She came (with a wedding cake), she saw (Bachelor Grant Ellis), and she conquered (Season 29 of ABC reality dating show The Bachelor).
Charlottesville-based wedding planner Savannah Quinn Crowder might not have received a rose from Ellis during the show’s season premiere on Monday, January 27, but she still has plenty to report on the experience of going from VA to LA. She spoke to us about her short-but-sweet time on the show, dream wedding plans, and favorite date spots in the DC area.
Tell us how you came to be cast on The Bachelor.
My mother is South African, and I have family over there. I was there in April of 2024 for my birthday, and my friend was like, ‘I’m gonna apply for the South African Bachelor. You should apply for the American Bachelor with me.’ I have always been interested in the show. My degree was in cinematic arts and digital media, so I’ve always been in that world, but it never really seemed like it would come to fruition for me. Then, I got a call back from the casting agency, and at first, I thought it was a scam, but then I talked to the casting director, and she was super lovely and super legit. They kept pushing me through, and I was like, ‘Wait, are they actually considering me?’ It was a really long process—about six months. Five days before I got on a plane to LA, they were like, ‘You’re a cast member on The Bachelor!’
What motivated you to go on the show?
Honestly, I just couldn’t do another Hinge date. I had to resort to reality television—that’s how bad the dating pool is! I know people have their connotations of reality television, but I saw Joey [Graziadei’s Season 28 of The Bachelor], and it just seemed like an environment that I could get behind. I’ve always known that the way I find my husband is going to be out of the ordinary and atypical, and I was like, ‘Maybe this is it—or my avenue to it.’
What was the experience of being flown out in such a whirlwind like?
They took our phones as soon as we landed in LA. Then, we’re in a hotel and we can’t contact anybody, so it was a little emotionally trying. We’re doing all these fun things—promo, meeting some really cool people—and all you want to do is talk to your friends and family. I did a lot of journaling and writing, and I had a little page where I would write out texts that I would send if I had my phone. It sounds insane, but it was what I had to do! Grant was very kind, and all of the production team was very accommodating and welcoming. That was really helpful.
Tell us about your grand entrance. How did you pull off that wedding cake stunt?
My producer would come to my hotel room, and we would bounce ideas off of each other of what we wanted, what kind of angle I wanted to focus on, and the best way to get across who I was am. They kind of added to what would work best logistically and what might look best on TV. They took the [wedding cake] idea and ran with it. When I arrived at the mansion, I was like, ‘Guys, I’m a wedding planner. I know how heavy wedding cakes are. How am I supposed to do it in four-inch heels up a cobblestone driveway?’ They were kind enough to take a third tier off….but it was still a very heavy cake.
Did you get to spend real time with Grant? Were there any conversations that we didn’t see?
I had a really great conversation with him. It obviously was very brief, and it wasn’t under normal circumstances, but he just had a really genuine vibe about him. I felt like we were friends, in a way—there clearly wasn’t a super romantic connection, but he just seemed like a very down-to-earth guy. I felt very at peace, even though it was such a bizarre situation.
Walk us through those Night One emotions. How did you feel when you didn’t receive a rose?
Leading up to the rose ceremony, I remember thinking that I had a really good conversation with him, and so I would probably get a rose. But when we were all lined up, I remember standing there and in my head, being like, ‘If these people are getting a rose, then I’m not.’ The entire time, I did pray very heavily for peace and calm nerves—for it to happen how it’s meant to happen, and for the best case scenario for me and everybody involved in the long run. I was quite nervous, but then once he started handing out the roses, I felt completely calm. I’m definitely a crier, but when I didn’t get a rose, I felt completely fine.
What happened after you got sent home?
Most of the girls [on the show] that I was closest with actually left with me, which was kind of comforting, because we had the bus ride together. When I had a moment to sit and I was by myself for the first time in a while, everything hit me. I was emotional for sure, but I don’t think sad was ever the feeling. I spent a couple of days with [my mom and dad] just to kind of process everything. Once all of that dies down, you start thinking, ‘What did I actually do, and how are they actually going to edit this?’
What did you think about the premiere?
Leading up to the premiere, it was pretty nerve-wracking—it was fun and exciting, for sure, but it was more nerve-wracking than the actual experience itself. Being in a position like this, which is, in my opinion, very cool and something that I’m very proud of, there are always people that want to see you fail. But after the premiere, I was super duper happy with how everything turned out. My biggest priority going into this entire experience was that I wasn’t gonna embarrass my job and I wasn’t gonna embarrass my family. If that meant going home on night one, then that was fine.
Was there anything about being a wedding planner that came in handy during your Bachelor journey?
During the application process, it kind of hit that whole romantic love theme. It was a big reason that I applied for the shows—it’s my everyday life. I kind of played that a little bit.
Tell us about your dream wedding.
I do weddings every single day, so I definitely know exactly what I do want and what I don’t want. People think a big wedding means a nice wedding, and a small wedding means a lowkey wedding. I want a smaller, intimate guest count, but a very nice, high-end wedding. It’ll have a lot of flowers, be very romantic, and have a lot of people that I know really, really well. I don’t want people that I haven’t talked to in a thousand years. I just want my close friends, some really good food, and, of course, a delicious wedding cake!
What are some of your favorite date spots across the DMV area?
In Charlottesville right now, I love the Alley Light on the Downtown Mall—that’s by far my favorite place to grab a cocktail. They do this really cool thing where you can tell the bartender what elements you want, and they make their own kind of concoction for you and put it in a really cute antique glass. Maya is a really nice, cozy spot as well. They have some really yummy food, and some great appetizers. In the DC area, Dirty Habit is a great one, and El Presidente has some great food as well. Anywhere that’s dimly lit and quiet—count me in.
What kind of advice do you have for folks who are looking for love in DC?
Instead of having a night in with your friends, go out in a group and talk to people. Online dating is really not working, so we need to bring back that socializing aspect. I’m trying to find ways to have single events and things like that that aren’t just at bars at one in the morning—some healthy, fun ways for young adults to actually socialize and get back out there. I think after Covid, we kind of got scared and forgot how to mingle with people—and I’ll be the first one to say the same. People want to be connected.
