The wedding proposal was intimate, or so Erin Kennedy thought when Dante Salvetti popped the question on the grounds of Meridian Winery in Paso Robles.

Moments later, the two were surrounded by well-wishing relatives, secretly brought together by Salvetti to celebrate with a catered lunch and sparkling wine.

Kennedy and Salvetti met in 2006 while training as pharmaceutical sales reps. She worked in Orange County, he in Sacramento. The beginnings of a fabulous friendship inspired Salvetti to invite Kennedy to share a weekend in San Francisco.

“An amazing time” turned into weekly visits. Eventually Kennedy, who grew up in Atascadero, moved to Sacramento. She and Salvetti, raised in Auburn, were engaged the following year.

Kennedy describes herself as a low-maintenance bride trained on the bottom line, though she and Salvetti, both 27, secured renowned award-winning photographer Catherine Hall early on.

Salvetti’s musician friends from college played at the church ceremony. The reception took place at Kennedy’s parents’ health club in Paso Robles, the lobby transformed into a stylish banquet space.

Dancing took center stage. A choreographer and former San Diego Charger Girl, Kennedy put together a routine for herself and her father, mixing up Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.

“It was just relaxed and meaningful and really just perfect,” Kennedy says of the day. “I loved everything.”