52 Wild Rules You Didn’t Know ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Contestants Have to Follow
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I think we can agree that of all the shows in Bachelor Nation, Bachelor in Paradise is perhaps the most iconic. Or at the very least the most entertaining, due to the fact that ABC literally traps a bunch of rejected contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette in a resort together and basically just...sees what happens. Under the pretense of "romance" and "finding love," of course!
And while the vibe on the long-suffering and definitely haunted beaches of Paradise is definitely more relaxed than Bachelor Mansion, there are still a ton of strict rules the cast has to follow—especially when it comes to drinking, privacy (read: when/how cast is allowed time off camera), and sex in the “boom-boom room.” And don’t even get me started on the contract everyone has to sign before they step foot on the sandy beaches in Mexico, because it's another level of wild.
We’ve rounded up 50 rules the poor souls of BiP are contractually obligated to follow (though, pretty much nothing stops these folks from speaking out once their NDAs are up...), not to mention some TRULY juicy BTS dirt straight from the set. Please sit back, relax, form a one-person prayer circle, pretend you’re on a beach somewhere even though you’re definitely hiding under a blanket in bed, and feel free to enjoy with a large cup of "happy juice" aka white wine and Red Bull—a favorite in Paradise. Bye!
You Have to Film the Opening Credits on Rose Ceremony Days
According to Ashley Iaconetti via an Instagram Q&A, "We film them on Rose Ceremony days when the boys and the girls are separated." In other words, there is zero downtime.
You Have to Give Up Three Weeks of Your Life
How long does it take to film Bachelor in Paradise, you ask? That would be three weeks. Ashley I. says the show films between 20-22 days, meaning contestants have to block out at least that much time. Although considering most of them are full-time influencers by the time they go on the show, this isn’t a huge deal.
And the Show Airs for Twice That Long
According to Reality Steve, Bachelor in Paradise aired for six weeks in 2019. Just so we’re all on the same page, this means that ABC expects BiP contestants to fall in love in...*checks notes* just three weeks.
You Can Talk to Other Cast Members Before Filming Starts
There are no rules against getting your flirt on early. It’s common for contestants to slide into those DMs way before filming starts.
Wells Adams revealed to Entertainment Tonight that Kendall Long and Leo Dottavio hit it off before coming onto the show, saying, “In Kendall’s defense, everyone talks before the show. And as you should, because the odds of really finding someone to get engaged are pretty small if you don’t know anybody, so if you have the opportunity to kind of feel people out beforehand, it’s a good idea.”
You Can’t Throw Any Punches
Remember how Kendall talked to Leo before filming? Clearly, she didn’t immediately pick up on his, shall we say, *intense* vibes. He was kicked off the show for throwing a drink on her now-ex boyfriend, Joe Amabile—even calling him “Grocery Store Bitch” before being tackled by a producer.
There’s a Drink Limit
Dean Unglert confirmed that there *is* a drink limit on Bachelor in Paradise—specifically two per hour.
But! There Are No Rules About When You Can Start Drinking
Chris Bukowski said, “In Paradise, it’s always 5:00. I woke up in the morning and I had a glass of vodka soda—actually two—before I went down to the house. I didn’t eat anything. There’s not much to do.”
No One Drinks Beer
Less a rule, more a way of life. This one comes straight from Wells, who said, “No one drinks beer because everyone is terrified of carbs. The only people that drank beer were [Chris] Bukowski and...me, probably.”
But They Do Drink Something Called Happy Juice
In the words of Wells, “So Hannah G. started the trend of this horrible drink called Happy Juice, which is white wine and Red Bull and it was so gross. It’s an allegory for Paradise: weird and gross but also, like, makes a lot of sense because you’ve got to stay up late. At the beginning, everyone made fun of it and by the end of it, everyone was drinking it!”
Help.
You Have to ACTUALLY Be Single
Say it louder for the people in the back. Those just looking for Insta brand deals should skip the trip to Paradise. Brendan Morais and Pieper James infamously found themselves in hot water after the news that their relationship allegedly began back home came to light.
You Have to Take a Psych Exam
At least according to Dylan, who revealed this nugget of info during his rant against The Bachelor. When asked if people simply sign onto the show for a free vacation, he said in a now-deleted tweet: “I think it’s a mix. Absolute wild experience, but there’s a chance you meet someone for real. You all take psych exams, so you could be scientifically matched.”
Actually, There’s a Psychologist On-Set
“They have psychologists on board, and it’s their job to mentally assess you to see how you’re going to react to situations,” Kalon McMahon said back in 2014. “I have to admit they are very good at their jobs.”
Men Are Required to Wear Necklaces
Since swim trunks aren’t exactly conducive to microphone packs, ABC makes the men wear matching necklaces with a mic built in. Truly the cutting edge of fashion and technology over here.
Making Out on Camera Is...Encouraged
Obviously, signing your life away to Bachelor in Paradise means you gotta kiss on camera—but fear not, producers will turn around! This also comes from my new favorite person Dylan Barbour, who said in a now-deleted tweet, “Looooool, yeah the producers just turn around” when a fan asked, “Is it awkward making out with all the cameras/crew staring at you?”
You Have to Wait Hours for the Fantasy Suite
If contestants get a fantasy suite date, they have to wait all night long for actual one-on-one time. According to Evan Bass, “Couples really only get a few hours of alone time,” and the fantasy suite portion “doesn’t start until the wee morning hours. Ours was 2:30 a.m.”
You Gotta Share Your Stuff
“You’re around enough people who have everything that no matter what, you’re fine,” Bibiana Julian told Refinery29. “You end up using everybody’s stuff. It’s like one big dressing room.”
Waxing Is a Must
’Kay, so this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule by any means (and lord knows I haven’t shaved or waxed in more than a year)—but lots of contestants get waxed before heading to Paradise.
“I got a Brazilian wax and lasered my mustache and armpits,” Alexis Waters told Refinery29, while Dominique Alexis said, “I actually waxed for the first time for Paradise! It was quite the experience.”
You Gotta Put in Looong Hours
Wells Adams was a bartender on BiP season 6, and yep: He actually worked full-time. “I’m there every day and would usually work like an eight- or nine-hour shift,” he told TV Insider. “So yeah, I’d get up there, go set the bar up, and then they’d start sending people down to my bar. And it depends—if it’s a rose ceremony, then that’s a night shoot. So generally, if I’m there really, really late and then they’d give me the morning off.”
Rose Ceremonies Go All Night...and You Gotta Wake Up Early
Ashley I. confirmed in her Q&A that "Often, rose ceremonies don't end until 4 a.m.-ish. Then you're often woken up around 8 a.m. for a new arrival. You get more sleep on non-rose ceremony nights. But the cast usually doesn't go to bed until 2 a.m.-ish and are told to head to the pool area mid-morning."
You Pretty Much Have to Do What Producers Say
Ultimately, producers have the final say in what goes down on this show. Example? Katie Morton said that her post-show reunion with Chris Bukowski was brutal thanks to production taking her ring.
“I asked for it, and they said no,” she told Olivia Caridi. “They brought it out during a time when they felt it was necessary. Whenever I get really stressed, I’ll also randomly cry. So Chris Harrison said, ‘I see you’re not wearing your ring,’ and that was a breath of like, ‘If I could only f*cking say it...’ I didn’t know how to say that this wasn’t my choice.”
You Have to Follow the Dress Code...Kinda
Producers urge contestants to avoid certain types of clothing. You could be asked to change out of anything with “busy prints,” or looks that match your partner’s a little too well. “There was one time Caelynn and I were on camera together and I wanted to wear white and she was already wearing white and they were like, ‘You shouldn’t wear whatever, you look like you belong to a cult or something,’” Dean Unglert told Us Weekly. “There’s definitely some cases where I wanted to wear something and they, like, advised me not to.…They’re not super strict with the dress code.”
You Can’t Hide From Cameras
“There are cameras everywhere and there’s nowhere to hide,” a former producer told People. “So when cast members behave outrageously, they allow themselves to forget there are cameras and just get caught up in the moment.”
You Have to Chill on Moldy Beds
This horrifying BTS fact comes courtesy of Wells, who told TV Insider, “This is something that people don’t realize: All of those day beds that everyone goes and like sits on and stuff? Those get wet and then inevitably get moldy smelling. By the end of the season, those daybeds are nasty. If you’ve gotten to the end there and you’re about to get engaged, uh, you’re avoiding those.” Truly...help.
’Kay, but the Good News: The Ocean Is a Free-for-All
While cameras are never not lurking, it sounds like what happens in the ocean stays in the ocean. Just ask Raven Gates, who said, “When I was on, [Adam Gottschalk] would take me into the ocean and say some dirty sh*t to me.”
You Have to Stay at the Resort
Bachelor in Paradise is filmed at an actual resort in Sayulita, Mexico, called the Playa Escondida—and everyone is basically trapped there. Except when they go on dates, which typically take place at...
....Another Resort!
It’s called Vidanta Resort Nuevo Vallarta, and Glamour reports that a ton of the special one-on-one dates on BiP go down here.
Dates Are...Actually a Kinda Normal Length
Ashley I. confirmed as much in her Insta Q&A about the show, saying, "In Paradise, dates are usually 4 hours...probably 2 hours of actual quality time chatting. On the main show, dates are all day."
Psst: The Date Resort Also Where Producers Stay
Per Glamour, the Vidanta Resort Nuevo Vallarta is where the Bachelor in Paradise production offices are based and where former host Chris Harrison holed up. Weirdly, it’s a full hour away from Playa Escondida.
You Can Treat Paradise Like an Audition
According to ABC’s Robert Mills, franchise leads are occasionally chosen after making a splash in Mexico. “You saw the villains get redemption and those are sometimes the best stories that we tell,” he told E! News. “I think that’s when we started to say nobody can ever be discounted.” Isn’t that right, Nick Viall????
P.S. The Hosts Have No Rules
They’re basically just on vacation. Former host Chris told Glamour that he was essentially straight chilling—like, to the point where his family and friends visited him.
“Honestly, I get a lot of downtime. I’m here at the resort. My kids come into town. My friends come into town. It was hard for me to leave planet Earth and come down to Mexico the first time we did this three years ago, but about halfway through our time in Tulum, it was like, ‘Wait a minute. This is the greatest gig in the world! Let’s unplug and just enjoy.’ It’s my summer camp.”
You Can’t Use the AC
So if you’re wondering why everyone looks so sweaty on camera...there’s literally no AC. Why would they do this to people, you ask? To make sure contestants ditch the comfort of their rooms and head outside to the beach or pool. As Mikey Tenerelli told Flare, “You got out of the shower and you were basically sweating again.”
But...There's AC in the Boom Boom Rooms
Ashley I. said in her Q&A that "there's AC in some of the boom boom rooms and the interview rooms and it encourages you to go to those places 😹."
You Can’t Be Involved in Running for Public Office
Thank god, because we already know what happens when you mix reality TV and politics, ahem.
But yeah, while the BiP cast has already been vetted by producers, the eligibility form to be part of Bachelor Nation makes this pretty clear: “Applicants may not presently be a candidate for any type of elected political office (‘Candidate’) and may not become a Candidate from the time the application is submitted until at least one (1) year after initial broadcast of the last episode of the Program in which the applicant appears, if selected.”
You Have to Be Down for a Fake Wedding
Oh, so you think the weddings in Paradise are real? Nah, turns out, everyone is faking it. Marcus Grodd dropped this bombshell after he and Lacy Faddoul got married at the end of BiP season 2, saying the ceremony wasn’t legal: “When we came back, we were supposed to start the paperwork. But she stalled. I feel duped.”
You Have to Sign a W-i-l-d Contract
CNN obtained the contract and had it looked at by NYC-based attorney Nicole Page, who said that it gives the producers permission to “basically take your image and do whatever [they] want with it and [they] own it and you have no recourse.”
‘BiP’ Can Edit Things However They Like
It’s right there in the contract, which gives ABC “the right to change, add to, take from, edit, translate, reformat or reprocess...in any manner Producer may determine in its sole discretion.”
But Contestants Still Get Pissed
Even contestants on other franchises, like Bachelor in Paradise Australia star Cassandra Mamone, don’t always love what they see. Cassandra called out the show, saying, “I own whatever comes out of my mouth directly but I will not own pieces of different interviews at different times pieced together to steer a narrative. Thank you to those who realized the editing on this ripper!”
Like...Contestants Get *REALLY* Pissed
Blake Horstmann once went on a rant about producers allegedly manipulating him, saying, “Okay, so this is gonna be a long one...but f*ck it, I’m off contract...When I received the date card, I 100% planned to take Hannah. I even left my interview saying I was gonna take Hannah. When I walked out of the interview, three producers sat me down for close to an hour and convinced me to take Tayshia. It was 100% my decision; they didn’t force me or anything, but at that point I really truly did trust the producers and that they had my best interest. Obviously, I was very wrong and they didn’t want me to be happy with Hannah bc that would have very much ruined their plans for the season...”
You Have to Be Chill With Public Humiliation
This comes courtesy of another fun part of the contract, which states “actions and the actions of others displayed in the Series may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature and may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation.”
Delightful!
There Are No Doors
Like, to the bedrooms. And to the bathrooms. As Ashley I. put it in her Q&A, "There are not enough doors in Paradise! There's very little privacy to be had. I would only go to the bathroom or shower in restrooms that had doors. But even most of those have open ceilings. Some bathrooms just have beads *as doors* to toilets and showers!! This was the hardest of the living arrangements for me bc I'm private with this stuff."
Also? Expect Proposal Pressure
Amy Kaufman confirmed that contestants are pressured into proposing in her tell-all book Bachelor Nation, saying that producer Elan Gale tried to make Chris Bukowski propose to Elise Mosca—even though he fully didn’t want to and “couldn’t stand her.”
That Said, Storylines *Aren’t* Pre-Written
Okay, yes, BiP producers might take, uh, liberties in the edit room, but as far as drama goes, what you see is what you get. “Producers aren’t forcing people to do questionable things,” the anonymous producer told People. “There are no storylines written. The worst thing they’ll do is let people know that the people who succeed here tend to make a lot of friends or find someone to be in a relationship with.”
The Plus Side? You Get Paid
Unlike The Bachelor and The Bachelorette (where you have to pay your own way...including outfits), ABC pays contestants to be on Bachelor in Paradise. Specifically, you can make between $7,000 and $15,000 per season.
Also a Plus? It’s a 24/7 Party
An anonymous producer told People that intimate relationships are inevitable on BiP, because it’s basically adult summer camp. “It’s like real life is suspended. Time is just different there. You’re filming around the clock; production is around the clock and it’s around-the-clock partying....The whole point of the show is that to succeed you need to make friends, and people feel it’s advantageous to drink and hook up and find a boyfriend or girlfriend.”
Oh, and speaking of hookups....
Let’s Talk About the “Boom-Boom Room”
When it comes to hooking up, anything goes on Bachelor in Paradise—meaning they don’t have to wait for fantasy suites. Sure, the suites are a great way to have swanky privacy, but Evan Bass said there’s a sex room on-set. To quote: “There was even a room back at the Paradise ranch we called the boom-boom room.”
Otherwise, Though? Sharing Beds Is a Hard No
Aside from the boom-boom room, sharing beds is strictly forbidden. As Ashley I. put it in her Q&A, "The girls can't sleep in the boys' room and vice versa. But there are multiple boob boom rooms for sleeping together."
Actually, There’s a Ton of Sex We Never See
That aforementioned anonymous producer dropped this salacious nugget of info, saying, “There’s a lot of sex on the various shows that happens that never airs.” Like...okay!
You Have to Stay Safe!
And by that I mean there’s always an ambulance on hand. Like...just lurking there in case an erectile dysfunction specialist has a medical emergency (hi, Evan).
You Kinda Have to Rough It
While the resort is lovely, the Bachelor in Paradise cast doesn’t exactly get the all-star treatment. Kalon McMahon told ABC, “It’s literally like summer camp for adults. We’re sleeping on bunk beds on top of each other, all sharing two showers, eating terrible food. It is not a glamorous life at all.”
Although, Honestly, the Food Sounds Good?
During filming, Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants have to fend for themselves in the Bachelor Mansion kitchen—but it looks like food is provided courtesy of the resort on BiP.
Annaliese Puccini told Women’s Health, “While in Paradise, I would have egg whites with cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado or guacamole with a side of fruit. The resort makes epic guac, so I’d eat it with almost every meal. I’d also have an iced coffee with coconut milk to give me some energy for the long days.”
You Can't Take Your Bag When You Leave
I mean...you get it eventually. But as Ash I. explained in her Q&A, "The terrain is intense. Steep stairs and uneven walkways."
And Finally: You Have to Be Okay With Crabs
Like, actual crabs. Mikey Tenerelli told Flare, “The first night after we all met each other, I walked into my room and I saw two crabs fighting. They were literally dueling. I was like, ‘This is going to be a long trip.’”
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