Inside Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb's Love Story — from Their First TV Date to Saying 'I Do' to Forever (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Abigail and Noah Erb at their Oklahoma wedding.Photo:Lauren Rader

Lauren Rader

WhenAbigail HeringerandNoah Erbshowed up on the beach to begin filmingBachelor in Paradise, they had little idea where the journey would lead them.

On the premiere episode of the ABC reality series' seventh season — which aired in August 2021 — Heringer, 29, received thevery first date cardand invited Erb, also 29, to go out to dinner with her. There was an immediate spark, and they even shared a kiss as their evening together came to a close.

Heringer, who was already familiar with Erb from his appearance as a contestant on season 16 ofThe Bachelorette, jokingly recalls that her first impression of her now-husband was that he was “a cheeky little fellow.”

Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer hold hands at their wedding reception.Lauren Rader

But she also remembers discovering on their first date that there was so much more to Erb beneath the surface. “He was very easy to talk to and very charismatic — but he could quickly switch that off and go into a deeper side and ask really introspective questions. So I was like, ‘This guy’s very multidimensional, ' " Heringer tells PEOPLE.

“I knew he was special since the first date,” she adds. “I just have never connected with someone like that before.”

Erb says his first impression of Heringer was that she was a total “sweetheart” — but he wanted to dig deeper. “What else? There’s got to be more. She’s hot and she’s sweet and everyone likes her, but there’s got to be more. What else is going on here? Let’s find out,” he remembers thinking. “And then as we got to know each other more, it was like, ‘Oh, okay. Yeah.’ "

Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer kiss at their wedding.Lauren Rader

After filming wrapped, they reconnected and decided to give their relationship another shot — away from all the cameras and show drama.

“It was really when we went to [Heringer’s] grandparents’ cabin [in Oregon] after the fact, no phones, just us at the base of a mountain, really pretty isolated. That’s when it was like, okay, there’s something here. There’s something real here that without any sort of outside influences, fantastic. Now we just have to figure out if we want it in the real world,” Erb explains.

Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb’s dog Maki joined them at their wedding.Lauren Rader

Adds Heringer, “I think a lot of couples that get together on the show have that question, ‘Okay, we are great in this environment, but can we carry this into the real world with all the distractions and everything?’ I think oddly enough, it was the opposite for us. We didn’t do great [during the show], but then we were able to connect later and really find out. We bonded on that trip [to the cabin].”

It was Erb who first reached out after filming, sending Heringer a text message, which led to a phone call during which they cleared the air and talked through everything.

“And then [Erb was] like, ‘I want to come see you in Oregon,’ and he came and the rest is history,” Heringer tells PEOPLE, adding, “It was one of those make-or-break [situations]. And then after the trip, it was like, ‘Oh, that was actually great.’ "

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After reuniting, Heringer says it was “smooth sailing” for the couple. By March 2022, they had moved in together in Los Angeles. Erbpopped the questionin August 2023 on the rooftop of a beachfront house in La Jolla, Calif., and just two days later, the pair relocated to Erb’s home state of Oklahoma, where they now live.

Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb enjoy drinks at their wedding.Lauren Rader

On Monday, Oct. 7, about 90 of Heringer and Erb’s loved ones — including many of their formerBachelor in Paradisecostars — gathered to watch the couple tie the knot in a ceremony at thePhilbrook Museum of Artin Tulsa. They tell PEOPLE it was a moment they have long looked forward to, and they are now excitedly diving into this new chapter together as husband and wife.

“Marriage means sharing our lives, supporting each other and continuing to grow together in this amazing journey,” Heringer says.

Someday in the future, they hope to start a family. “We definitely want kids. We definitely want more than one. We’ll see how it goes…” Heringer says.

But for now, Erb adds, they simply want to “just chill for a little and enjoy each other.”

source: people.com