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That’s right, folks, a surprise wedding!
This story was featured in The Desert Sun (2/13/07) and tells the story of a New Jersey couple who got married in a surprise wedding on January 30, 2006. The officiant (and soon to be mine, too!), Rhoda Casto, helped the determined groom, Wade, pull off this feat while on what he told his soon-to-be-Bride was a “simple weekend getaway” in Palm Desert. In fact, Rhoda helped arrange for a photographer, bridal bouquet and the like!
So, here’s what happened: the Bride-to-be, Nicky, was told to dress up for an event at the Ritz Carlton. But, before they left, Wade wanted to look at the view of the sun setting over the golf course (at their hotel: The Desert Springs Marriott Villas). Rhoda was in disguise (pretending to model for a photo shoot!) and a friend of the couple was also disguised (by a moustache, fake beard & sunglasses). When Wade got down on one knee to propose and Nicky visibly accepted, Rhoda and the friend came out of the woodwork. My favorite part of the story is that when Rhoda approached, she said, “Did you just propose? Well, I happen to be a minister & I can marry you right now!”. They were married right then and there…
Would you be game for a surprise wedding? This was not the first marriage for either of them, which I think makes a difference. How would you respond?
I’d probably treat it like a city hall ceremony, and expect to have an additional reception-like event later on. Way too many people would feel excluded otherwise.
Wow! I don’t think I would like that, honestly, unless the bride had stated that she wanted it short and simple the second time. It is a cute idea, but I don’t like the idea of the couple not planning it together.
Sigh. I wish my fiance would do this for me! But small and simple are just not in his (or his mother’s) vocabulary. 
There’s actually an article in this month’s Modern Bride (I think? - I subscribe to too many bridal mags) about a surprise wedding. The to-be bride (she wasn’t even engaged yet) walked into work, and a co-worker handed her a ticket to Paris, and a note (maybe it was a phone call?), that said the to-be groom had already cleared 2 weeks of vacation with her boss.
Long story short, she flew to Paris, he proposed, and it turned out he had invited her family and friends to Paris, and they got married there!
I think this is supercute but for me personally, I would HATE it. Even if I wanted to have a small and simple ceremony with just the two of us (which is entirely possible), I would want it to be OUR decision. If that happened to me I would probably be like uhhh okay! in the moment, but then I’m sure I would regret it later, because it would mean I missed out completely on choosing which option I might have wanted.
It’s very sweet, but not me at all. I mean, think of all we complain about the vendors, future inlaw problems, etc on this website. Sure it’d be great to have those go away and elope the same day. But what about that moment you find the perfect shade of linens to match your bridesmaids dresses? Or the moment you find “the dress” half off that makes you look like 2 sizes smaller (ok, still searching for that one..hehe!)? I couldn’t give up all those little happy moments!!
but is it legal? i.e. did he get a marriage license beforehand?
I think it would be just what my boyfriend would want, but I’d have to get the big party later, and my parents (and his!) had better be there to see it happen!
I’d do it but with the assumption that I get my party later… although, thinking about it, maybe I should do this for my b/f.
I need the health insurance 
KIDDING!!!!
I think it’s sweet and if that is what the bride wanted. I think he probably knew she’d be ok with it, or else I doubt he’d have done it.
Romantic, but yeah, I’d be pissed. According to FI, I lack spontaneity. Apparently he’s right.
My friend did that…he sent out invitations ahead of time…and booked all the vendors. He then surprised her with a proposal that ended with him giving her the invitation to her own wedding. She had talked about wanting to get married to anyone who would listen that her family and friends already knew what color she wanted, where she wanted to have it held, and even the dress! (Her friend tricked her into trying on wedding dresses under the false pretense of the friend’s parents are doing a vow renewal and needed a new dress). Needless to say, the planning was elaborate, involved a LOT of people…and turned out fantastic.
It’s a cute story, but if it happened to me, I wouldn’t like it at all. As much as I dislike wedding planning, I would feel totally robbed if I didn’t get to do certain things that brides are supposed to do, ie: dress shopping 
I don’t think it matters at all that it’s the second time around. I am a second time bride and I personally would still feel like the rug had been pulled out from under me to go from engaged to married in less than an hour!
Hopefully the guy knew his gal well enough to know that this was something she would enjoy!
Not only would I not like it, but I wouldn’t go through with the on-the-spot wedding. No way would I get guilted into going through with the most important event of my life when I wasn’t happy about it. I would regret that forever and would be so resentful to my husband if I went through with it. I’d feel kind of bad that he’d done all that planning and I wasted it all, but still. No.
I would be mad! I think I would feel forced to do it.
Yeah, seems a little weird and controlling to me. I get the sentiment but I would feel personally squicked out.
that is very cute and romantic, but i think i would feel like i got shafted since i won’t get to plan a wedding! 
though i guess they could always plan another one for guests later
I would have loved if that really happened to me! Saves me the headache of planning a wedding that my FH wanted. I would rather have it simple instead of this more-than-simple and more-like-a-headache wedding.
I have a friend who did something a little similar - the bride and groom were both in on it, though. They got engaged, but neither of them wanted a “wedding”, but her mom was insistent. So they picked a wedding date about a year off and planned an “engagement party” in the short term. They snuck in a minister, pretending he was a coworker, and midway through the party stood up to make the thank you toast, ending with “We’re so excited to be getting married….right now!” The minister stepped out and presto, wedding. It was lovely - I was one of the few people who knew about it ahead of time and the looks on everybody’s faces was great. And then her mom was so excited and happy that they were married that she forgot to be mad about not having the big wedding.
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Miss Peppermint, LA/Palm Springs Age and Occupation: 23, Actress Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Web Producer Engagement Date: October 21, 2006 Wedding Date: December 2007 Blogging Since: July 2, 2007 Venue: historic estate overlooking the heart of Palm Springs About Me: I am a Southern California native who enjoys cooking, writing, travel and all things in the arts. Mr. Peppermint and I met in college and he proposed on our four year anniversary in one of our most special places, Joshua Tree National Park. We're having a destination wedding in Palms Springs that will incorporate tradition as well as reflect our personalities!
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