Is anyone else wondering about the timeline between Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?
Season 4 of the hit Hulu series, which premiered in March 2026, showed the weeks leading up to Taylor leaving for Los Angeles for season 22 of The Bachelorette. Before she left, however, Taylor hooked up with ex Dakota Mortensen at least two times — once just a few hours before her flight — which left some wondering whether she was serious about her search for The One.
“It was a choice,” Taylor told Us Weekly in an exclusive cover story earlier this month while reflecting on her Bachelorette journey. “Ready, at the end of the day, is a decision. So I made the decision to leave for two months and try. I reassured [the men] that was why I was here.”
Taylor explained that she and Dakota “were just not progressing,” adding, “We like each other sometimes, and then we fight. It’s really hard to explain to people and unless you’ve been in that situation, it is hard to understand. If I could just snap out of it, trust me, I would. It’s just a lot harder said than done.”
Mormon Wives’ Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen’s Relationship Timeline
Taylor, who shares son Ever with Dakota, acknowledged that it’s been “so hard to remove” herself from the “cycle” of their messy off-and-on romance.
News later broke that filming on season 5 of Mormon Wives was put on pause after Taylor and Dakota were allegedly involved in a domestic violence dispute. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” involving Taylor and Dakota.
During her interview with Us — which took place days before a police report was filed regarding the alleged incident — Taylor opened up about her status with Dakota.
“That’s a good question,” she hinted. “I don’t even know. I have to ask myself that question all the time. Where do we stand? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the timeline between The Bachelorette season 22 and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 5:
October 26, 2025
Hours after filming her last scene for season 4 of Mormon Wives — which showed her seemingly sleeping with Dakota Mortensen again — Taylor Frankie Paul was on a plane to the Bachelor Mansion. She met with nearly 20 former franchise leads, who offered her advice for The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose special.
November 12, 2025
In a prerecorded segment that aired during The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale, Taylor Frankie Paul spoke to Jesse Palmer about her contestants.
“They’re all amazing, which has made this all so much harder,” Taylor shared at the time. “If they were not the best, it would make it easy to weed them out, but they’re just gentlemen and there’s chemistry with them. It’s been wild.”
Taylor noted that not every suitor was a match.
“I’m not a very by-the-book girl, [and] I just want to be more comfortable,” she said. “The more comfortable we are, myself and the men … we try to be our truest selves. If I want to wear Crocs tonight, I’m wearing my Crocs. … Can we eat the food that’s on the table? But also, if I want to send people home before the rose ceremony, if I catch something, I’m sending them home.”
After Jesse then revealed that Taylor “literally” did just cut one of her contestants “a couple hours ago,” she added, “He made it easy because he was trying to fire back at me, and I’m like, ‘Absolutely not.’ I’m not here to waste your time, please don’t waste mine. If you’re here for the wrong reasons, you’re leaving.”
December 9, 2025
Although Bachelor Nation leads and contestants typically don’t have access to social media while filming, Taylor Frankie Paul appeared to be the exception as she shared glimpses at her looks for the rose ceremonies.
December 11, 2025
“Teaser: Last night was one of the BEST nights of my life,” Taylor Frankie Paul wrote via her Instagram Stories as she prepared to wrap filming on the dating show. “Can’t wait to talk about [it] in like six months LMAFO [sic].”
December 13, 2025
While Taylor Frankie Paul was still in Los Angeles filming The Bachelorette, production kicked off on season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. (The cast has previously mentioned that they don’t often have a break between seasons as producers continue filming them.)
“Just catching @Taylor Paul up on life lately 😉😂,” Jessi Ngatikaura wrote via TikTok after getting into a social media feud with costar Demi Engemann, which is expected to play out on Mormon Wives season 5.
Based on the Mormon Wives cast’s interactions with Taylor before The Bachelorette wrapped, there will likely be some crossover with the stars of both shows.
December 20, 2025
Taylor Frankie Paul filmed The Bachelorette throughout the fall of 2025, teasing via social media that the outcome of season 22 would be “worth the wait.”
“And that’s a wrap,” she revealed via Instagram. “I never experienced anything like this. Can’t wait to talk all about [The Bachelorette], share it, show it.”
She concluded: “Such a passion for what goes into something like this. Feeling so grateful to be part of the bachelor nation family and crew. I left the most ‘me’ picture [her flipping the middle finger] for last. This will be worth the wait, stay tuned coming in March.”
February 19, 2026
While Taylor didn’t reveal whether she got engaged, she teased her Bachelorette ending in her Us Weekly cover story interview.
“I’m happy in the moment,” she said. “[The season] ended in a Taylor way. Some people may know what that means, and some people might not.”
February 24, 2026
According to a spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department, “contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24th and 25th” regarding an alleged dispute between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen. The spokesperson noted “allegations have been made in both directions” and that there is an open “domestic assault investigation.”
Inside Mormon Wives’ Taylor, Dakota’s Messy Relationship: What They’ve Said
March 15, 2026
Taylor Frankie Paul attended the 2026 Oscars to promote The Bachelorette season 22. She also took to TikTok to share a video of herself with a mystery guy — which some thought was her finalist from The Bachelorette — with a caption that read, “Sorry kinda busy.”
March 16, 2026
A source confirmed production was “shut down” on season 5 of Mormon Wives following Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s alleged domestic dispute.
“The Mormon Wives cast [is] honestly terrified to film with Taylor right now,” the source exclusively told Us, noting that “the women have made it clear they don’t want to be around her because they see her as a major liability.”
According to the insider, the Mormon Wives cast “believed Taylor was in a better place” after she filmed her season of The Bachelorette and that their Hulu reality show “was heading in a different direction.”
“Now, many of them feel they’ve moved past the point of dealing with this kind of behavior and simply don’t want to be put in that position again,” the source continued.
March 22, 2026
News of Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal issues came shortly before season 22 of The Bachelorette is set to premiere on ABC.
