\n<\/p>\n
Once Gerry Turner<\/strong><\/a> realized that he loved Theresa Nist<\/strong><\/a> on The Golden Bachelor<\/em><\/a>, he didn\u2019t see the point of a drawn-out courtship. \u201cWhen you get to this age, every moment is precious and you don\u2019t want to waste them,\u201d the retired restaurateur, 72, shared. \u201cIt\u2019s a total different mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n So it came as no surprise when he proposed to Theresa, 70, on the series\u2019 season finale and they set a wedding date of January 4 \u2014 just five months after first meeting.<\/p>\n \u201cTheresa and Gerry were so excited to get married,\u201d an insider exclusively tells Life & Style<\/em> of the televised \u201cI do\u201ds. \u201cThey feel so lucky to have found each other, especially knowing how hard it is to find love later in life. They are thrilled and so are their families \u2014 their forever is starting now!\u201d<\/p>\n Held at the beautiful La Quinta Resort & Club near Palm Springs, the wedding featured a color palette of pale pinks, whites and creams with gold accents, and Theresa herself picked out the classical compositions the four-piece string orchestra played for an event Gerry described as \u201cvery elegant but not stuffy.\u201d<\/p>\n But the lovebirds \u2014 who were both widowed by their first spouses and have grown children and grandkids \u2014 weren\u2019t particularly hung up on the details.<\/p>\n \u201cGerry and Theresa were at the venue all week preparing with the team, and the staff kept joking that the Golden Bachelor and his fianc\u00e9e were a lot less diva-ish than what they\u2019re used to!\u201d says the insider. \u201cNo bridezillas here!\u201d<\/p>\n On hand for the big day? Gerry and Theresa\u2019s families, of course, who made up the bulk of the wedding party. Meanwhile, their officiant was none-other than Golden Bachelor<\/em> fan favorite Susan Noles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe happy couple came up with the idea because we became so close during the show,\u201d the 66-year-old, who operates Nuptials by Noles \u2014 a wedding officiant company in Philadelphia \u2014 explained. \u201cI\u2019m really glad they did.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the other Golden women were also in attendance, as were Bachelor Nation success stories Trista and Ryan Sutter<\/strong>, Jason and Molly Mesnick<\/strong>, Desiree and Chris Siegfried<\/strong>, plus former lead Ben Higgins<\/strong> and Bachelor in Paradise<\/em> bartender Wells Adams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Post-vow swap, it was off to Italy for a swoonworthy honeymoon before the newlyweds resumed house hunting in Charleston, South Carolina, and New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that we have to enjoy life,\u201d Theresa said. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how much time we have left, and we want to enjoy every single second.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nA Time to Celebrate<\/h2>\n