Lights, camera, action!
But for Cornelia Nicholson, a news anchor at WRCB, an NBC affiliate in Tennessee, the spotlight took a very unexpected but utterly delightful turn.
She was in the middle of what she thought was a typical day at work when her boyfriend, Riley Nagel, made sure it was anything but.
Setting the stage for a wedding proposal that looked like a genuine news report, he caught Cornelia completely off-guard, turning an ordinary broadcast into the ‘breaking news’ of her life.
A video capturing this heartwarming moment has now gone viral, and it’s easy to see why.
Cornelia appears on camera, seemingly baffled but professional, introducing what she believes is a “very special report.”
And special it was!
Out of the blue, Riley strolls onto the set, grinning from ear to ear and holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
The surprise on her face is priceless!
If news reports were rated, this one would get a billion likes for plot twist alone!
Not wasting a single moment, Riley, who is also a reporter at WRCB, gets straight to the point.
“I thought it’d be fitting to ask you this question here, since we met in news,” he declared.
“Cornelia Nicholson, would you marry me?”
The sentiment was perfect, a full-circle moment considering the setting and their history.
Overwhelmed by the unexpected romantic gesture, Cornelia’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m going to cry!” she managed to say before enthusiastically shouting, “Yes!”
It was the kind of fairytale moment you see in rom-coms, except this time it was playing out live, right in the heart of a newsroom.
The duo’s backstory is as sweet as the proposal itself.
They first met about four years ago while both were working in Montana at a different news station.
Nagel reminisced about their first meeting, stating he “was very drawn to her” from the get-go.
The chemistry was unmistakable, and they started dating not long after.
The proposal video is more than just a flashy romantic gesture; it’s peppered with heartfelt confessions and compliments.
“You have such an amazing personality,” Riley lovingly said to Cornelia during his proposal.
“You’re so bright, and you always light up a room when you come in, and make everyone laugh.”
Aww, cue the collective swoon!
Riley didn’t stop at just praising Cornelia’s charisma.
He also spoke volumes about her talent and commitment to her profession.
“You’re incredibly talented, especially in news,” he affirmed.
Continuing his heartfelt tribute, he said, “You’re one of the reasons, or pretty much the main reason, I’m still in news today. You’re always pushing me to do better in news and in other aspects in my life.”
After delivering his emotional and well-prepared speech, Riley did what every classic romantic would do: he knelt down on one knee and asked Cornelia to marry him.
The room stood still for a moment, capturing Cornelia’s absolute astonishment before she accepted with a speechless nod and hug.
Honestly, could this proposal be any more dreamy?
Flash forward to a subsequent news segment, where Riley couldn’t resist showing off his newly minted status as a romantic hero.
“They don’t call me the romance reporter for nothing!” he playfully quipped, while a coworker wiped away a tear, obviously moved by the love story unfolding before their eyes.
As for the blushing bride-to-be?
She posted on TikTok, still grappling with the enormity of what had just occurred. “@Riley Nagel hid this so well,” she confessed. “I am so excited for our future together.”
See the touching and incredibly heartfelt proposal in the video below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
