged.
"We really needed that time apart to appreciate those things," she said. "This is my best friend in every way."
Alexis and Hunter / Lauren and Nate
Two couples got engaged before the trial marriages even began: Alexis and Hunter, then Lauren and Nate.
Alexis Maloney, 25, wanted to get married, but boyfriend Hunter Parr, 28, wanted to live together first. She didn't agree and laid down the ultimatum. During the initial dates, Alexis didn't vibe with anyone (and is rejected by Colby). Hunter seemed like he connected with several of the women, but during the selection process, he surprised everyone by proposing to Alexis.
As the reunion revealed, the couple is still engaged, planning their wedding and living together, so The Ultimatum worked out for both sides.
Lauren Pounds and Nathan Ruggles, both 30, were w a massive impasse in their relationship: He wants kids, she doesn't. Nate issued the ultimatum in the hope that she'll change her mind.
During the trial marriage selections, Nate indicated to Madlyn that he intended to choose her. But when Colby picked Lauren, Nate pulls a Hunter and proposed. Lauren actually accepted. The rest of the cast was baffled, since they haven't resolved their dealbreaking issue.
At the reunion, Nate and Lauren were still engaged. After receiving expert advice, Lauren admitted that they've agreed to having one child for now.
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