Brayden Bowers caught Christina Mandrell (and all of Us) by surprise when he decided to propose during The Golden Wedding.
Brayden, 25, had only informed “select producers” of his plans in advance, according to a Variety reporter in attendance. Per the outlet, “multiple people” on the grounds were “completely caught off guard” by the secret.
Brayden and Christina, 28, who found love after he left the Bachelor in Paradise beach during season 9, were invited guests at Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist’s wedding on Thursday, January 4. Ahead of the ceremony, Brayden and Christina chatted about their relationship with show host Jesse Palmer.
Christina revealed that she slid into Brayden’s DMs after his stint on Paradise, which eventually turned into daily text conversations and FaceTime calls. Brayden even formed a bond with Christina’s daughter from a previous relationship, Blakely, and the pair planned to move in together. Brayden proclaimed on Thursday that the pair were driving from California to Tennessee with his belongings, including his jewelry collection, over the weekend.
In the middle of his relationship update, Brayden got down on bended knee and pulled out a Neil Lane diamond ring.
“I just knew that there was something special, and there was something different, and then I got to spend time with you and got to spend time with Blakely … and introduce you to my family,” he gushed during the televised broadcast. “For the first time in my life, I feel like I found someone that I can be myself with unapologetically. And I have no doubts that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Christina tearfully accepted Brayden’s proposal, finally putting together that his plans correlated to the reason they got manicures before the big day. (Jesse, 45, also stressed that Gerry, 72, and Theresa, 70, knew and approved of the engagement plans ahead of time.)
Christina appeared on Zach Shallcross’ season 27 of The Bachelor, while Brayden was a frontrunner on Charity Lawson’s season 20 of The Bachelorette. After Charity, 28, sent Brayden home, he went to BiP. After failed connections with Kat Izzo and Rachel Recchia on the beach spinoff, he left the show single.
Brayden and Christina confirmed their romance in December 2023 after the season 9 finale of Bachelor in Paradise.
“Brayden (aka MY BOYFRIEND!) and I found something truly special,” Christina gushed via Instagram at the time. “In each other, we have a space where being unapologetically ourselves is not just accepted but celebrated! Something I never knew I was missing until I did.”
She added, “San Diego to Nashville won’t be just a change of scenery but the next chapter in our journey as a team. A future where laughter, authenticity, and the strength of ‘US’ define our story. … We’re on this adventure together, cheering each other on, and creating a home filled with laughter and love. Grateful for the ease of being exactly who we are with one another. There’s something incredibly special about finding a love that feels like home.”
With Brayden moving into Christina’s home, she already has special plans for his expansive closet. She teased to Jesse on Thursday that she is surprising Brayden with light-up earring displays when they return home.
