Theresa Nist is getting a second chance at love — but she still holds the memory of her late husband, William “Bill” Nist, in her heart.
Just before Theresa, 70, was announced as her fiancee-to-be The Golden BachelorGerry Turner, 72, shared a post on Instagram to mark the ninth anniversary of Bill’s death.
Among the photos, shared on November 11, was a picture of a young Theresa and Bill walking down the aisle on their wedding day.
Her wedding dress featured vintage details, such as puffy long sleeves and a high neckline. She also wore a romantic veil made of what looked like lace floral appliqués that rested on top of the headdress and wrapped around her long hair.
In the picture, he is holding Billy, who chose a white tuxedo jacket, classic black trousers, a black bow tie and traditional shoes.
Theresa Nist shares a photo of her wedding dress from her first marriage to William “Bill” Nist.
Theresa Nist/Instagram
“Billy and I met when I was 14 and he was 16. We got married at 18 and 20,” Theresa wrote alongside the post, which included cute throwback photos of her and Bill.
“Billy passed away nine years ago today. Remembering my late husband and remembering all the veterans who served our country so that we can be free, not to do what we want, but to do the right thing,” she added.
Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner and fiancee Theresa Nist make their red carpet debut as an engaged couple
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Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist make their red carpet debut at the screening of “The Golden Bachelor” in New York on December 11.
Anthony Behar thanks to ABC
Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist share their January wedding vision: ‘It’s going to be spectacular’ (Exclusive)
As the inaugural season The Golden Bachelor played, Theresa and Turner — who lost his wife and high school sweetheart, Toni, in 2017 — bonded over their experiences with grief and their hopeful outlook on life.
During the finale, Turner presented Theresa with his Last Rose and proposed with a Neil Lane princess-cut diamond ring that held special meaning for Turner and the couple’s journey.
“The symbolism of it is so important,” Turner told PEOPLE exclusively. “It was like, as soon as she put it on, again, it was like, ‘Oh, my God, this is this joyful happiness that I want to feel, that I want everyone to see.'”
Just like their engagement, which left viewers breathless in anticipation, Turner and Nist’s wedding will air on ABC’s live special on January 4.
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Meanwhile, Theresa and Turner are head over heels in the wedding planning process, with the help of their children.
“We have daughters who are so involved,” Theresa told PEOPLE in a joint interview with Turner. “My daughter, she’s seen a million weddings and she’s amazing. She put together a vision board. She asks me: ‘Do you like this? Do you like this?’ And I say, ‘Wow, well, I don’t even have to do that. This is excellent.’ She carries it pretty well.”
She also has an idea of how she wants her dress and veil to look, as well as thoughts on the “look of the cake”. She chose the colors for the flowers and wants a lot of them “because my daughter and I are both gardeners,” she said. “I have an abundance of roses and gardens.”
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