"Don't get bogged down in wedding traditions"

Below is an interview with the lovely Becky Straw. She is the co-founder and CEO of The Adventure Project. She lives in Brooklyn, NY but planned her wedding remotely which took place at the unique Diablo Ranch venue in Walnut Creek, CA. 

What elements of your wedding were most important to you are your fiancé?
We wanted our wedding to be as cost effective as possible. We’re in our late-30’s and we’ve been to a lot of weddings. So we wanted it to be fun, joyous and not super uptight. Our goal was to ensure our guests had a great time and not get bogged down in the “traditions.” I didn’t want to toss a garter, or be introduced by the DJ.

What were you looking for in a wedding venue?
We wanted a venue near my home in California, something outdoors to celebrate the great weather. We ended up going with Diablo Ranch for its flexibility and it’s incredibly scenic views. We found a Mexican restaurant to cater and they brought in a huge grill and set up a taco bar. We also really liked being able to bring in our own booze which enabled us to save a lot of money. Plus, we got to make a few signature margaritas, which were a huge hit.

How did you find your vendors?
We did a lot of asking around and looking at some of the traditional wedding websites and some blogs. I found It was really hard to figure out who was reliable. It was also hard to filter and find things based on the aesthetic, price and availability.

When you think about the whole wedding planning process, what do you wish was easier?
Looking back, I wish there was a detailed checklist of the things the venue would cover vs. what we were responsible for. My advice is to get as detailed as possible.

For example, we knew we were bringing in the drinks but two days before the wedding we learned we also needed to also buy the ice (and figure out how to transport 500 lbs of it during 100+ degree hot spell!). I had just assumed the venue had an icemaker. The answer is: Beverages and More delivers liquor AND ice.

Shout outs:
Photographer: Taralynn Lawton
Dessert: Milkbar 
Dress: Pronovias
Caterer: Tacolicious 
Music: Alisa Rose

Other Cool Couples