It’s a Bachelorette’s Life

We caught up with former Bachelorette and Vancouver native Kaitlyn Bristowe, who recently traded in her yoga pants for cowboy boots to be with her fiancé, Shawn Booth in Nashville (he’s the lucky recipient of the final rose in season 11). Here she dishes on wedding plans, date nights and what she does with her precious free moments. —Krystin Tysire

We loved watching you in The Bachelorette. What have you been up to since taping wrapped?

Thank you. Everything—from blogging, to appearances to campaigns—people are constantly emailing me and I’m always travelling … in fact tonight I’m going to L.A. for a Family Feud appearance.

Some viewers were surprised that Shawn ended up with the final rose in season 11. How did you know he was the one?

I honestly felt he was the one for me from day one. It’s a full experience, and you try to be open to all relationships. You also get steered in different directions so there can be an entertaining TV show … But despite it all, I kept going back to Shawn.

We’ve got to ask, how do you and Shawn maintain your relationship with such hectic lives? 

We try to take advantage of when we’re on the plane and make it like our very own date night. This usually entails playing a good ol’ game of cards, watching movies and just spending time together. When we’re not flying, we like to go for coffee and walk the dog (his name is Doodle; and yes, he approves of Kaitlyn.) But our perfect date night would be leaving our phones at home, finding a quiet spot in the middle of nowhere and going camping.

What about me-time? How do you spend it with such a busy schedule?

It’s hard, I don’t get time to myself very often. But when I do, I go to yoga and take classes at the gym. I also like to meditate, especially when I’m on the plane with my headphones in.

Any chill-out essentials?

Candles. I don’t really have a favourite type, but I do love the Christmas-scented ones. And I love wine, Smartfood popcorn and dark chocolate. I feel like wine and dark chocolate go together, no? 

We love your recent collab with Vancouver-based clothing line State of Grace. Do you have any other projects in the works?

There are a lot of things on the go, but the main one is that Shawn and I are planning to launch a YouTube channel. This is where we’ll take our subscribers along with us on our many travels and adventures.

That sounds so fun! We love watching your Snapchats, especially the one where Shawn did your makeup! (You can follow Kaitlyn’s snaps @snapbackbean and Shawn’s @shawn_booth)

Thanks! I think that one was a crowd favorite. 

You’re so fit! Tell us about your workout routine.

Well, first off I give my parents a hug daily as I got their genetics and they’re built so lean. Next, I try to eat really healthy; I snack on almonds. I also used to teach spinning so I do a lot of that as well.

Do you have any go-to pump up playlists you want to share with our readers?

Bad rap is what I like to get pumped up to. I also like to listen to country music when I cook and when I wake up in the morning. 

Any go-to beauty or hair products?

Anything that will make my hair big. I like to use texture sprays, and root pump products. I also carry a backcomb in my purse for those moments when I need a tease.

 

We’re just heading into wedding season … Have you set a date? Can you share some of your wedding plans with our readers?

We haven’t set a date yet, we’ve been so busy. I can’t even imagine planning a wedding, but when we get to that point, we’re going to incorporate our adventures into our upcoming YouTube channel, so watch out for that.

What’s your wedding countdown routine, beauty-wise?

Well, I love getting hydra facials, so I would definitely start with that. And I already chopped my hair this year and people always say you’re not supposed to go short until after the wedding … so I would probably opt for extensions. Also, I would get Shawn to train me everyday leading up to the event. That’s going to be a huge priority in terms of fitness.

We’re dying to know, have you found your dress yet?

I have an idea of what I want but haven’t nailed it down to one prospect. I do have tons of screenshots from Pinterest and one of my stylist friends sends me photos for inspiration daily.

You’re now a Nashville resident … Is there anything you really miss about Vancouver?

I miss sushi. And I always loved watching the sunset on the beaches with my friends so I definitely miss that.