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MYSTERY SOLVED: Couple photographed during marriage proposal at Biltmore found

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — In less than 24 hours, the mystery couple who was photographed getting engaged at the Biltmore Estate on Dec. 2 have been found.

Courtney Chandler and Joey Browning’s special moment was captured by a Charlotte-area photographer while she was taking photos of the sunset over the mansion.

Channel 9 obtained the photo Wednesday in hopes of finding the lucky couple.

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(Photo credit: Ann Larsen)

WSOC-TV posted the photo, which features the special moment staged in front of the sprawling mansion on the station's Facebook page at 11:43 a.m. Wednesday and the station's Twitter account at 12:13 p.m.

Browning’s sister, Kellee Browning, saw the photo on the WSOC-TV Twitter account and shared it with Chandler.

Chandler called the Channel 9 newsroom at 11:17 a.m. Thursday, less than 24 hours after it was posted.

The lucky couple lives in Dawsonville, Georgia, which is three and a half hours from Asheville and nearly four hours from Charlotte.

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Channel 9 sent the engagement photos to the couple Thursday evening.

CLICK PLAY: Browning and Chandler talked to Anchor Erica Bryant Thursday night via Skype about their experience at the Biltmore.

CLICK PLAY: The couple talks about the moment the engagement happened after Browning found the perfect spot.

CLICK PLAY: Chandler talks about her reaction after Browning popped the big question.

CLICK PLAY: The couple explains how they found out the photograph went viral.

They told Bryant they are planning a wedding in May near their hometown of Dawsonville, Georgia.

The back story behind the photo:

The holiday season is a popular time of the year to get engaged, and what better place to do so than the Biltmore Estate in Asheville?

A Charlotte-area photographer sent Channel 9 a breathtaking photo of a couple’s special moment at the Biltmore Estate in hopes of finding the lucky couple and giving them the photo.

Ann Larsen and her boyfriend, Edgar Payne, both photography enthusiasts in the Charlotte area, were at the Biltmore on Friday, Dec. 2 to tour the mansion and capture photos of the sun setting over the home.

The Biltmore was decorated for the holiday season, including the trees in front of the mansion, which were decked out in lights.

It was the first time that Larsen and Payne had ever visited the mansion to take photos during the Christmas season.

Larsen and Payne had set up their equipment on top of the hill in front of the home known as the Vista, which features a statue of Diana, the goddess of the hunt.

They noticed a couple hanging around them and they exchanged greetings.

A few minutes later, the couple headed back down the hill toward the mansion. About halfway down, the man dropped to one knee and proposed.

Larsen’s camera was ready and she snapped a beautiful photo of the exact moment that the man asked the woman to marry him.

As quickly as the photo was taken, the couple headed toward the house and weren’t seen again.

Larsen hoped sharing the photo on social media would help find the couple so she could give them the priceless photo that they will cherish forever.

Click here to take a closer look at the couple.

The photo has been shared thousands of times on the WSOC-TV Facebook page. See our post here.

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