Intimate Surprise Wedding at Historic Mattei’s Tavern

Mattie's TavernLindsey Drewes PhotoWild Poppy Floral DesignChef Mattias BloomKT Cakes Bake Shop

Apr 26

Ariel and Rick met when they started working together at a veterinary hospital three and a half years ago. While they were both a bit hesitant to get into a relationship with someone they worked with, they eventually couldn’t help but start dating. Once Rick proposed to Ariel, they stumbled upon a dilemma as they began planning the elopement they had dreamed about. While a small part of them wanted to privately elope, they knew how much it meant to their closest friends and family to be present at their wedding. And so, they planned the most perfect SURPRISE wedding posed as an engagement party at the historic Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, CA.

After cocktail hour for their “engagement party," a close friend of Rick’s from vet school began to make a toast and announced that Ariel and Rick were to be wed and that he was an ordained minister. Standing on the steps of the Hartley House with 33 of their closest friends and family watching, Ariel and Rick exchanged vows and were married. Their friends and family were overjoyed with tears streaming down many of their faces. Ariel’s father’s response was that he was just so glad he got to be there.

Details from their engagement ceremony turned into their wedding included: a bouquet and table arrangements made collaboratively with Ariel’s close friend Rachel and local florist Breanna from Wild Poppy Florals. Blooms were sourced locally from Ballard Canyon Farms. Ariel’s friend Katie of KT Bake Shop made the gorgeous white confetti cake with mint and lemon frosting. Dinner, appetizers, and a small dessert was catered by Chef Mattias Bloom.