Christina Mandrell (née Pincus), who is the niece of Country Music Hall of Famer Barbara Mandrell and the daughter of Barbara’s younger sister Irlene Mandrell, and her boyfriend Brayden Bowers are officially engaged! On Thursday evening (Jan. 4), during the live broadcast of Golden Wedding, Bowers got down on one knee and asked Mandrell to marry him before Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist tied the knot. The couple met during their stint on Bachelor In Paradise.
Christina Mandrell and Brayden Bowers Engagement
The engagement took place after Bowers’ disclosed to the show’s host, Jesse Palmer, that their relationship began when she slid into his direct messages (DMs). He also revealed how their shared love for the band Tenacious D played a pivotal role. The soon-to-be husband and wife then gave their microphones to Palmer and the proposal went down.
“Christina, from the moment that I picked you up from the airport with your crazy ass rose and your fake disguise, I just knew that there was something special and there was something different,” Bowers told Mandrell during the unforgettable engagement, where he told the mom of 7-year-old daughter Blakely, that she made him feel he could be himself “unapologetically.”
“And I have no doubts that I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Bowers added. “And like Gerry said, it’s like, you know, we have such little time and … I just know that I want to spend the rest of my days with you.”
He then popped the big question as he knelt down on one knee and brought out a diamond engagement ring. After saying “yes” to Bowers asking if she will marry him, Christina Mandrell questioned, “[Is] this is why we got our nails done?”
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While the proposal came as a big surprise to the Golden Wedding viewers, Brayden Bowers did ask the newlyweds, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, if he could ask Mandrell to marry him during their high-profile, televised wedding, according to the show’s host.
“Brayden actually called Gerry and Theresa and made sure he got their blessing before he proposed,” Palmer revealed.
Will Mark Christina’s Second Marriage
This marriage will mark Christina Mandrell’s second wedding, as she was previously married to her daughter’s father, Blake Dennis. Mandrell and Dennis got married in 2015 after more than 3 years together and filed for divorce in November 2020. The divorce was later finalized and made official in March 2021.
Mandrell And Bowers Are Moving In Together
The engagement comes after the beloved reality couple recently revealed that they are taking their relationship to the next level and are moving in together.
“Full delulu mode thinking I could pull off organizing the entire house before Brayden moves in,” Mandrell wrote in a now deleted Instagram story on Monday (Jan. 1). “So now it looks like this.”
How Did Christina Mandrell Meet Brayden Bowers?
Christina Mandrell started dating The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise alum Brayden Bowers in 2023. Mandrell met Bowers during the ninth season of Bachelor in Paradise and while their romance was not unveiled on screen, the couple confirmed their relationship on social media.
Confirmed Their Romance Via Social Media
The Bachelor Nation stars officially shared that they are dating via Instagram on December 7, 2023. “We can ‘FINALEy’ shout it from the rooftops!!” Mandrell wrote at the time. “Beyond the cameras and reality show drama, Brayden (aka MY BOYFRIEND!) and I found something truly special. 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. We can finally share our goofy, love-filled world.”
Bowers also confirmed their romance, after taking Wells Adams’ advice to find a “southern belle.”
“She has been the biggest blessing in my life,” Bowers explained in a separate Instagram post. “She has been there for me through very tough times already and has showed me so much grace through it all. She has become my confidant, my accountability partner and my favorite person. I’m so grateful that I no longer have to be hush-hush about our relationship. I can finally shout it from the tops of the mountains. Love you babe, thank you for being in my life.”
