The Bachelorette’s Jillian and Ed Just Might Live Happily Ever After

Few of The Bachelorette’s couples last long in the real world. But restaurant designer Jillian Harris and technology consultant Ed Swizerski seem like they just may have what it takes to go the distance. The couple dished about the proposal, Reid’s return, their wedding plans, and the focus on Ed’s alleged bedroom problems.

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When are you moving in together?

Jillian: I have many opportunities in Vancouver, but Ed and I want to start a life together. I’m going to be moving to [Chicago] in the first week or two of September. I am working on things like a Green Card so I can start working right away.

Given the show’s track record, why are you moving in together so soon?

Jillian: For us it was kind of like, why not? A lot of the reason why they haven’t worked, I think, is people did the long distance thing and tried to take it slow. We really are madly in love. We love being together. The relationship is easiest when we are together. I would love to get back to my regular life and get back to work. I can’t really do that in Vancouver knowing that eventually I’ll be in Chicago.

How did you know after such a short time that you wanted to propose?

Ed: I was extremely confident, more confident than I’d been in my entire life. I knew that was what I wanted to do.

Jillian: It’s a unique situation. In a normal circumstance, if Ed and I had been dating for a couple months, he might be thinking about it and I might be thinking about it but because of social norms we would have held off for another six months. Maybe we did things a little backward but the bottom line is the outcome would have been the same. Who’s to say what the normal way to get engaged is these days?

Ed: The way I look at it, the day I proposed to her was really the beginning of our relationship.

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Ed, were you surprised that Reid returned?

Ed: I had no idea until afterward. I was surprised and I felt bad for him.

Ed, why did you leave and how did you manage to come back?

Ed: I did have communication with work while I was gone. I knew it would be a problem. I didn’t expect to be on that long. I had a chance to talk to my boss and he asked me to make a decision.

Jillian: It’s very strange if you sign up for something like this, especially if you’re just a regular 28 or 29 year old. You think it’s going to be fun. You think it’s going to be an adventure but you don’t think you’re going to be that last person standing, engaged and in love.

When you decided to come back had the job situation improved, or did you just not care?

Ed: It was a combination of me making some accommodations with work and my team members stepping up logistically to work out some things.

Have you started talking about wedding plans?

Jillian: We haven’t planned anything except who will make the cabbage rolls and what kind of cover band we’re going to have. Other than that, we’d like to get married in the next year to year and a half as soon as things slow down and I get time to begin the planning process.

Would you consider having Chris Harrison, or anyone else from the show, in your wedding?

Ed: We’re going to have Wes in the wedding.

Jillian: We’re thinking of doing some fun little Bachelor-style interviews for guests at the wedding but we want to keep our wedding true to who we are as individuals and not so much about the show.

Are you considering televising your wedding like Ryan and Trista?

Jillian: Not that there’s anything wrong with that, they had a gorgeous wedding, but Ed and I both had a really hard time adapting to being in the limelight. Knowing what his family and friends are like and my family and friends are like, we want them all to be so comfortable at our wedding. We’re thinking that having a private wedding is the best route to go. Having a lot of friends and family and kids and live music and beer, something really casual.

There was a great moment during Ed’s proposal when you said you had been dying to tell Ed you loved him. Was it against the rules of the show for you to say you loved someone before the final rose ceremony?

Jillian: It’s kind of an unwritten rule. Nobody said to say it or not but on pure principle it’s not fair to come out and tell somebody that you love them when there are still other people involved. I didn’t want to tell anyone I loved them until they were the last person standing. Ed said he loved me the night before and I think I said, “Thank you.” That was really hard on me because I did love him. I was so happy that he asked me first before we sealed the deal.

How did all the bachelors who returned after they left the show play on your emotions?

Jillian: I was a basket case. The whole thing is definitely an emotional roller coaster. It was all worth it in the end. I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been but not without a lot of heartbreak for gentlemen that I think are incredible people. It definitely was not easy.

Ed, were you stunned that the show focused so much on your night in the Fantasy Suite? Were you upset by that?

Ed: I was a little stunned, but I wasn’t too upset because I knew the outcome of the show.

Did you take any flack from your friends about that shot of the volcano erupting that the editors threw in on your final overnight date?

Jillian: We laughed so hard.

Ed: The e-mails are probably coming in now on that. I actually got a kick out of it. I thought it was funny.

Jillian: We were watching it together. I was wondering how that [sequence] was going to be put together and when we saw that volcano erupt we were howling. I had tears coming out of my eyes I was laughing so hard.

During the finale you seemed torn when Reid showed up. Did the conversation with Chris help you as much as it appeared to on the show?

Jillian: I woke up that morning knowing I was madly in love with Ed and I wanted to leave that day with him. That was no question. For me the hardest part was how do you execute that? Breaking up with someone is hard. At the time I didn’t know Reid was coming back, but I really adored Kiptyn. I didn’t want to hurt him or let him go but I wanted to be with Ed. When Reid came back his proposal and his feelings were so shocking and threw me for such a loop. I couldn’t believe he was there. I couldn’t believe the things that he was saying. It wasn’t that I was confused. It was like, what do I say? I’m a very giving person. I always want to make people happy. Part of me was like, “Is there anything I can say or do to make Reid walk away from this feeling good about himself?” I honest to God felt I was going to faint. When I sat down I was dizzy. Chris said, “What do you want to do?” I said, “I’m in love with Ed.” He said, “That’s what you have to do.”

Has your job been a challenge in your relationship?

Ed: Not at all.

Jillian: The whole thing with the job was we’re both young, career driven, entrepreneurial types. I have learned from the past how hard that can be on a relationship but that doesn’t mean I want him to put his job aside for me. Once I get working again [we'll] both be juggling the same thing. It’s all about balance.

When you began the show, you were concerned about what viewers would think of you. Now that it’s all over, what are your thoughts on that?

Jillian: It’s been stressful. I’ve definitely learned that you cannot please everybody. The whole concept of the show is for me to find somebody and for me to be happy. Unfortunately along the way the viewers get really wrapped up in it. The whole concept of the show has been very successful for me because I am on top of the world, I’m madly in love. We’ve been together for several months and it keeps on getting better but there are still people out there who think maybe one of the other guys would have been better for me. What I’m trying to learn is that everyone is entitled to their opinions provided that they’re not being too negative or immature about it. I follow too much of the media and the blogs. Some of them are actually funny. I love watching The Soup but when people get really mean or negative, I don’t understand that. There are people who are happy with my decision and people who aren’t. The bottom line is I’m happy and Ed and I are going to be together forever.

How did you keep your relationship a secret until now?

Jillian: We told our parents and I have a really good girlfriend that pretty much lives with me. I think she pretty much knew what was going on. I think Ed had a few friends that pretty much knew. I slipped up once. I was buying a pair of jeans, then I decided not to buy them because they were too expensive. I told the girl I wanted to save my money for when I got to Chicago. That was a week before the finale so I know she kept tight-lipped about it.

What was it like falling in love on TV? Did you have any anxieties about taking your relationship into the real world?

Ed: It was definitely a wild journey. It was nothing like what I expected. It was much more real than I anticipated. I really don’t have any anxiety about doing this. We’re very comfortable with each other. We’ve spent a lot of time together while working and trying to accommodate each other’s schedules. It just seems like everything is working out great now.

Who should be the next Bachelor?

Ed: Tanner P. One hundred percent. He is a very genuine good guy. He’s a bit shallow sometimes but he’s great.

Jillian: I love Tanner P but I love [Michael] Stagliano. I think Reid would make a great bachelor.

What lessons did you learn from being on the show that you would share with people who are searching for love in the real world?

Jillian: Not to beat yourself up too much about making mistakes or being vulnerable. At the end of the day you’re going to find somebody who accepts you for you. I could not have done the show if I wasn’t 100 percent happy with who I was and where I was in life. I got there by working hard and being independent. Then I realized I didn’t want to be alone forever.

Ed: Don’t let work take over your life. Spend some time and really work hard on a relationship. Balance your time well.

Jillian: Something occurred to me a few months ago. We go to school for twelve years. Then we go to college. Then you get a job all so you can pay your mortgage and buy things. But when it comes to finding somebody you’re going to spend the rest of your life with, we don’t take the time to work hard at that. If falling in love is important, then make it a priority.

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