Let the tears, kissing, and vibrator jokes commence: Katie Thurston's season of The Bachelorette is finally here. Many parts of her journey are still a mystery — we haven't even gotten an extended trailer yet — but thankfully, in the age of social media, there's a lot we can learn about Thurston's Bachelorette cast after a quick Instagram sweep.
Among Katie's contestants this season are another TikTok star, a couple single dads, several pranksters, a skin salesman (whatever that means), and a lot of dudes who are really, really into dogs and travel. There's even a familiar face from a recent season of The Bachelorette. What's most important to know about these guys, though, is that Thurston has a ton of love for them.
"You all are about to meet an incredible group of men with fascinating stories to tell. The vulnerability and strength these men show throughout our time together is something I’ll cherish forever. They each hold a special place in my heart," she wrote in a May 26 Instagram post. "That all being said, I am protective of them... Please remember to stay kind in this. You’ll only get to see a glimpse of how extraordinary they really are."
As for whether she's with any of these extraordinary men now? Thurston's keeping quiet, but she did admit that she fell hard for multiple people. "I fall in love more than once," she told Entertainment Tonight. Plus, she added, "I have sex in the fantasy suites, so you heard it here first. We all know it happens, but no one’s talking about it!"
Think you can figure out which of these guys won all the roses? Scroll through for everything you need to know about this season's dreamiest, weirdest, and most surprising contenders.
Aaron, Age 26
From: San Diego, CA
Instagram: @aaronrclancy
Job: Insurance agent
According to his list of fun facts, Aaron is afraid of rats and sabertooth tigers. Like many Bachelorette men before him, he also seems to be a huge fan of a good post-workout photo.
Andrew M., Age 31
From: Newport Beach, CAInstagram: @soymilc
Job: Deputy district attorney
In his bio, Andrew says he "LOVES" playing pranks and he's looking for a partner who has a great sense of humor. It might be too soon to judge who could be Katie's best match, but it sounds like these two might have fun wreaking some havoc on a date together.
Andrew S., Age 26
From: Chicago, IL
Instagram: @andrewzspencer
Job: Football player
Andrew is one of the contestants who appears to make a big impression early on when he fakes an Austrian accent. (Hey, at least he eventually let Katie in on the joke.) We also know he kisses her at least once, so Andrew might be one worth keeping an eye on.
Austin, Age 25
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Instagram: @austinsley
Job: Real estate investor
Austin says he has dated "many women," but now, he is "truly searching for the Beyoncé to his Jay-Z and has no intention of compromising." I have a feeling this guy will be fun to watch on-screen.
Brandon, Age 26
From: Queens, NY
Instagram: @amadoseba
Job: Auto parts manager
Not only has Brandon lived all over the globe, but he's a polyglot who's fluent in Japanese and Spanish and currently learning Korean. A quick sweep of his Instagram also indicates that he's very into his motorcycle. (And roses!)
Brendan, Age 26
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Instagram: @thebrendanquinn
Job: Firefighter trainee
Every season, we get one or two Canadian contestants — this year, Brendan made the trip to the U.S. to try to find love with Katie. Along with working towards becoming a firefighter, he plays hockey in a local league.
Christian, Age 26
From: Boston, MA
Instagram: @christian.smith17
Job: Real estate agent
Christian isn't the first Bachelorette contestant to work in real estate, but it sounds like he's passionate about what he does: he wrote in his bio that he's sold over $25 million worth of real estate properties. (In other news, he also "rocked a fauxhawk" at one point in his life.)
Cody, Age 27
From: San Diego, CA
Instagram: @menkster_
Job: Sales manager
Cody made a pretty big impression night one when he introduced Katie to his blow-up doll. Referring to the, uh, questionable move, he wrote, "I tried not to blow it!" Say what you will, but he definitely took a page out of our new Bachelorette's first impression guidebook.
Connor B., Age 29
From: Nashville, TN
Instagram: @connorfalcon
Job: Math teacher
Every year, someone dons an unforgettable costume, and this season, Connor decided to whip out a costume in honor of Katie's beloved cat. Say what you will about this strategy, but they did end up spending a lot of time together.
Conor C., Age 28
From: Costa Mesa, CA
Instagram: @conorcostello4
Job: Former baseball player
Conor is a former pro sports player who seems to really be leaning into the baseball thing. "We will catch y'all tomorrow night!" he captioned a recent shot of his first meeting with Katie. Get it?
David, Age 27
From: Nashville, TN
Instagram: @dscott530
Job: Technical product specialist
We haven't seen much of David in this season's promos, but we do know he gets some sit-down time with Katie — and has a huge smile on his face when he meets her.
Gabriel, Age 35
From: Charlotte, NC
Instagram: @gabrielzeverett
Job: Entrepreneur
Gabriel is a photographer and artist whose work has appeared in publications like Elle Decor, Rolling Stone, and even Refinery29, according to his website. Although he's from North Carolina, he currently lives on the west coast.
Garrett, Age 29
From: Salinas, CA
Instagram: @garrettschwartz_7
Job: Software marketing manager
Based off of both his bio and his Instagram, Garrett is very into adventures and his German Shepherd, Archer. He also promised to tell Katie his "biggest confession" on night one, but this is The Bachelorette — time will tell if anything he says can surprise us.
Greg, Age 27
From: Edison, NJ
Instagram: @greggrippo
Job: Marketing sales representative
Greg has already emerged as one to watch this season. We haven't even seen many promos yet, but we've still gotten a glimpse of Greg and Katie kissing several times, once during a steamy moment in the rain.
Hunter, Age 34
From: Houston, TX
Instagram: @hmontgomery
Job: Software strategist
Hunter and Katie have one major thing in common: they're both TikTok stars, and although his channel focuses on mental health, he's already started posting some videos about the season.
James, Age 30
From: San Diego, CA
Instagram: @jamesbonsall_
Job: Human capital manager
You might not recognize his face, but if you've seen any of the season's promos, you probably recognize James' very memorable entrance — he showed up in a box to meet Katie.
Jeff, Age 31
From: Jersey City, NJ
Instagram: @captainvolcano
Job: Surgical skin salesman
Jeff has another pretty unique entrance: He brings an RV to the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in New Mexico. And if that's not quirky enough, he also loves eating peanut butter with a spoon and works as a "skin salesman." Okay!
John, Age 27
From: Pacific Beach, CA
Instagram: @johnalexhersey
Job: Bartender
As Katie said almost immediately, John is absolutely her type. And they seem to be on the same page: In a pre-season post, he called Katie a "strong, goofy, and genuine human being."
Joshua, Age 25
From: Miami, FL
Instagram: @joshtylerbest
Job: IT consultant
Joshua says he's looking for authenticity and wants someone he can bring home for "a night of barbecue and playing cards." According to Instagram and Twitter, he's also a former college cheerleader.
Justin, Age 26
From: Baltimore, MD
Instagram: @justinglaze
Job: Investment sales consultant
Justin works in investment sales, but he's also a talented artist — you can check out some of his paintings on Instagram. He might not be gifted at everything, though: He warned his Instagram followers that he's saving his dance moves until marriage.
Karl, Age 34
From: Miami, FL
Instagram: @ksmithinspires
Job: Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker and founder of a leadership network, Karl has one of the season's biggest followings on social media. He warned his Instagram followers to get ready for "a hell of a ride."
Kyle, Age 26
From: Fort Lauderdale, FLInstagram: @kyle_howard1
Job: Technical recruiter
Kyle's very into travel — according to Instagram, he's been to 47 states and 14 countries, but he calls Florida home. According to comedian Jared Freid, Kyle "looks like he's been on The Bachelorette the past 10 seasons but we never remembered his name," but he seems to have a good sense of humor about the jab. Kyle shared Freid's video to his Instagram Story and joked, "Don't hold back."
Landon, Age 25
From: Dallas, TXInstagram: @landongoesling
Job: Basketball coach
The upshot of Landon's Bachelorette bio is that he's a "proud and loyal" Belieber. He's also a former collegiate basketball star who recently received his master's degree in global business.
Marcus, Age 30
From: Portland, ORInstagram: @marcus_lathan
Job: Real estate broker
Marcus is pretty multitalented: He was recently honored within his company for his work as a broker, but he's also a successful model who appeared in a national Colgate campaign last year. Plus, according to Jimmy Kimmel, he has this season's best eyebrows.
Marty, Age 25
From: Reno, NVInstagram: @marty__mar
Job: Dancer
Marty seems like one of this season's more original contestants. He works as a dancer, and according to his fun facts, he loves cologne and has his own ("self-declared") tagline, which is "Marty brings the party."
Michael, Age 36
From: Akron, OHInstagram: @michael_alliol4
Job: Business owner
Michael, a single dad and business owner from Ohio, runs a nonprofit devoted to his wife, Laura, who passed away from breast cancer in 2019. He says his "dream woman" is someone with a witty, self-deprecating sense of humor and a willingness to stand up for what's right, so it might be safe to say he was a fan of Katie during her stint on The Bachelor.
Mike, Age 31
From: San Diego, CAInstagram: @mikeyplaneta
Job: Gym owner
Today, Mike works as a gym owner, but he also has a background as a minor league baseball star. Like some of his castmates, he's really into dogs. (He even said "Who Let The Dogs Out" would be his personal theme song.)
Quartney, Age 26
From: Dallas, TXInstagram: @quartneymixon
Job: Nutrition entrepreneur
According to Instagram, Quartney founded and operates his own nutrition supplement company. (He also has a very cute dog — if this guy makes it to hometowns, I hope we get to meet her.)
Thomas, Age 28
From: Poway, CAInstagram: @thomasajacobs
Job: Real estate broker
Between his dream of taking a woman on a carefully planned food tour of San Diego and his admission that he rocked "the Ed Hardy trend," there's a lot going on in Thomas' cast bio. One of his standout fun facts, though, might be that he's a huge fan of chicken nuggets.
Tré, Age 26
From: Covington, GAInstagram: @_trecooper
Job: Software engineer
Tré made a splash on night one by jumping out of a makeshift ball pit in the backseat of a pick-up truck. He also had the sweetest words to say about the season's lead: "Each moment with Katie is full of joy and uncontrollable laughter," he wrote.