The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Wedding: Confidential with Kendall Long

Episode Date: August 12, 2024

Ben and Ashley are catching up with a Bachelor Nation newlywed that might surprise you! Kendall Long got married in total secrecy almost 2 years ago, and she’s ready to tell Ben and Ashley all the details! Kendall spills everything about living in Germany with her new husband, and she reveals why it’s never too early to talk about marriage and kids… even on a first date.  Plus, find out why she finally decided to go public with the big news!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hey, everyone. Welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast. Today we have a special guest. It's Kendall Long, and she is telling us about the secrets that she has been holding on to for years. Kendall, welcome to the podcast. And it's been a year and a half. Long secret. Yeah, it's been around a year and a half. So it's been quite a bit. Yeah. So what's the secret? Tell people who didn't hear the headline. So, yes. So for those who do not know, I've been married to my husband Mitch for a little over a year and a half now. Literally right before we left to Germany,

we eloped to Santa Barbara, and then the next day we hopped on a flight and moved to Germany. So good. All right. Well, there's a lot to break down here. First off, congratulations. Thank you. Congrats. Why was it kept a secret?

So obviously this was an intentional choice, I'm assuming. It wasn't just like something you didn't think of. Why did you two keep it a secret for the first year and a half? Well, we kept it a secret because our plan was to, get married, have the official wedding abroad in Germany. And so we wanted to get married and it made it a lot easier to move to Germany as a married couple because of Mitch's job. So you were going to get married anyway. So we're like, we'll do this and then we'll have the wedding when we're in Germany. And a lot of things kind of transpired and changed. And our family, like not all of our family could go

out to Germany to have a wedding or can go abroad. So that plan didn't happen. And time went on. And I was like, you know, I feel like I just want to celebrate this now and to tell people. So yeah. What's his job that made it easier for you guys to be married? So he's an aerospace engineer. So he works on a military base here in Stuttgart, Germany. So it made it so I was able to stay in Germany and we'd be able to be together. And we were pretty confident that we wanted to get married anyway. So, and we had just gotten engaged. So we just expedited the process a little bit more. You guys had been together for a little over, I want to say six months at the point where you got married? Eight months. I believe at that point. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think it may be after

announcing it had been around six months. But yeah, so we literally had met. And, got engaged and got married and moved abroad, like, in less than a year. Well, I interviewed you guys when you'd only been together for, like, two or three months. Yeah. And it was very evident that you would be getting married. Oh, thanks. Based on your answers and just your behavior together. Oh, thanks. Yeah. I felt like we knew pretty early on that we were going to get married.

Yeah. I mean, after the first date, we talked about babies. We talked about, like, our life together, like, where we were seeing ourselves. and it kind of just felt like what we wanted really aligned. Remind all of our listeners and me, because I forget, how did the two of you actually meet? We met through a mutual friend. So we went to a friend's party and we just saw each other there. So it's kind of the old-fashioned way. What was the elopement like? Was it romantic?

Because you went to Santa Barbara for it. So I'm imagining there was like some sort of scene. It wasn't just a go to the courthouse and sign some papers situation. Yeah. Well, we kind of made it. So I didn't want to wear a white dress at all. I wanted to save that for our bigger wedding. But it's just our immediate family. And we dressed up and we did a dinner together, a really nice dinner. And we all went to the courthouse. And it was out in the front of the courthouse. And so it was outside. And we just did it on the lawn there. And it was really sweet, really intimate. And yeah, it was nice to have just our close family there. And then we stayed the night in a hotel. And it was really, yeah, it was really cute. It was really special. What has the reaction been? Because I'm assuming not all of your friends knew that you had gotten married, but I'm assuming some did. Kind of tell us the reaction from both parties. Like the ones that did know you got married were they, you know, how did they feel about it? And then those

who have just found out that you've been married for a year and a half, what was their reaction? I'm not really that good at keeping secret. So my immediate family knew, of course. And then our relatives and friends did know. So, like, all of my close friends knew, really close friends knew. And also, I've been kind of living a double life in Germany because I literally can't help tell people in Germany. So that's part of the reason why it's been so weird is because I feel like we've been married for, like, over a year and a half now.

And I've been acting like that. And another part of the reason why we wanted to go public with it now is because we've been in talks about wanting to move back, wanting to start a family. family, really excited for that. And I felt like moving back, I wouldn't be able to kind of keep up that we're not married things. I'm really bad at lying. So I just wanted to kind of start our life together and act like a married couple when we were back in America as well. So yeah, it's another reason why we decide to go public right now. How has the distance thing been from your family? Because we knew that, you know, on Bachelor in Paradise and with Joe.

the whole i'm not moving thing play at a big factor in that relationship and you didn't want to be away from your sister which i totally get um so now you're half a world away how has it been it's been really really hard um but mitch and i knew when we decided to move to germany that it was going to be a temporary thing so yeah that's comforting that we were going to be here for two years have an amazing adventure, traveling, and being able to experience a life abroad. And we've really learned a lot and evolved a lot in our relationship. I've just 100% just, like, depended on him for so much. Yeah. It's been really cool to start our marriage out that way, but it's been, there's been days where it's been really, really hard. Like, my sister is my absolute best friend. I'm extremely

close to my family. So, so yeah, I mean, as fun as it's been, that's been the hardest thing for both of us, not be close to our families. So we've had to depend a lot on each other through that. Is he originally from the L.A. area as well. He's originally from, well, from Virginia and then moved to, I think, Los Angeles area or in California and then kind of moved around California from there. So, I mean, you just kind of touched on it, but you said it's been really impactful for your marriage to start out abroad and to do this now for, I mean, how long have you been over there? I think probably, well, yeah, a year and a half, a little over a year and a half. Year and a half. So how has it, I mean, if you can kind of give us some details, what has it done

for your relationship and your marriage, you know, getting married, traveling abroad, and just having each other. Good parts, bad parts, all parts. Yeah, I mean, you have to completely change your life in a lot of ways. There's a new language, new places. You don't really have any friends initially starting off. And I'm a big social person, a big family person. Like I talk to my family on the phone every single day and I usually would hang out with my sister every single day or friends. So socially, I feel like I've depended a lot with Mitch for like company and just kind of like all of that. So in that way, we've just been able to get really, really close and when there's been difficult days when I miss everybody, just being able to be there and be

strong for each other has been really important. But yeah, I mean, it's just, it's a lot. It's a lot to change. And I would 100% recommend it to everybody if you want to go and have an adventure traveling, you know, around the world. There's a lot to celebrate about it. But even like small mundane tasks like making doctors appointments or going to the grocery store, I have to use my broken German to get things done. I've had the phone hung up on me when people realize that I speak English and they don't know how to speak English. Yeah. And there's, you know, those are kind of funny things about moving to a country where English isn't the first language and you kind of have to expect that in some ways because in America I'm sure we're very much like

that even more so but but yeah it's like everything is a little bit harder um so there's a lot of patience that's involved in that and would you would you say that like because you're starting out with a challenge you think it'll be like you think it's going to make your marriage stronger And do you think that when you go back to the States, everything will feel easy? Well, you know, in the weird way, like, it's felt easy already here. Okay. Like, sometimes I'm surprised at how easy it feels just with each other. And so moving back to the States, I feel like I'm not even worried about it at all.

It's just, yeah, I mean, I think we just take everything one day at a time. And if there's hard days, there's hard days. we support each other and it's it's really hasn't it despite missing people it hasn't been too tremendously hard well i think it's my my advice and i don't have a lot of advice in my life but my advice for any newly married couple is to at least move away somewhere together like to just do it even for a year i think that the the struggle but also just the ability to lean on each other really helps you know build a bond one thing i do though thing would be hard, would be, you know, you left your profession and kind of, I mean, you probably

left a lot of the projects and things you were working on back here in the United States. So what does, you know, your life look like in Germany? And do you have anything you're working on while you're over there? Well, in a weird way, I feel like it's actually really helped focus what I want to do. Back in L.A., the only difference is really I just don't go to events. I don't go to, I guess, premieres or stuff like that anymore, which is okay with me. I more so actually focus on like the nature and science elements of what I'm doing with my career now. So I work with the Nature Kuntah Museum in Stucar. It's a natural history museum.

And so I've been working on videos with them and just kind of like talking to different taxidermists and different biologists. And that's been really amazing. And I still have partnerships with other companies, like along those same lines. I've actually been able to travel from here a lot easier. So I've gone to Africa a few times to do things with NetGeo and different projects. So I feel like in a way, I haven't really left behind what I do. I've only kind of done more of what I want to do.

That's awesome. We're so happy for you. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Well, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her.

Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor, and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him?

Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. My name is Ed. Everyone says, hello, Ed. Hello, Ed. I'm from a very rural background myself.

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A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I don't. dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jody Sweeten, Monica Patton, Elaine Welteroff.

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players from rising stars to legends chasing history, the predictions, well, we see a first-time winner, and the pressure. Billy Jean King says pressure is a privilege, you know. Plus, the stories and events off the court, and of course the honey deuses, the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open. The U.S. U.S. Open has gotten to be a very fancy, wonderfully experiential sporting event. I mean, listen, the whole aim is to be accessible and inclusive for all tennis fans, whether you play tennis or not. Tennis is full of compelling stories of late. Have you heard about icon Venus Williams' recent wildcard bids or the young Canadian, Victoria Mboko, making a name for herself? How about Naomi Osaka getting back to form?

To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain. I heart women's sports production in partnership with deep blue sports and entertainment on the IHart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Hi, my name is Enya Yumanzoor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you.

But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh, my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. I guess we have to bring up your Bachelor in Paradise, your Bachelor experience.

I think it's like so cool that everything just worked out for you and for Joe because the last time we saw, saw you on TV was you, like, going back to Bachelor in Paradise, seeing if you guys could possibly rekindle things, if it was, like, really, really over. And then you soon after met Mitch. And then, like, I'm assuming that you were just like, oh, wow, this is why everything didn't work out. Right, right. Yeah. I mean, the whole Paradise thing, of course, I have a lot of opinions about how that all transpired. And don't necessarily agree with everything. Yeah, I know. I've I definitely didn't go there to date my ex again, but despite that, it's all. Yes, despite that, that's what it looked like, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, no, it is so crazy. I'm just really happy that life has kind of turned out the way that it did. I feel like, I feel like Joe and Serena are happy together, married together, and it just feels almost kind of like a world away from all of that. and it's so weird to now kind of be married and moving forward. And I don't know, it almost feels like it's weird that I was even like a part of my past, you know, being the bachelor and all of that. Because in Germany, no one watches The Bachelor.

No one knows who I am, you know, despite maybe some Americans on base or some of my American friends. But it's been so nice, just kind of, I don't know, just being separate from everything. And I almost got reminded when I went back to America recently about the whole Bachelor world. I'm like, oh, people, like, still recognize me. And, like, I feel like I haven't been a part of everything for such a long time. So I'm still, like, surprised. But, yeah, it's just, yeah, here in Germany, I feel like it's, you know, not really been a thing. It's healthy.

I'm assuming it's very healthy to get away and to not have that, you know, kind of cloud or that attention on you. It kind of helps you reset, which would be, you know, fabulous for so many and probably necessary. Now, in closing here, you've mentioned that your plans are to move back to the United States together, obviously. What do those plans look like? Where would you probably be moving? What kind of, you know, careers would you both be entering into? And I guess would Mitch be staying in the current career he's in? Yeah, so he'll be in the same career. But, um, probably staying within the company or moving with a different company. We're still kind of talking about that.

But, yeah, the plan initially is to just because it was such a crazy transition going from America to Germany, we kind of anticipate that's going to be just as crazy, going from Germany to America, if not more so difficult, because you have to, you know, get your license. You have to, I have to learn to drive against. I haven't driven in such a long time. No way. Everything. So we're planning to stay with Mitch's family for a little bit while we get all of that figured out.

And then our plan is to, there's a couple different places we're thinking of moving, but potentially San Diego, potentially maybe staying in like a Ventura area, somewhere along the beach. I've missed the beach so much since being away. So that's our ultimate goal. But yeah, in California is where we're thinking of moving to. Can I just say that it's just so perfect for your personality and interest to be. with an aerospace engineer. Like, we would expect nothing less.

Right. That's, like, how we really connected in the beginning as we were talking about Europa, which is like a planet or a moon that could potentially harbor alien life. That was like something that we, I was like, oh, man, we both, like, space. So, so, yeah, there's definitely a lot

of very interesting conversations that we have about things. But, yeah, it is, I feel like it's pretty fitting. That is so cool. All right. Well, my last question for you is, will you ever wear the white dress? Are you going to have any sort of celebration?

Oh, yeah. We're definitely going to. I think that doing it closer to home is what our goal is now, just to make sure that all of our family can be a part of that. And a broad wedding is really expensive for all the guests. I mean, it may have been cheaper with us. But yeah, so I think we definitely want to celebrate it in some way back in America. You deserve to be celebrated, Kendall, and so does Mitch,

the two of you have accomplished a lot just moving to Germany and doing what you're doing and we're really thankful that you came on and shared with us the story we were all very excited here

but we didn't know the details and so thanks for sharing the details of your relationship and the elopement and then the future plans for the two of you no of course and happy to catch up

I will see you Kendall thank you so much for coming on yeah bye thanks Kendall Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts My Boyfriend's Professor is way too friendly

And now I'm seriously suspicious Wait a minute Sam Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit Well Dakota luckily it's back to school week On the okay story time podcast So we'll find out soon This person writes My boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot

He doesn't think it's a problem But I don't trust her Now he's insisting we get to know each other But I just want her gone Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The U.S. Open is here and on my podcast, Good Game with Sarah Spain. I'm breaking down the players, the predictions, the pressure, and of course the honey deuses, the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open.

The U.S. Open has gotten to be a very wonderfully experiential sporting event. To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah. Spain, an IHeart women's sports production in partnership with deep blue sports and entertainment on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports Network. I was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and cancer-free the next Friday. No chemo, no radiation, none of that. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell,

Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, And hip-hop. Professionally, I started at Deathwell Records. From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture raises us on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes.

Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. Why are TSA rules so confusing? You got a hood of you. I'll take it all! I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin.

And we're best friends and journalists with a new podcast called No Such Thing, where we get to the bottom of questions. like that. Why are you screaming? I can't expect what to do. Now, if the rule was the same, go off on me. I deserve it. You know, lock him up. Listen to no such thing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. No such thing. This is an IHeart podcast.