Judy Garland’s found ruby ​​slippers from The Wizard Of Oz are being auctioned off after they were previously stolen and subsequently recovered.

The pair, which was worn by the late actress, was reunited with its owner, collector Michael Shaw, and will be shown on an international tour before being auctioned later this year.

This comes shortly after a second man was charged in connection with the theft of the iconic slippers worn by Garland, who died in 1969 at the age of 47 while filming the 1939 cult classic.

The famous ruby ​​slippers, one of four surviving pairs from the 1939 film, had been stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in August 2005 when a thief broke into the singer’s childhood home.

Nearly two decades later, the FBI recovered the slippers during a sting operation in Minneapolis in 2018, and federal prosecutors estimate their market value to be around $3.5 million.

After being reunited with the shoes, Shaw is now parting ways with them again and is teaming up with Heritage Auctions to take the pair on a multi-city world tour before putting them up for auction in December.

“You cannot overstate the importance of Dorothy’s ruby ​​slippers,” Heritage Auctions vice president Joe Maddalena said in a speech. press release on Monday. ‘They are the most important prop in the history of Hollywood.

“This pair is precious because it comes from Michael Shaw’s legendary collection, and we are honored to have him partner with Heritage.

‘Like TCM [Turner Classic Movies] host Ben Mankiewicz once said, these slippers “symbolize hope,” and we’re thrilled they will travel down the yellow brick road to the auction block to a new home.”

In the iconic film, Garland played the beloved character Dorothy, who returned from Oz to Kansas by clicking the heels of her ruby ​​slippers and repeating the phrase, “There’s no place like home.”

Thirty years after filming the critically acclaimed movie, she tragically died in 1969 at the age of 47 from an accidental barbiturate overdose.

During The Wizard of Oz, Garland wore several pairs, but only four authentic pairs remain.

The three remaining pairs reside at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian Museum of American History and with a private collector.

In the theft of the soon-to-be-auctioned shoes – which are “of a higher quality than the pair currently at the Smithsonian,” according to a Forbes 2008 report – one man was convicted in January and another recently convicted for his involvement in the crime.

A career criminal named Terry Jon Martin, 76, was charged with theft of a major work of art after pleading guilty in October 2023 and sentenced to no jail time due to his declining health.

The second man, Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, was charged with theft of a large work of art and witness tampering.

He made his first court appearance on Friday and, like Martin, appeared to be suffering from declining health, appearing in court with an oxygen tank and in a wheelchair, the court said. Associated press.

Two years ago, the iconic blue and white gingham dress Garland wore in the film was also rediscovered at the Catholic University of Washington, DC, after being missing for fifty years.

The shocking moment two snowmobiles were submerged after an avalanche hurtled down a Wyoming mountain at 50mph has been captured in heartbreaking first-person video, with one of them rescued minutes before he was said to have suffocated.

Mason Zak and Jake Dahl were both buried under five feet of snow last Friday while on a day hike with friends in Star Valley.

Mason sees that Jake has fallen from his vehicle and repeatedly shouts “Avi!” to his friend before the snow appears, flowing down the powdery mountainside, in images captured by his camera.

You hear him say “no” under his breath a few times as the snow closes in and tries to escape with the vehicle, seconds before he is plunged into darkness.

‘I saw Jake had fallen off and I wanted to go up and see if he needed help. “When I looked up, I saw the hills breaking above and I started screaming ‘avalanche’ as many times as I could,” Mason said. . “It all happened so quickly.”

The friends had decided to ride their snowmobiles downhill some more around 4 p.m. when the shock avalanche struck.

‘I thought I was in the safe area at the bottom. “I saw Jake being buried and kept an eye on him so I knew where he was buried if I had to go rescue him,” Mason said.

“As I was watching him, I didn’t even realize it came that fast and it just hit me on my back, threw me off my snowmobile and actually dragged me around a patch of trees.”

Seconds later, Mason was buried under a pile of snow, leaving only the sound of his heavy breathing as the video went black.

Mason, a 23-year-old business owner from Minnesota, was buried for seven minutes before he was rescued by a group of passersby who used avalanche detection equipment to find him.

He has said he “immediately lost hope” because he could not move under the snow and thought “no one will find us.”

Mason claims that fortunately a rescue crew reached him just in time.

He believes that if they had arrived five minutes later, he would have succumbed to carbon dioxide poisoning.

Meanwhile, Jake, a 25-year-old business owner from Wyoming, was fortunately only buried for about 30 seconds and despite fears that he was “done,” he was able to fight his way out.

Mason said: “It was an ordinary day – we had one of the best days yet in the snow. At the end of the day we decided to do another hill. I had an idea to try something steeper.

“We went to the other hill and didn’t think much about it. I think Jake went up first, I went up second and our other friend third.

‘I ended up face down, palms behind my back. I could move a few fingers and that was about it. I was about two to three meters underground. I was completely buried, nothing of me could be seen. It could have hit me at about 50 miles per hour.”

Mason remembered that memories flashed before his eyes as he accepted the reality of dying under the snow.

He said: ‘We think I was underwater for about five to seven minutes. I thought Jake and our other friend were both buried, so I immediately lost hope.

‘I thought ‘no one knows where we are’ and ‘no one will find us’. I tried to move a little, but I couldn’t. At that moment, silence took over. It was so dark and quiet.

‘I don’t think I fainted, but I went into some sort of dream. Core memories haunted my mind. I saw my mother, father and brother in front of me.’

He added: “I probably had about five minutes left realistically. I think I had a case of carbon dioxide poisoning when I came out. I suffered quite a headache. I was just amazed that I was saved.

‘I got out, hugged the boys and thanked them for their rescue. I don’t know if they would have found me without the beacons. I feel so lucky to be alive. I now have a whole new respect for the mountain.”

Fellow adrenaline junkie Jake also said the experience has given him newfound gratitude after almost losing his life.

Reflecting on the day’s events, the father-of-two said: ‘I was a bit consumed by it. It took me about 75 meters down and I started to panic. Luckily it stopped and my left arm was above the snow just enough to dig my face out.

“My face was probably about a foot deep. I could barely breathe. I just screamed as I stuck my face out. I was underwater for about 30 seconds. I thought I was done.

‘I thought about my girlfriend and my children. I was afraid there would be a second wave. This was kind of an eye-opener to what can happen out there. It scared us all and woke everyone up. We’re lucky to be alive.’

The pair have raced together at Star Valley for the past five years.

Extremely graphic and suggestive AI-generated images of Taylor Swift are circulating online, themed around her Kansas City Chiefs fandom, sparking outrage among the singer's fans who are demanding legal action.

This season, Swift adopted the Chiefs as her NFL team when she started dating star player Travis Kelce.

The new images show Swift in various sexualized poses. It is not clear where the images come from. Thursday morning, “Taylor Swift AI” was the trending topic on X, formerly known as Twitter.

DailyMail.com has seen the images in question but will not publish them.

'Why isn't this considered sexual abuse? I can't be the only one who finds this strange and uncomfortable, can I? We're talking about a woman's body/face being used for something she would probably never allow/be comfortable with. How can there be no rules or laws that prevent this?,” one fan tweeted.

Non-consensual deepfake pornography is illegal in Texas, Minnesota, New York, Virginian, Hawaii, and Georgia. In Illinois and California, victims can sue the creators of pornography in court for defamation.

“I need the entire adult Swiftie community to log into Twitter, search the term “Taylor Swift AI,” click on the media tab, and report every AI-generated pornographic photo of Taylor they can see, because I fucking done with this BS. Get it together, Elon,” one irate Swift fan wrote.

“Man this is so inappropriate,” another wrote. While another said: 'Whoever takes those Taylor Swift AI photos is going to hell.'

“Whoever is creating this waste should be arrested. What I saw is absolutely disgusting, and this kind of thing should be illegal… we MUST protect women from this kind of thing,” another person added.

Explicit AI-generated material that overwhelmingly harms women and children is emerging online at an unprecedented rate.

According to an analysis by independent researcher Genevieve Oh, shared with The Associated Press in December, more than 143,000 new deepfake videos have been posted online this year, which is more than every other year combined.

Desperate for solutions, affected families are urging lawmakers to implement robust safeguards for victims whose images are manipulated using new AI models, or the plethora of apps and websites openly advertising their services.

Advocates and some legal experts are also calling for federal regulations that could provide uniform protections across the country and send a strong message to current and potential perpetrators.

The problem with deepfakes isn't new, but experts say it's getting worse as the technology to produce them becomes more available and easier to use.

Researchers are sounding the alarm this year about the explosion of AI-generated child sexual abuse material using images of real victims or virtual characters.

In June 2023, the FBI warned that it would continue to receive reports of victims, both minors and adults, whose photos or videos were used to create explicit content that was shared online.

In addition to the states where laws are already in the works, other states are considering their own legislation, including New Jersey, where a bill is currently in the works to ban deepfake porn and impose penalties – jail time, a fine, or both. those who spread it.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order in October that, among other things, called for banning the use of generative AI to produce child sexual abuse material or non-consensual “intimate images of real individuals.”

The order also directs the federal government to issue guidelines for labeling and watermarking AI-generated content to distinguish between authentic and software-generated material.

Some urge caution — including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and The Media Coalition, an organization that works for trade groups representing publishers, movie studios and others — saying careful consideration is needed to avoid proposals that conflict can come up with the the First Amendment.

“Some concerns about deepfake misuse can be addressed under existing cyber harassment laws,” said Joe Johnson, an attorney for the ACLU of New Jersey.

“Whether at the federal or state level, there needs to be substantial conversation and stakeholder input to ensure that a bill is not overly broad and addresses the stated problem.”

Mani said her daughter has created a website and a charity to help AI victims. The two have also been in talks with state lawmakers pushing New Jersey's law and are planning a trip to Washington to advocate for more protections.

“Not every child, boy or girl, will have the support system to deal with this problem,” Mani said. “And maybe they don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

President Joe Biden won the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday despite not being on the ballot.

The Associated Press called Biden's victory shortly after polls closed in the state at 8 p.m

Democrats in the Granite State launched a write-in campaign to propel the president to victory after the Democratic National Committee, with Biden's blessing, reshuffled this year's Democratic primaries.

South Carolina will hold its first official Democratic primary on February 3. But New Hamsphire law and the state's Republican-led government did not allow the date of the nation's first primary election to be moved, forcing Democrats to go to the polls on Tuesday. .

They could choose to write in Biden or pick one of his rivals, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips or self-help guru Marianne Williamson.

With about 50 percent of the vote, Biden appeared to receive about 61 percent of the vote, compared to Phillips' 21 percent and Williamson's 4.4 percent.

In a statement from his campaign, Biden thanked supporters for writing his name and said the Republican result — a Trump victory — meant the ex-president “will be the Republican nominee.”

'And my message to the country is that the stakes could not be higher. Our democracy. Our personal freedoms – from the right to choose to the right to vote. Our economy – which has had the strongest recovery in the world since COVID. They are all at stake,” Biden said.

The president headlined a campaign event in northern Virginia on Tuesday instead of making a trip to the Granite State.

At a watch party at the Millyard Museum in Manchester, Phillips vowed to keep his challenge against Biden going.

Phillips launched his quixotic bid in October after months of warning fellow Democrats that the 81-year-old Biden would lose in a general election rematch against Trump.

The 54-year-old father of two from Minnesota is one of the wealthiest members of Congress and previously served as president and CEO of his family's beverage company and later of Talenti gelato.

He noted to supporters that his bid was only ten weeks old.

“And we just won 20 percent tonight and nobody knew who we were 10 weeks ago,” the Minnesota congressman said. “So I have to say, man, if we had 20 weeks, better watch out.”

Phillips said he would take his campaign to South Carolina for the Democratic primary on Feb. 3 and then to Michigan, where a primary will be held later this month.

“Joe Biden is a good man. He's a nice man. Yes, he is everyone, he is our president. But I have to tell you all, he can't win,” Phillips said. “The polls say he can't win, his approval ratings say he can't win.”

Moreover, Phillips noted, “an unknown congressman from Minnesota” could only just secure 21 percent. “So I'm here to say, are you ready to keep this baby going?” he asked the crowd to cheer.

Williamson announced in March that she would seek the presidency again after running against Biden and other Democrats in the 2020 race.

“I am not naive about the powers that be have no intention of allowing anyone into this conversation who does not align with their predetermined agenda,” she said at the time.

Late Tuesday night, Williamson's campaign manager tweeted that he was resigning, leaving the future of her campaign in flux.

Phillips, who has been in Congress since 2017, quickly edged Williamson in the Granite State polls, although Emerson's latest survey showed him trailing Biden by 45 points.

At a polling place in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Tuesday, Phillips called the $1 million write-in campaign “obnoxious.”

“I think it's the hypocrisy of democracy, whether you get on the ballot, I mean, he's the president of the United States of America. What does it say to the country? What does it say to the world? If you choose – choose – not to have your name appear on the ballot in the primaries that have been doing this for 103 years,” Phillips said.

“I think it's terrible,” he added.

Democrats whom DailyMail.com interviewed at a polling station near central Manchester on Tuesday had mixed feelings about losing their historic first primary status.

“I was disappointed,” said Bill Cullity, 70, who is retired but works part-time at a liquor store. “I understand or understand, I think, his rationale based on the last time he was here. But I would, I would say yes, I'm disappointed he didn't show up.”

The president finished in fifth place in the 2020 New Hampshire Democratic primary. He righted his campaign by coming in second in the Nevada primary and then dominating in the South Carolina primary.

Yet Cullity wrote in Biden's name.

“I think he's done a decent job, I think he's an honorable man. “I think from now on he will bring a certain amount of calm to the country and there was no way I would vote for Trump even if the Pope was his running mate.”

Son Faris, a 44-year-old truck driver from Manchester, said he voted for Phillips because the Democrat supports Medicare-for-all.

“We need health care for everyone,” he told DailyMail.com, pointing to the state's notorious drug problem.

Faris said he is a progressive and former supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders and never voted for Biden.

'I didn't vote for him last time, I'm not going to vote for him again. I would never vote for him – give me a choice, die, [or] “If you vote for Biden, it would be a difficult decision,” he said. 'He sucks. He's not well.'

A 22-year-old North Dakota man has been hospitalized for months and had to undergo a double lung transplant due to his troublesome vaping habit.

Jackson Allard was initially admitted to the University of Minnesota Medical Center in October 2023 for stomach pain.

After doctors conducted tests, he was found to be suffering from influenza 4 and double pneumonia, which had affected his lungs and oxygen levels.

The young adult was intubated to give his lungs a chance to heal, but his condition continued to worsen and doctors were forced to place him on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine.

Ultimately, several doctors advised Allard to undergo a double lung transplant to survive.

Allard’s grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt said: ‘At one point a doctor said he had a 1 percent chance of living and we said, “He’s fighting, he’s been fighting, how many weeks are we going to give him the chance to fight, we’re not going to stop.” procedures or whatever.”

“He’s just friendly, he’s outgoing, everyone is just drawn to his energy and how fun he is.

“I thought for sure we were going to lose him. I thought for sure he wouldn’t survive this, but in my mind I kept imagining him coming home.

“You need to stop vaping, and we kept telling him that over and over again, and he was a heavy vaper. He vaped all the time, but he said, “It’s better than cigarettes.”

“Well, they said: with cigarettes you will have lung cancer in fifty years, and if you vape you will have permanent lung damage in five years.”

The vape-addicted adult and his mother, Jamie, will stay in Minneapolis for at least six months to attend regular checkups at University Hospital.

Based on the current situation, Allard can never drink alcohol or smoke and will need a transplant in his lifetime.

According to the GoFundMe page launched by Hurlburt, the last words he said before being intubated were, “I’m scared, I don’t want to be alone.”

The fundraising page has raised $20,910 toward its $30,000 goal.

According to Johns Hopkins University research When it comes to vape ingredients, thousands of chemical ingredients in vape products remain unidentified.

But among those identified were several harmful substances, including caffeine, three chemicals never before found in e-cigarettes, a pesticide and two flavorings linked to possible toxic effects and respiratory irritation.

A study from the University of North Carolina also found that the two main ingredients in e-cigarettes, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, are toxic to body cells.

“Emerging data suggests links with chronic lung disease and asthma, as well as associations between dual use of e-cigarettes and smoking with cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. Michael Blaha, director of clinical research at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, said.

Based on the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey, more than two million U.S. high school students reported using e-cigarettes, with more than eight in 10 using flavored e-cigarettes.

The process of receiving a double lung transplant is not without risks.

According to the Mayo Clinicthe human immune system protects the body from foreign substances and even if the patient has the best possible match with the donor, the body will try to attack and reject the new lungs.

To reduce the risk of organ rejection, patients are given immunosuppressive medications that they must take for the rest of their lives.

There is also a risk of infection, kidney damage, osteoporosis and cancer.

A couple who relocated to live out their dream in the Alps reveal pictures of their new life in the mountains, where they have so far hiked hundreds of summits – including 50 peaks in one year.

Christine Madeux, 26, and her husband Scott Madeux, 29, packed up their belongings and moved from the U.S to Bavaria in Germany ‘to be close to some of the most beautiful mountains in the world’.

Four years on, the couple, from Indiana and Minnesota respectively, say they ‘haven’t looked back’ and have so far climbed more than 200 summits across the Alps region.

Their most memorable ascents include Germany’s highest mountain, The Zugspitze (9,718ft/2,962m), and Bishorn in Switzerland (13,630ft/4,153m). They also enjoyed a ‘jaw-dropping’ sunset hike on Austria’s Gamsjoch mountain, which rises to 8,045ft (2,452m) above sea level.

‘We love living in the Alps for countless reasons, but our favorite would have to be that we truly never worry about being bored at home,’ Christine told MailOnline Travel.

‘There are dozens of pristine lakes to swim in the summer, skiing right out our doorstep in winter, and thousands of mountains to climb year-round. Every time we head outside, we realise we’ve barely scratched the surface of places to explore.’

Christine, an adventure wedding photographer and Scott, a software engineer and wedding videographer, met while working in Alaska and have lived in mountainous areas across the American West.

But despite all the incredible places they have travelled to, Christine said she had ‘still never forgotten’ the time she spent working as a nanny in Germany and living near the Alps.

In December 2019, inspired by her fond memories, the couple relocated from their home in Idaho, U.S, to the German ski-resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria.

‘After realising extended travel in the Alps without an income wouldn’t be possible for us, we decided the best way to experience the region together would be by taking jobs out here,’ Christine explained.

‘So that’s exactly what we did.’

Shortly after moving to Germany, the pandemic struck, putting a halt on international travel and many social events.

But that did not deter the couple, who kept busy with hiking.

‘It quickly became one of our only activities to fill the time outside of work,’ Christine said.

‘Some time in the spring of 2020, I suggested to my husband that we should try and hike 50 different peaks in the Alps that year, without the assistance of cable cars.

‘While many took place around our home in Germany, we also were able to hike a number of different mountains in Austria, Switzerland, and the Italian Dolomites, which are all within 30 minutes to a few hours of where we live.

‘In 2021, we completed an additional 50 peaks together, then again in 2022 and again in 2023.

‘So in total, I’ve now hiked and climbed over 200 different summits across the Alps.’

Christine said one of the most rewarding parts to hiking mountains is ‘having a space to go and just be inspired by the outdoors’.

She described the experience as ‘almost meditative’, despite the challenges.

‘The wind might be blowing and the temperatures freezing, yet somehow it’s still peaceful,’ she added.

Their favourite summits ‘by far’ are those they have tackled at sunrise and sunset ‘when the sky ranges from deep blues and purples to brilliant orange and pink’.

Christine said there is ‘something powerful about knowing your legs can power you upward 1,000, 2,000 or even 3,000 vertical metres in a matter of hours’.

But it’s not all about reaching the top, she added. ‘The combination of exercise, beautiful views and a chance to find respite from the day-to-day busyness of life makes it addictive.’

Christine also recalled climbing Switzerland’s Garde de Bordon in ‘misty 2am conditions’ to catch the sunset at its 10,860ft (3,310m) peak.

‘Atop the summit, we were rewarded with what can also be described as the most awe-inspiring of views,’ she added.

‘We stood above the clouds and around us were 360-degree views of towering 13,123ft (4,000m) peaks, cascading glaciers, and steep valleys beneath.

‘Add in the warm glow of the rising sun and it made the tour nothing short of epic.’

Christine and Scott enjoyed hiking so much that they decided to launch their own wedding photography business, Made in the Mountains, helping couples to create and capture ‘an awe-inspiring elopement experience’ in the Alps.

The photographer and videographer duo capture off-the-beaten-path weddings, whether that’s an elopement ‘on a glacier’ in Switzerland or ‘exchanging vows in the craggy peaks of the Italian Dolomites’, according to their website.

So what’s next on the couple’s hiking bucket list?

‘Our list of “must-do” mountains is ever-growing,’ Christine said.

‘But in 2024, we’d love a chance to climb Piz Palü (12,800ft/3,900m) in Switzerland’s Bernina Alps and possibly Mont Blanc if the glacier is in good shape this summer.’

In the longer term, she dreams of climbing the Weisshorn, which reaches an incredible 14,780ft (4,506m), in the Swiss Alps.

But there is one problem for Christine – she has a fear of heights. And this peak is described by Alpine Guides as ‘one of the most difficult 4,000m peaks’ with ‘delicate rock pitches and steep snow climbing’.

‘I’m not sure I’ll ever summit that one due to my fear of heights,’ Christine said. ‘Believe it or not, after 200 peaks, I’m still fairly scared of heights and exposure.’

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist got married during a live televised wedding ceremony on ABC after getting engaged on The Golden Bachelor spin-off series.

The 72-year-old retired restaurateur and widow from Hudson, Indiana, and 70-year-old Theresa, a financial services professional from Shrewsbury, New Jersey, exchanged vows at the exclusive La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta, California, during a special two-hour episode titled The Golden Wedding.

The Golden Bachelor concluded on November 30 with Gerry choosing Theresa over runner-up Leslie Fhima, 64, a fitness instructor from Golden Valley, Minnesota, after spending overnight dates with both of them in the Fantasy Suites.

Susan Noles, 66, a wedding officiant from Aston, Pennsylvania, officiated the wedding after being a contestant on the show and displayed her funny side with a few well-timed jokes. 

‘Gerry, I went on the Golden Bachelor open to meeting the man of my dreams but I never expected it to happen,’ Theresa said during their vows exchange. ‘I walked out of the limo, hoping I wouldn’t trip and fall on those cobblestones and I would convince you that I was naked underneath that robe.Admit it. I almost had you.’

‘You did,’ Gerry said.

‘Then I stood in front of you and started feeling something I didn’t expect to feel,’ Theresa said. ‘As if I’d know you all my life and I moved in for a kiss as if to say ”goodbye darling I’ll see you later when you get home.”

Theresa said that their first date was magical and how she started to believe there could be something between them and that she later grew to love him.

‘I love your heart and your soul,’ Theresa said.

Theresa promised to stick by his side and ‘most of all to have fun for the rest of the days that we have left on this earth which could be another hour.’ Theresa told him that she could not wait to be his wife.

Gerry, his eyes welled up with tears, shared his vows next.

‘Theresa when I think of all the decisions that we have made to be here in this position tonight, I know the hand of God and the winds of fate have ordained this moment,’ Gerry said. ‘From our first sip of chocolate shake to the last taste of Costa Rican coffee, I have learned that you are the woman I can’t live without. I learned that you make me calm with the touch of your hand. I’ve learned that you make me laugh with the easy comfort of a long lost friend.’

Gerry said he knew he found a full partner and promised her that he would ‘make her the happiest woman on earth.’

‘I promise to choose you every day and never take your heart for granted,’ Gerry said. ‘I promise to shout the ‘I Love You’s’ by day and whisper them softly at night.’

Theresa cried as Gerry recited his vows to her. He made her laugh when he said he would also promise to keep track of her reading glasses and her shoes.

‘Theresa you have my heart and I have yours,’ Gerry said.

The two then put their wedding rings on each other as officiant Susan told them to look in each other’s eyes and to think about their happiness at this moment between them.

‘Now may you take on the world together with all your hopes and dreams,’ Susan said.

Susan pronounced them husband and wife and the two kissed and then walked down the aisle together.

Theresa wore an elaborate Badgley Mischka gown and a long veil for the big day. Gerry and Theresa’s family members served as the couple’s groomsmen and bridesmaids while an orchestra played.

At the start of the ceremony, Susan asked everyone to rise as Theresa in her gown with her long veil made her way down the aisle.

‘Theresa and I met when she walked through the Bachelor Mansion door in her birthday suit,’ Susan said. ‘Gerry and I met when I stopped out of the limo and said ‘Gerry I am going to marry you! Turns out I was right.’

Susan said she had never married a couple that she had watched fall so deeply in love.

‘And they are so incredibly perfect for one another,’ Susan said.

‘I truly believe it was fate that brought you both together,’ Susan. ‘You have both given us all so much hope that it is never, ever too late to find love.’

Susan asked both their family members to share their thoughts in front of everyone. Theresa’s daughter Jen, who was also celebrating her birthday, said this wedding felt surreal but that it was always meant to be.

‘Gerry take good care of my best friend since birth,’ Jen said.

Gerry’s daughters Angie Warren and Jenny Young also shared their heartwarming well wishes for the couple. After the wedding ceremony, everyone took to the dance floor.

Theresa and Gerry, now as husband and wife, returned to the party and made their way to the dance floor. Theresa then tossed the bouquet and three of the other contestants- Joan Vassos, 60, Kathy, and Anna, 61 – each caught pieces of it.

Gerry then shared a couple of words with the crowd.

‘I think it was a year ago, I sat at home thinking all of my highlights for the year and my life were done,’ Gerry said. ‘I have a whole new outlook on my life because of this journey and because of this woman. And I’d almost forgotten the really important advice, don’t stop believing!’

The crowd cheered as the song that was featured during their first date played in the background.

Theresa’s son Tommy, 46, walked her down the aisle and had her grandsons serve as groomsmen. Her daughter Jen served as her maid of honor. 

Gerry’s daughters Angie and Jenny also served as bridesmaids. 

The episode opened with footage showing Gerry and Theresa spending the holidays with each over and their families for the first time while also honoring their spouses who died.

Jesse Palmer, 45, hosted the wedding and told viewers at the start that his pregnant wife Emely Fardo was due to deliver their first child together at any moment.

The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson, 27, and The Golden Bachelor contestant Kathy Swarts, 70, of Austin, Texas, helped Jesse out with hosting duties and interviewed guests from The Bachelor franchise.

The Bachelor star Ben Higgins, 34, crashed an interview between Kathy and runner-up Leslie and he promised to be on the dance floor during the wedding reception.

‘It feels so good to be getting married to Gerry,’ Theresa said before the ceremony.

Celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss planned the extravagant wedding. Mindy showed them the place setting and the flowers before the ceremony.

‘We want it to be grand,’ Mindy said.

‘I can’t wait to marry him,’ Theresa said. ‘This wedding can’t come fast enough.’

The Bachelorette star Trista Sutter, 51, and her husband Ryan Sutter, 49, also were among the guests at the wedding.

Joey Graziadei, 28, the next star of The Bachelor, was interviewed by Charity and Kathy ahead of season 28, which is scheduled to premiere on January 22 on ABC.

Gerry was the subject of an article published in November ahead of the season finale that claimed he has a secret past that includes a three-year relationship after the death of his wife and various blue-collar jobs.

Theresa and Gerry during the wedding episode were shown choosing their cake for their guests and Jesse afterward said he couldn’t wait to try it.

Gerry met with jeweler Neil Lane to pick out a wedding band for himself and a wedding ring for Theresa. Theresa also was shown trying out wedding dresses with her family and friends. 

Wedding guest Brayden Bowers, 25, of San Diego, proposed to former The Bachelor contestant Christina Mandrell, 26, of Tennessee, during the episode after he recently failed to find love on Bachelor In Paradise and on Charity’s season of The Bachelorette. 

‘Yes!’ Christina said. ‘This is why we got our nails done?’ 

Before the wedding, Theresa had a bachelorette party with some of the women from the show including Ellen, 71, Susan, 66, Sue, Faith, and Sandra. Theresa had arranged a boudoir shoot for them.

‘Celebrate your sexuality, that is what we are going to do today,’ Theresa said.

They each picked sexy lingerie to put on. Theresa hoped everyone felt empowered by the shoot. Sandra pretended she was posing for Denzel Washington.

When the shoot was over, Susan had arranged for Chippendales dances to come and give Theresa a lap dance. The women enjoyed dancing with them and touching the dancers’ muscles.

‘This is the best bachelorette party I have been to,’ Ellen said.

Sandra later brought one of the dancers to the wedding as her escort. Charity brought her fiancé Dotun with her to the wedding. Dotun also announced that he would be getting married to Charity in the Fall of 2025.

Gerry and Theresa spent the night before their wedding reminiscing about their romance before a roaring fire.

‘I love you,’ Gerry said. ‘More than I ever thought possible.’

‘It’s incredible that I found someone like you,’ Gerry said.

‘Tonight is the last night I want to spend away from Gerry,’ Theresa said.