Strangers Record Couple's Beach Proposal — and Their Comments While Filming Go Viral (Exclusive)

Nicole Faith Cochrane tells PEOPLE she initially thought the onlookers were judging her for taking photos on the beach

• Strangers filmed Nicole Faith Cochrane getting engaged and sent the video to her afterwards. Cochrane posted the thoughtful clip to TikTok, where it went viral with over 5 million viewers

• In the comments, several users applauded the onlookers for supporting the bride-to-be and shared their appreciation for the wholesome moment

• Cochrane tells PEOPLE she connected with the former strangers after the video blew up online, and they've since connected on social media

All eyes — and cameras — were on Nicole Faith Cochrane when her fiancé got down on one knee.

A group of onlookers made sure to capture the moment when Cochrane stepped out onto the beach and spotted her then-boyfriend, Taylor, waiting by a bed of roses propped up in the sand. The thoughtful strangers couldn't help but gab with excitement as they witnessed the proposal, and looking back at the recording, the bride-to-be says their words only add to the memory.

"They made it 100 times better," she tells PEOPLE of the group who filmed from afar. They eventually approached the couple to share the video, and Cochrane posted it on TikTok for the world to enjoy as well.

"Strangers filmed my engagement then Airdropped it to me later," she captioned the clip, which now has over 936,000 likes on the app. "Their commentary was so cute."

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Behind the camera, the unexpected audience members can be heard saying things like "This is the cutest thing ever," and "I have chills all over my body!" At one point, one woman asked the group if they should cheer, and another insisted they cheer after the actual proposal.

Despite the fact that Cochrane didn't know the recording crowd at all, some of the TikTok's millions of viewers were quick to point out how she appears to bring them into the moment.

"The way she looked over at you guys like you guys were her besties and you were supposed to be there," one user wrote in the video's comments.

"We love women who support other women!!" another commenter replied.

Between the strangers and her best friend Astrid — who offered her skills as a professional wedding photographer — Cochrane had a whole team of women supporting and documenting her engagement. Astrid helped orchestrate the moment from the start by leading her friend to the beach under the premise of "girly best friend pics" before a nice dinner together, Cochrane recalls.

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"I was the one that pushed us to get new dresses that day because we walked by a boutique," she tells PEOPLE. "I did not think anything of it."

Based on the video's audio, it may seem like there were only a few people watching Astrid lead Cochrane down to her waiting boyfriend, but she says the group was actually quite large, with around 10 couples and several young kids.

"I remember thinking, seeing all them like, 'Oh my gosh, me and Taylor, I need to tell Taylor about this,' " Cochrane recalls. "Because we would want that when we have a bunch of kids. All out on the beach, playing games, grilling."

Initially, she actually confused the large party's awestruck gazes for something less than supportive. With their eyes all fixated on her and Astrid, she thought they might have been judging her for taking photos on the beach.

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"All of these thoughts are crossing my mind, and then when Astrid kind of gives me a look to look ... where he's standing, that's kind of when I look back at them and I'm putting two and two together," Cochrane explains of her unfolding thought process during the events seen in the video. "I'm like, 'Oh my gosh. That's why they were staring at me.' "

In addition to leaving the beach with a ring and a fiancé, Cochrane also got a few new friends out of the event. After the video went viral, some of the formerly anonymous film crew saw it and commented to reach out. Now they're all friends on social media, and Taylor even appeared on a podcast with one of the husbands in the group.

"It's just super funny," says Cochrane. "It just worked out perfect."

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