Rachel Recchia got the proposal she was hoping for on the season 19 finale of The Bachelorette, which was filmed in May and aired on Sept. 20. Tino Franco got down on one knee at the final rose ceremony and popped the question to Rachel with a gorgeous ring. The Neil Lane engagement ring was a giant, emerald cut diamond on a gold band. Rachel was glowing as she accepted the ring from Tino.
“I’m so nervous right now, but I’m so excited,” Rachel told Tino at the final rose ceremony. “I truly feel like right now it just doesn’t feel real, but thinking about night one and your charm and humor and everything about you was just undeniable. I need you to know that I truly have never met anyone in my life like you — someone who’s just so selfless and gentle and supportive and makes me want to be a better person every single day. This journey has been so hard for me. There were times when I didn’t think anyone was here for me and I didn’t feel deserving at all of this role I was given, but I would do it all again a million times to be having you in front of me right now. I don’t feel like I could be happier than I am in this moment because I am so madly in love with you and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He responded with a romantic proposal. “This is never going away. The first night I was more nervous that I ever had been in my life and the second I grabbed your hand to take you to the stairs, magically you made me feel calm and confident. Now I’m standing here on the biggest day of my life and, yet again, you make me feel so confident. I know I’ve said in the past I’m not the most spiritual guy, but this journey really did make me believe in fate. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world. Your compassion, your wit, your charm, your intelligence make me fall in love with you more every time I see you. Every time we’re together you make me feel like the center of your universe and I’m here today to show you you’re the center of mine. This crazy love is going to look too good to be true to some people, but it’s as real as it can be and the only person I care about understanding that is standing right in front of me right now. I love you so much and I’m going to love you until the end of time. You make me feel so loved and valued and appreciated. I want to dedicate the rest of my life to making you feel cherished and loved the way you deserve. You’re the woman of my dreams and there’s really only one more question to ask…” That’s when Tino got down on one knee and asked Rachel to be his wife.
Going into the final rose ceremony, Tino was the only man left for Rachel after she eliminated Aven Jones and Zach Shallcross decided to leave the show during part one of the finale on Sept. 13. Rachel made it clear that she wanted an engagement at the end of her journey. She told Tino she loved him on their fantasy suite date, and was even more confident in their relationship after introducing him to her family.
Four months have gone by since Tino proposed to Rachel, and the finale will also feature them both be live in-studio to discuss what happened in the time since. The After The Final Rose special airs amidst part two of The Bachelorette finale, with scenes cutting back and forth to the live studio appearances.