The Bachelor Season 29 Contestant Dina Lupancu’s Family Guide

Dina Lupancu has been candid with Bachelor Grant Ellis about how her upbringing — where she was one of 11 children — has affected her romantic relationships.

“A lot of people are a little intimidated, especially in the dating world. Little bit of an ice queen, I’ve been told that my entire life,” Dina told Grant during a season 29 one-on-one date. “A lot of it has to do with the fact that I come from a big family. I’m one of 11, plus my parents, which makes 13. We didn’t talk about our feelings. In my relationships, I held back a lot.”

Dina, who hails from Chicago, said in the premiere episode of The Bachelor that her parents are originally from outside the U.S. In a teaser for the hometown episode later in the season, Grant seemed to get a warning message from one of Dina’s loved ones.

“Her family are just protective. They do not bring anyone into their family just because,” the person said, while Grant said in a confessional, “The family not buying in could be a make or break situation.”

Scroll down to meet Dina’s family:

Dina’s Parents

Dina shared that her parents lived in Romania until their 20s. “They came to Chicago and just started popping out kids one after the other after that,” Dina said in her intro package. “My family’s a little bit more traditional. No one in my family has really done anything like this. There’s a very specific way that they expect you to be, but they know I’ve always kind of been different. I’ve always done things my way.”

Dina’s 11 Siblings

Dina is one of 11 siblings, which has impacted the qualities she’s looking for in a romantic partner. “Being one of 11 siblings, Dina is looking for someone who is kind, ambitious and family oriented,” her ABC bio read.

Through the years, Dina has displayed her close-knit bond with her sisters, with whom she poses in coordinating matching pajamas for the holidays. “Lupancu Christmas pjs tradition continues,” Dina wrote via Instagram in December 2020.

Dina’s Nieces and Nephews

Ahead of welcoming her first niece, Dina gushed over the little one being added to the family. “I can’t wait to meet my first NIECE! 🎀 #emasbabyshower,” Dina wrote via Instagram in 2017. Dina has since posed with several little ones on her social media.