Heather Rae & Tarek El Moussa Celebrate 5-Year Anniversary With ‘Dreamy’ Oceanfront Getaway To Carmel-By-The-Sea

Heather Rae El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa marked five years of marriage with a romantic escape to one of California’s most charming coastal towns.

The HGTV stars, who wed in Montecito, California, on Oct. 23, 2021, spent their anniversary weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea, sharing a carousel of photos from the trip on Instagram on Oct. 29.

“We escaped to Carmel for a little anniversary getaway and had the most special weekend celebrating US,” Heather, 39, wrote. “So grateful for these moments together, making memories and reflecting on how far we’ve come.”

Rather than a hotel, the couple stayed in a waterfront home, which Heather called “stunning,” adding that it “truly was the perfect place to celebrate such a meaningful milestone.”

Her photos showed the pair taking a selfie with the sparkling Pacific behind them, dining at a restaurant with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall overlooking the coast and cozying up by the fire with glasses of wine. On her Instagram Stories, the former Selling Sunset star also shared the “dreamy” view from their bedroom and a clip from an oceanside hike.

“5 years and forever to go,” she wrote over one photo of the couple.

Perched on the Monterey Peninsula at the northern edge of Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea is about a two-hour drive south of San Francisco, making it a popular weekend escape for Californians.

The village is known for its storybook cottages, art galleries and the white sand of Carmel Beach. Strict zoning rules, along with a lack of street addresses and chain businesses, help preserve its old-world feel.

Couples looking to follow in the El Moussas’ footsteps have plenty to explore nearby. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, just south of town, is known for its sea lions and coastal trails, while the famous 17-Mile Drive winds past Pebble Beach to the north. Monterey and its Cannery Row are only about four miles away, and Highway 1 continues south along the Big Sur coast to sights like Bixby Creek Bridge and McWay Falls.

The getaway followed a joint Instagram tribute the couple posted on their anniversary.

“5 years of marriage is a milestone & an accomplishment!” Heather wrote, adding, “Sometimes the hardest parts in a relationship make you the strongest.”

Tarek, 45, looked back on the day they met. “Heather, July 4th, 2019, you stepped onto my boat in Newport, and I just knew,” he wrote. “One year later I asked you to marry me. One year after that, we stood at the altar in Montecito, and I got to call you my wife.”

He also praised her role in their blended family. “Since day one, you’ve loved Taylor and Brayden like they were always yours,” he wrote. “You gave us Tristan.”

The couple, who star together on The Flip Off, share 3-year-old son Tristan. Tarek also shares Taylor, 16, and Brayden, 11, with his ex-wife and fellow HGTV star Christina Haack.

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