Source: Courtesy of / Instagram
Tennessee-based news station employees Cornelia Nicholson and Riley Nagel have made headlines with their on-camera engagement.
As WRCB-TV anchor Cornelia pre-recorded segments for her 11 o’clock news time slot Aug. 19, Riley popped in with his surprise proposal. The former, 28, quickly went from confused to surprised as she read the station’s teleprompter, which included sweet tidbits about the couple’s news industry love story. Riley, 30, secretly wrote the “Special Report” script and gave it to the station’s producers to put on the teleprompter, according to People.
Cornelia was overcome with emotion when her man stepped on set and popped the question. Riley, 30 approached the news desk with a bouquet and reflected on the couple’s early romance for viewers. He shared with the world that he was “drawn” to his soon-to-be-wife from the first time they met. The romantic grand proposal included lots more loving words and gushing about Cornelia before Riley dropped to one knee and placed the ring on her finger.
“I thought it would be fitting to ask you this question here since we met in news,” he lovingly told his future wife shortly before the latter said “Yes” and they shared an on-camera embrace.
Cornelia said she was “Still at a loss for words ðŸ˜ðŸ’” in the TikTok caption of her and Riley’s now-viral engagement. Since the anchor shared the post Aug. 20, it’s received over 4.6 million views and 900,000 plus likes on the app.
“💖💠Speechless,” Cornelia added on Instagram that day. “The lengths @strangernages [Riley] went to, to make this the most special day of my life. I’m so grateful to you and everyone who helped make this happen. (As you can tell by my face I had no clue what was happening😂). Can’t wait to do forever with you my love 💖 #shesafiancée.”
The soon-to-be-bride also shared photos of the couple after their engagement and close-up snapshots of her stunning cushion-cut rock.
Cornelia met Riley in Billings, Montana at a news station, according to People. The wifey-to-be became a mentee to her now fiancé — then a reporter –after she’d moved to the Northwestern state from California for a similar role.
Now Cornelia and Riley live in Chattanooga — where they’ve hunkered down since March 2020. The former works as a weekend anchor for WRCB-TV, and Riley is a reporter at the outlet.
Since the couple’s proposal was pre-recorded, they watched their engagement play out on the 11 o’clock news that same day.
Cornelia described the love and support the couple has received on on social media and in real life as “overwhelming.”
“…It was nice to be able to share our story with them,” the anchor expressed. “Every time we’re out at a store lately, people have been getting out of their cars or rolling down their windows, saying congratulations.”
See the clip of Cornelia and Riley’s on-camera engagement below. Congrats to the couple!
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